The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

Culture

Jun 1

Written By Kaleidoscope Management Group

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Bon Jovi may have said it best: “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” While I wouldn’t consider myself a die-hard Bon Jovi fan, I think he may have been onto something.

Change was already a constant pre-pandemic but, as we all know, the pace of change has been accelerated over the last two years. That said, I’ve been thinking about how, amidst change, we can get back to the basics. Simplify. Create simplicity out of complexity. This is, after all, what we do at Kaleidoscope.

The presence of change is especially prevalent in the digital space. Accenture reports in Tech Trends 2022: Meet Me in the Metaverse: “Digital change – including digitally enhanced worlds, realities and business models – will revolutionize nearly all aspects of life and business in the next decade. As these developments challenge our basic assumptions about technology and business, we’re entering a new landscape with no rules or expectations.”

How exciting! While I can see how for some the idea of the unknown might seem daunting, for me (full disclosure: I fall squarely in the Maverick category on the Predictive Index) the prospect of blazing new trails is thrilling.

At KMG, we are doing everything we can to effectively navigate the new landscape, while keeping our eye on the ball and doing what we do best. This includes helping our clients achieve their business goals and creating a place where talented people want to work. Here are a few ways we are thinking about accomplishing this:

Innovate to retain talent. Even amidst signs of an economic pull back and the job market cooling, doesn’t every company aspire to be a best place to work? I was thrilled to see that many of the recommendations in Inc’s 6 Proven Ways to Create a Company Culture Worth Bragging About article are already in place at KMG.

Show up authentically. Whether on Juneteenth or in the wake of the recent decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, the public expectation for brands to have a perspective and position on major issues and events is exceptionally high. That said, I believe it is important that companies not just virtue signal by merely giving the day off or posting a corporate statement on social media. As this article effectively conveys, the deeper meaning of the event is lost with these gestures alone. More important to consider is: how is your company showing up behind the scenes? Are they donating to causes committed to addressing key issues? Are they empowering employees to volunteer, take action, educate themselves? I’ve been thinking a lot about this and on Juneteenth we committed to expanding our support of Forward Through Ferguson, an organization that continues to work tirelessly to address systemic racial inequity. Last spring, we made a significant gift to Planned Parenthood in support of the wide number of reproductive services they provide and their continued advocacy of the reproductive rights of women.

Empower your people. My vision for KMG was to be the company I wished I could have worked for when I was moving up the career ladder in the early 2000s. See first bullet above for reference. Another aspect of this includes offering multiple earning opportunities. Everyone can be a company ambassador. We have empowered everyone on the KMG team to earn new business, open doors, and establish and expand client relationships. Flattening the organization to all employees has been an essential part of our company’s success. Making the tools available to your team to make this accessible (ie. this “Want to work with KMG?” form) is an important part of this shift.

I hope some of these might spark a thought as you respond to change in your own organization. How are you adapting to change? I’d love to hear. Oh, and Happy Pride! Speaking of pride, in celebration, one of our co-workers made this kaleidoscopic Jell-O shot for a weekend on the lake. To say I’m bursting with pride is an understatement!

Thanks for being here and continuing to journey on the especially complex path we’ve been on since our first edition in April 2020. And if you don’t find yourself aligning with The More Things Change, there’s always Livin’ on a Prayer! Have a great day.

Warmly,