Whether digital transformation, a new organizational purpose or a different way of work organization: the need for innovation in one of these essential areas of a company usually affects all three.

This is often ignored. The whole focus is only on the area where the need originally arose. This often ends in failure. Change in essential areas of an organization leads to a change in culture. This means redefining the self-perception, character and working environment of the company.

Sustainable ability for innovation has three prerequisites:

1. A new view of the world:

All those involved – but especially leaders – take on new roles here. They often associate this with a loss of power and thus prestige. But to be effective in the VUCA world, it is necessary to be a living, networked organism without rigid power hierarchies.

2. Networked self-management as basis for flourishing, living organizations:

Instead of functions, commitment to the cause and expert knowledge determine who has the leadership of projects. Thus, in different situations different people have influence and decision-making competence.

3. Freedom to act (instated even selectively or gradually):

An effective lever is voluntariness: executives or responsible departments ask who wants to participate in shaping the company and then create the opportunities to do so. These groups of people must then be supported and protected, especially by the leaders: Fears, doubts and resistance often cause others to forget things, unintentionally hinder or even actively counteract innovations.

The outcome: better decisions and effective work – and therefore results

In networked self-management, decision-making processes are generally shorter and faster. They are more robust because the people concerned make important contributions to the decision-making process or take them themselves.

Digital communication and collaboration tools are particularly helpful in this type of collaboration, as they support real-time networking and enable extensive transparency.

Overall, this not only makes the work of the organization more efficient and effective. Rather, everyone can contribute much more effectively – and thus create more meaningful work for him or herself.