“How do they do it?”

It’s a question we hear all the time. “They” might be referring to big-name innovators like Apple or Netflix, or it could be the big fish in a specific small pond—the one company that regularly blows everyone else in the industry out of the water (whether everyone else wants to admit it or not).

"They" are the companies that consistently put out offerings that tap into the desires of their audience. They’re agile in the face of relentless change and complexity. It’s like they have the magic touch, an uncanny ability to turn ideas into impact, and in the process, rewrite the rules of their industry.  

No wonder so many leaders want to unlock their secrets. 

Today’s demanding business environment favors companies like these. They’re the Game Changers. The ones with the instincts to create great solutions and the reflexes to make them a reality.

Here’s the good news: There is no magic. Anyone can learn what these companies know and become Game Changers, too.  That's not saying it's easy. "They" didn't become Game Changers overnight, either.

Two Key Disciplines of Game Changers

The essence of organizational effectiveness is being able to achieve the outcomes you intend, and there are two disciplines that make up that journey to impact: innovation and change. It’s no coincidence that Game Changers are great at both.

Whether they’re facing a tough problem or looking for ways to capitalize on new opportunities, Game Changers know how to create great solutions. Innovation is the collection of tools, techniques and mindsets that help organizations create great solutions that are desirable for users, technically feasible and financially viable.

Those that are good at innovation start with a deep understanding of the customer. They’re able to quickly generate and test numerous ideas and learn their way into great solutions.  

New solutions require new organizational processes, systems, technologies and behaviors to support their success. Whether initiated by you or the outside world, change is a fact of life in today’s business environment. If you aren’t good at mobilizing support, it doesn’t matter how groundbreaking an idea or strategy is; it will never take hold and scale to a level that creates impact.

Change as a discipline of organizational effectiveness refers to the collection of tools, techniques, and mindsets that help organizations ensure their people are ready to engage, willing to commit and able to do what it takes to realize the full potential of great solutions.

Those that are good at change are agile and able to do new things quickly. They align key stakeholders around the challenge, involve them in the solution and engage them to adopt it.

Rather than viewing these two dimensions as sequential phases in a journey, Game Changers know that innovation and change are most effective when they happen in concert, with different levels of focus at different times. Change demands new ideas and great solutions—ones that are desirable, feasible and viable—while new solutions require effective change—the readiness, willingness and ability to translate ideas into impact.

The secret to organizational effectiveness isn’t reserved for the lucky few. Your organization can adopt the innovation and change mindsets of the Game Changers to create groundbreaking solutions and realize your full potential. Once you do, you’ll unleash new ways of thinking, which will result in new offers, operational efficiencies and increased customer and employee engagement.  

And your competitors will be the ones left asking, “How do they do it?”

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