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    WebinarPositive Vision of the Future 2007 60 min

    Built to Change

    Organizations are built to perform, not to change. But in today’s highly competitive business environment, organizations must be ready to change and change frequently. Organizations cannot sustain excellent performance unless they embrace change. The webinar will focus on identifying practices and designs that organizations can adopt so that they are able to change. It will include information about creating strategies, structures, reward systems, communication processes, and human resource management practices that are designed to facilitate the ability of an organization to change.

    Presenter

    EL

    Ed Lawler

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Sustained high performance requires organizations to embrace frequent change.
    • 2.Organizations can be intentionally designed to facilitate change through specific management practices.
    • 3.Effective change strategies involve aligning structures, rewards, and communication processes.
    • 4.Human resource management practices are critical for fostering organizational agility.
    • 5.Reward systems should be redesigned to incentivize adaptability and continuous learning.
    • 6.Transparent communication structures that encourage feedback are essential for managing change.

    The Challenge: Built to Perform, Not to Change

    In today's dynamic business environment, the capacity for rapid and frequent change is essential for survival and sustained success. However, most organizations are designed for performance and stability, not for change. This session with Ed Lawler addresses this fundamental conflict and provides a framework for transforming static entities into agile systems capable of continuous adaptation.

    Designing for Continuous Adaptation

    This webinar explores the practical strategies and designs that enable organizations to thrive amidst constant market shifts and technological advancements. The focus is on creating a culture and structure that embraces, rather than resists, transformation.

    Core Levers for an Agile Organization

    Participants will gain insights into the key areas that must be aligned to build an organization that is 'built to change':

    • Adaptable Strategies: Designing strategies that anticipate and accommodate future uncertainties.
    • Flexible Structures: Creating organizational structures that can pivot and realign resources quickly.
    • Aligned Reward Systems: Implementing rewards that support continuous improvement, flexibility, and adaptability.
    • Transparent Communication: Establishing communication processes that foster feedback and facilitate smooth transitions.
    • Agile HR Management: Leveraging human resource practices to support talent mobility and skill development in dynamic roles.

    How Leaders Can Apply These Principles

    Leaders can use this framework to evaluate their current organizational design and identify systems that may inadvertently hinder change. Application involves a holistic approach to building an agile enterprise:

    • Re-evaluate and redesign reward systems to incentivize continuous learning and adaptability.
    • Implement transparent communication structures that foster feedback across all levels.
    • Develop HR policies that support talent mobility and employee growth in dynamic roles.
    • Foster a leadership mindset that champions experimentation and learning from all change initiatives.

    This session addresses the critical need for organizations to transform from static entities into agile systems capable of continuous adaptation. It explores practical approaches for designing organizations that not only perform effectively but are also inherently 'built to change' in a dynamic business landscape. The principles discussed remain highly relevant for leaders navigating constant market shifts and technological advancements.

    What you'll learn

    Participants will gain insights into creating an organizational culture and structure that embraces rather than resists change.

    • Strategies for designing adaptable organizational structures.
    • Methods for aligning reward systems to support continuous improvement and flexibility.
    • Best practices for communication processes that facilitate change.
    • How human resource management can be leveraged to foster organizational agility.
    • Identifying and implementing designs that enable frequent and effective organizational transformation.

    Who this webinar is for

    This webinar is designed for leaders, HR professionals, and organizational development practitioners seeking to enhance their organization's ability to adapt and thrive amidst constant change. It is particularly beneficial for those responsible for strategic planning, HR policy, and organizational design.

    • CEOs and Executive Leadership Teams
    • HR Directors and Managers
    • Organizational Development Specialists
    • Change Management Professionals
    • Strategy and Operations Leaders

    Why it matters now

    In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, global market shifts, and unforeseen disruptions, an organization's capacity for rapid, effective change is no longer a luxury but a fundamental requirement for survival and sustained success. The ability to pivot quickly, innovate continuously, and realign resources is directly linked to competitive advantage and long-term viability. This session provides timeless principles for building that essential capability.

    How leaders can apply this

    Leaders can apply the insights from this session by critically evaluating their current organizational design and identifying areas where systems may inadvertently hinder change. Ed Lawler's framework encourages a holistic approach to building an agile enterprise.

    • Re-evaluate and redesign reward systems to incentivize adaptability and continuous learning.
    • Implement communication structures that are transparent and foster feedback across all levels.
    • Develop HR policies and practices that support talent mobility and growth in dynamic roles.
    • Regularly assess and adjust organizational strategy, ensuring it accommodates future uncertainties rather than resisting them.
    • Foster a leadership mindset that champions experimentation and learning from both successes and failures in change initiatives.

    About this session

    Key takeaways

    Watching this webinar gives you grounded, practical perspective on Inclusivity. Expect ideas you can use in leadership conversations, not abstract theory, drawn from Ed Lawler's direct experience.

    Who this is for

    CHROs, HR business partners, talent leaders, executive coaches, organizational development practitioners, and senior leaders who are responsible for positive vision of the future inside their organization.

    Why it matters now

    Workforce expectations, hybrid work patterns, and AI-driven change keep raising the bar on culture and leadership. Sessions like this help leaders make smarter, more evidence-informed decisions about Inclusivity.

    How to apply it

    Use the ideas here to challenge a current assumption on your team, design a single concrete experiment in the next 30 days, and bring one finding back to your leadership group for discussion.

    Frequently asked questions

    Topics

    Inclusivity

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.