10 Ways to Ensure Your Company Can Adapt to Evolving Trends
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In the culture space, what’s in one day could be out the next. Trends are constantly changing, and the companies that build their business off trends may struggle to thrive once their particular trend has come and gone. However, it’s not unusual for companies to want to cater to what’s popular at the moment, offering what customers are most interested in at the time.
The challenge then becomes how to adapt as these trends change. How can a business ensure it doesn’t fail once a fad has passed? As business leaders in the culture space, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have a few ideas. Here, they discuss 10 key tips for building a culture of adaptability in your company that will allow you to better respond to constant cultural change.
Make Experimentation Part of Your Company Values
Promote a mindset of experimentation and innovation that involves exploring new ideas, testing innovative solutions and embracing calculated risks, and then promote the establishment of cross-functional teams to tackle challenges collaboratively. Celebrate experimentation as part of your company values, ensuring failure is seen as a learning outcome to foster resilience in the face of change. – Nisaa Jetha, Impact for SDGs
Trust the People You Hire
Build a team of experts and then trust them! The reality is that your team’s freedom to affect change in real-time relies solely on having the right people in the right roles and trusting them to deliver amazing results without the fear of failing. – Anthony Moniello, Next Century Spirits
Encourage and Facilitate Continuous Learning
Companies should prioritize continuous learning to build a culture of adaptability. By encouraging and facilitating ongoing education and training, organizations can empower their employees to stay current with industry trends and technologies. This equips the team to adapt to changes more effectively and creates a proactive rather than reactive workplace environment. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
Learn the Difference Between Fads and Major Change
Learn not to waste time with fads that change quickly, but learn if an iceberg of a change is coming your way. Artificial intelligence, for example, does not seem to be a short-lived fad and could radically upend the way we all do business. It is the job of leaders to spot these key strategic changes and to ensure that the company is well-positioned for them. – Zain Jaffer, Zain Jaffer Foundation
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
Encourage Your Team to Push Boundaries
Champion experimentation. In the culture space, it’s not about playing it safe — it’s about daring to innovate. Encourage teams to push boundaries, embracing failure as a badge of honor. It’s through this fearless pursuit of new ideas that companies cultivate adaptability, staying ahead of the curve and shaping the future. – Diego Ávalos, Netflix
Focus on Doing Things Right
Companies can become more agile by focusing on doing things right rather than solely chasing outcomes. Emphasizing proper processes — like thorough research, ethical practices and consistent quality — ensures sustainable success. This approach cultivates a resilient and adaptable organization capable of responding effectively to cultural shifts and achieving long-term goals. – Matthew Miller, Orlando Informer
Act Like a Startup
Amazon has a culture and DNA program that is all about acting like a startup. Challenge the status quo and be extremely customer-centric. If we look at their numbers, they are right. Management guru Peter Drucker’s infamous quote is “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That should start top-down, with management that leads by example. – Igor Beuker, Igor Beuker
Immerse Yourself in the News and Trends
The only way to address change in your industry is to be in it. Implement systems in your workplace that involve sharing news, media pieces and market trend stats, whether casually, in meetings or by subscribing your team to news alert sites relevant to your business or campaign. This will encourage brainstorming and innovation. – Cynthia Johnson, Bell + Ivy
Stay True to Your Mission and Values
Companies can foster adaptability by leading with their core values. It’s crucial to remain true to your mission and values, not just in words but through actions too. Only adopt trends that align with your brand and target audience. This balance ensures relevance without compromising authenticity and allows you to better respond to changes by remaining steadfast. – Dan Serard, Cannabis Creative Group
Follow the Trend Lines and Not the Headlines
Issues du jour come and go, but trend lines remain. For example, ESG, DEI, and the like are under attack, but social impact isn’t going anywhere. Never has, never will. The headline may be about those specific programs or approaches, but the trend line that transcends them will transcend the headlines too. Level up your vision and mission for the long term! – Scott Curran, Beyond Advisers