“The workplace of today has shifted from the more traditional and hierarchical pyramid structure, to more empowered teams of teams. Due to this shift, there is more focus on a need for shared values and culture, and for an agile communication and execution strategy”
When I co-founded Grow three years ago, I didn’t envision it to be the dynamic platform that it is today. I just knew I wanted to provide leadership development through technology. You see, I believe that everyone should have access to development. That was clear to me from the very start and continues to be my “why.”
Today’s drastically changing and highly competitive work climate calls for employees who shun stagnation and are driven and committed to constantly improving themselves. Organizational success depends on excellence, collaboration and innovation. Employees cannot and should not wait around for development opportunities to be handed to them. Possibilities to participate in training programs and attend conferences and seminars might be too pricey and may not occur often enough, or worse are available only to a select few. With technology like the kind we offer, everyone can finally take their development into their own hands.
I’m sure you’ve also noticed that the workplace of today has shifted from the more traditional and hierarchical pyramid structure, to more empowered teams of teams. Due to this shift, there is more focus on a need for shared values and culture, and for an agile communication and execution strategy. Gone are the days when all direction was dictated from the top. Networks of teams mobilize themselves and are able to accomplish more. This way, there is top-notch work quality at speed and scale. One thing’s for sure, now more clearly than ever before, the work landscape has indeed become more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA). This change will continue at breakneck speed.
Teams that are able to cope with, excellently manage and even capitalize on these unprecedented changes, understand the importance of embedding development in the work. Development, for it to be impactful, has to be ongoing and embedded in the work. I’m sure a lot of us have been sent to conferences and have been enrolled in training programs, and while they have great merit, it can be difficult to bridge the gap from theory to practice. Applying the concepts you have learned might not be as easy as it seems. How do you start? Which ones are actually applicable and doable? How do you and your team execute the learnings considering the unique circumstances you are currently in? With Grow, you’ll have the option to develop without being taken out of your job for extended periods of time (which adversely affects performance) or you can use it to supplement the training you attended. That way, there is continuity and reinforcement.
More importantly, experts consistently predict that soft skills will be among the most important work skills needed in the 21st century. Technical skills can be learned and taught. It’s the skills and traits on leadership, communication and empathy that need to be strengthened and cultivated. It’s no secret that it’s the teams who communicate clearly and effectively, who collaborate meaningfully, who are flexible and accountable, and who exhibit ownership and leadership that are the ones who are able to produce excellent work results. Grow leverages technology by providing teams and the individuals in those teams a safe online space to practice these skills that support not just their personal development objectives, but also their team goals. This in turn affects company-set KPIs. This technology employs a unique approach which understands that each individual has a distinct goal. But as members of a team on a development journey, they can align these goals and strive towards a shared aspiration that benefits them as a whole.
The approach the platform uses is based on a proprietary methodology developed by leadership experts in INSEAD. The positive transformation towards high performance that Grow paves the way for has been enjoyed and experienced by clients like Microsoft, Swiss Federal Railways, PetroRio and Bombardier. High performance doesn’t just happen by chance. It’s the result of a deliberate and conscious effort in developing, improving and growing individually and as a team.
About the author :
Rudi Ramin is Grow’s CEO and Co-Founder, a former marketing and sales expert at Google and Unilever, and an INSEAD EMBA Valedictorian. He enjoys bowling, traveling and reading. He was born in the Philippines and lives in Singapore.
About Grow360:
Grow’s solution is built around the proprietary 7A Methodology – a research-based and holistic approach to team leadership development. It is easy to use and accelerates behavioral change at the individual and team levels. Grow’s balanced focus on foundation setting, mobilizing and following through provides a sustainable positive impact on change and performance.
