My Purpose is to remove barriers and build connections between people, organizations, and ideas, by providing access to knowledge and information, so that everyone reaches their full potential.
Unleashing Full Potential with Adaptive Teams Network
Unleashing Full Potential with Adaptive Teams NetworkI once felt trapped in a rigid corporate structure, my ideas squashed by hierarchy and innovation stifled by bureaucratic reporting lines. Isolated and hopeless, I was ready to surrender to the status quo. But then, a revelation: I was not alone in this struggle. Together with other catalysts, we developed a revolutionary approach that transformed my career and empowered entire organizations: the Adaptive Teams Network. Imagine unlocking hidden human networks within your company, supercharging cross-functional collaboration by 50%, and accelerating innovation. Sounds too good to be true? There’s a catch: it demands a seismic shift in how we perceive structure, leadership, and teams. Are you bold enough to challenge everything you thought you knew about organizational dynamics? Your transformation journey begins here. A Glimpse into the Adaptive Teams Network I want to share what I’ve learned from our energetic Network of 1000 Adaptive Teams. Their 4000 members come from 89 countries, have diverse backgrounds, and are drawn from various disciplines. They’re all driven by a shared purpose, yet each brings a different angle of the shared vision together. These teams excel in identifying opportunities, adapting, and delivering in short cycles, three times faster than any traditional team. They tackle cross-functional challenges that no operational teams can address. They don’t need permission to do what is suitable for customers. Their vision, unique skills, passion, and adaptive capability are their passport to navigating our Network of experts. They assemble high-impact teams not because of their organizational hierarchy but because their peers recognize them as innovators who create a space for collaboration. What I’m saying is not fiction. It’s a reality for thousands of employees today. However, it may sound like fiction for most organizations still operating in the Industrial Management Era. I also lived there once. The Glass Box: A Turning PointI recall sitting, not long ago, around a small circular table inside my line manager’s office. It was a glass box squeezed between a copy machine room and a conference room on the 11th floor of a 27-story tower. She was sitting opposite me, drawing a square on paper. She rarely took notes or wrote anything in our one-to-one meetings, so I feared that the explanation that was about to come would make me feel smaller than I used to after our “check-ins.” Without saying a word, she drew another box under the first one and traced a line connecting both. She kept drawing for what seemed like an eternity, and I could see a sketch of a multi-layered organizational chart taking shape. “This is our company reporting line. You report to me, which means you talk to me before talking to any of my peers or our big boss.” That felt like a punch in my stomach. I never liked to have my opinions vetted by reporting lines. I wanted to test ideas with people with a stake in it or experience on the topic. Unfortunately, due to the complex nature of the problems, this seldom aligned with my reporting line. “The project you’re so enthusiastic about is the responsibility of this other department. Therefore, even if it’s successful, it will not help your performance review, which is not looking good now.” Another punch. I didn’t like to be boxed. The project required collaboration across several departments: procurement, informatics, marketing, and operations. If successful, the project will benefit the whole organization for years. My work on it in the first month saved the company USD 200K. The Last Breath of the Industrial Management EraAs I sat in that glass-walled office, watching my manager draw boxes and lines, I realized I was witnessing the last gasps of a dying system: the Industrial Management Era. This system, born in the factories and assembly lines of the past century, was designed for a world of predictability, standardization, and hierarchical control. But the reality I saw around me was different. Despite the org charts and rigid job descriptions, 80% of us already worked in adaptive, cross-functional teams. We were creating value not through our position in the hierarchy but through the connections and partnerships we forged across departmental lines. The cross-functional project I was passionate about was a perfect example. Its success hinged not on following a preset chain of command but on our ability to collaborate across functions, adapt to changing circumstances and leverage the diverse skills of team members regardless of their official “box” in the org chart. Yet, the Industrial Management Era, which focused on siloed goals and top-down control, was actively hindering our efforts. It was like trying to run a modern, agile, innovative company with the rule book of a 1950s factory. The Birth of the Adaptive Teams NetworkAt that moment, I realized that the future of work wasn’t about fitting neatly into predefined roles. It was about creating an ecosystem where adaptive teams could thrive, collaboration was the norm, and value was measured by impact, not by adherence to hierarchical norms. It was the birth of the Adaptive Teams Network concept. A recognition and enablement of the organic, effective ways people were already working when given the chance. The concept grew from learnings and practical experiments centered around three stages:
At every learning cycle, we evaluated the impact of the Adaptive Teams Network approach from multiple perspectives. We saw a fundamental shift in how people worked and collaborated:
Creating Living and Adaptable OrganizationsMoreover, we created the conditions to transition to a skill-first talent strategy, enabling the organization to adapt more quickly to technological shifts and evolving customer needs. As I reflect on this journey, I’m convinced that the future of work lies in embracing the Adaptive Teams Network. This approach represents a significant departure from conventional organizational design, requiring a fundamental shift in how we think about structure, leadership, and collaboration. In the Adaptive Teams Network:
The Adaptive Teams Network goes beyond restructuring. It’s about creating living and adaptable organizations that can thrive in our complex, rapidly changing world. It’s about unlocking the full potential of every individual by connecting them to the right opportunities and people at the right time. The Future of Work: A Call to ActionAs we look to the future, organizations that embrace the Adaptive Teams Network will be best positioned to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities of our increasingly interconnected world. They’ll be more innovative, more resilient, and more human-centric. I’m fortunate to continue learning from these fantastic teams what is needed to reveal, develop, and enable the human networks that power our society. By sharing what I have learned, I hope to inspire others to join me in removing barriers and building connections between people, organizations, and ideas so everyone can reach their full potential. We must act together to replace the Industrial Management framework with an evolved vision: the Adaptive Teams Network.
113 Cherry St #92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2205 |
Hemerson Paes
My Purpose is to remove barriers and build connections between people, organizations, and ideas, by providing access to knowledge and information, so that everyone reaches their full potential.