Dear rebel alliance,
The Sooner Safer Happier (BVSSH) APAC Tour '23 has concluded, and what an exhilarating ride it's been. This incredible journey was filled with 3Cs: Connections, Conversations, and Community. From the meet-ups, breakfast roundtables, conference, and conversations from 40+ organisations, we are buzzing from the energy from Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.
Let's dive into the insights and highlights that made this journey one for the books.
Insight 1: There is hope! There is action!
Many organisations have tried to improve their ways of working. Many have reflected on their journey and are pivoting their approach. Many are forging ahead to identify the outcomes that they would like to achieve to improve how they do what they do. They recognise that the ‘how’ can be their strategic differentiator. This gives us hope.
Insight 2: Use Data to drive your Improvements
Focusing on outcomes
A pivot to focusing on outcomes is at the heart of the BVSSH message. The reason for changing is to: deliver the most value, in the shortest time, with the least effort, balanced with quality, safety and happiness. This is our definition of: value-tivity. This message resonates with everyone, at all levels. It is not agile for agile sake, nor change for change sake. And in order to create this focus, we need to measure our progress against achieving these outcomes of Better Value Sooner Safer Happier.
Insight 3: Power of Leadership Incentives
Intrinsic motivators
Our conversations have revealed a resounding truth. Incentives drive change, especially for leaders. When leadership aligns with the goal of improving how things are done, it is a catalyst for change. Genuine commitment and tapping intrinsic motivators can be your ninja move. Especially, when times are tight, the tendency for people to revert back to their old behaviours is high. There needs to be an incentive that overrides this. Here is a nod to the leaders that we met with that are the ones motivating for the change and navigating the path to be better.
Insight 4: Focus on Value
The value unlock that we have been speaking about starts at the top and it starts with why. It starts with understanding: What are your strategic differentiators as a company? What do you aspire to be? What kind of experience do you want to create with your customers? This is the anchor for defining value, i.e., the strategic outcomes that you need to achieve – long term, multi-year, annual, and quarterly. The series of strategic bets that you will place and learn from to deliver value.
Insight 5: Fa-learning
Intelligent failure
A new term that we’ve picked up in our conversations is ‘fa-learning’ from the Suncorp team. We love this! A term that is normalising failure as learning. As Jon shared in his talks, “fail (learn) quickly and safely.” He acknowledges that “intelligent failure is fast, cheap and novel, whereas unintelligent failure is slow and expensive.” Essential to improve ways of working is experimentation and the ability to test and learn. To do this, there needs to be a foundation of psychology safety.
Insight 6: Thriving to Survive
Focus on wellbeing
The environment that we are operating within is more complex. Where we work has evolved and changes day-to-day as we adjust to hybrid working. How much we are working has increased blurring the lines between work and life. What we are working on is unique and complex, impacting cognitive load. The volume of stuff in our to-do lists has risen resulting in lots of context switching. We need to regain balance and a focus on our wellbeing. In order to improve how we do what we do, we need to be healthy.
Stats That Stun
These numbers aren't just stats. They represent the heartbeat of the journey. They reflect the enthusiasm, passion, and dedication of every individual and organisation that contributed to the tour. The numbers tell quite the story:
12 days, 4 cities: We've been on the move, soaking in the local vibes and energy, visiting Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland.
282 books: Sharing an indispensable guide to business agility for continued learning.
1,655 people: Curious minds hearing the stories and learnings from BVSSH.
89 senior leaders: Engaging with leaders who have the accountability and influence to make a difference.
10+ organisation visits: Sharing perspectives, sparking new ideas and creating the a-ha moments that matter.
6 meet-ups: From dawn till dusk, conversations and connections never stop.
4 conference sessions: On stage and in deep dives, it’s the practical examples and stories that matter most.
650 trees planted: Sowing the seeds for sustainability, offsetting our carbon footprint with Treesisters.
Gratitude
Thank you to the #BVSSH rebel alliance that is growing in size and energy.
Thank you to the organisations that invited us in to share our learnings and perspectives. Thank you to the clients that gave us a public shout out to recognise our impact.
Thank you to the AgileAus conference for giving us a stage.
Thank you to the organisations in our network that helped to support the tour – Ekipa, Propel Ventures, Section6 and TeamForm.
Summary
The SSH Asia-Pacific Tour '23 was much more than just a tour. It was a journey of discovery, connection, and inspiration. The insights we've learned are stepping stones to a future where work is purpose-driven, adaptable, and fulfilling.
The BVSSH movement isn't just a catchphrase; it's a call to action. It’s a movement to deliver better outcomes and to create a more humane world of work for all. It is a community of individuals who are standing on the hill doing ‘crazy dancing’ looking for others to join.
Stay tuned for more insights, conversations, and transformation. Here's to embracing change, sparking innovation, and working towards a better tomorrow - because work should be Sooner, Safer, Happier. The journey continues!
