Greg Satell

Los Angeles, Philadelphia, United States

Bestselling Author of CASCADES & MAPPING INNOVATION | International Keynote Speaker | Transformation Expert and Advisor | @HarvardBiz Contributor

Articles

We Need To Break The Disruption Mindset

1 week ago | digitaltonto.com | Greg Satell

In the 1990s, newly minted Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen began studying why good companies fail. What he found was surprising: They weren’t failing because they lost their way, but because they were following time-honored principles taught at institutions like his own. They listened to customers, invested in R&D and improved their products.
How To Navigate Today’s Media Environment When So Many Are Working To Mislead You

1 week ago | greg-satell.medium.com | Greg Satell

On October 30, 1938 at 8pm Eastern time, Orson Welles aired his now legendary radio drama The War of the Worlds. Audiences were mesmerized — not just because the story was so compelling, but by the innovative news-style format that blurred the lines between fiction and reality. Many listeners genuinely believed Earth was under attack by Martians.
Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore Resistance to Change

2 weeks ago | digitaltonto.com | Greg Satell

One of the most puzzling things that I’ve come across in speaking and writing about change is the denial that resistance exists. While I never hear this from leaders that I coach, who face resistance every day, there is a cadre of consultants and pundits who insist that resistance to change is some sort of illusion. This should be ridiculous on its face. Certainly, the resistance we encountered during the Orange Revolution was very real.
How AI Can Help You Make Better Decisions

2 weeks ago | greg-satell.medium.com | Greg Satell

Member-only storyGreg Satell·Follow6 min read·--Image created by Microsoft CopilotA little over a decade ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with key members of the IBM Watson team. It was shortly after the system’s triumph over human competitors on Jeopardy! and everyone was trying to put the event in context. Would computers be, as Watson’s Jeopardy rival Ken Jennings joked, our new overlords? Yet when I spoke to the IBM people, the concept they were most focused on was collaboration.
How Unexpected Connections Can Lead To Surprising New Breakthroughs

3 weeks ago | digitaltonto.com | Greg Satell

In 1998, Srdja Popović walked into a Belgrade cafe to meet some friends. A biologist by training, he also played bass in a goth rock band called BAAL. Lately though, his passion turned to politics. He’d become an organizer, eventually rising to lead the youth wing of Serbia’s Democratic Party. It was that passion that brought him to the café that day.
This Is How Change Fails To Survive Victory (And What To Do About It)

3 weeks ago | greg-satell.medium.com | Greg Satell

Member-only storyGreg Satell·Follow6 min read·--Image generated by Microsoft DesignerIn the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, corporate America began hiring an unprecedented number of DEI executives to ensure inclusive workplaces. Investors began pouring money into ESG funds and President Biden signed into law the biggest investment in clean energy ever. Mckinsey reported progress for the LGBTQIA community in the workplace. We are clearly in a different era now.
Why Leaders Need To Master Tribal Signals

1 month ago | digitaltonto.com | Greg Satell

Pundits often encourage us to find our tribe, but that has its downsides. Tribal thinking can make us suspicious of outsiders and can lead us to ignore new information and evidence that challenges our existing beliefs and paradigms. Sure, there is safety in sticking with our tribe, but we are unlikely to learn anything new. Experimental evidence has long shown we are hardwired to be distrustful of others we see as different than ourselves.
3 Types Of Change Problems (And How To Solve Them)

1 month ago | greg-satell.medium.com | Greg Satell

Greg Satell·Follow6 min read·--Image generated by GeminiWhen asked about how he solves problems, Albert Einstein is purported to have said, “If I had 20 days to solve a problem, I would spend 19 days to define it.” Whether he said it or not, it does accurately portray his approach to problems. He would spend years engaging in thought experiments to correctly define the problem before working out the math.
The Science Behind Why Massive Change Seems To Happen All At Once

1 month ago | digitaltonto.com | Greg Satell

Humans tend to think about things in a linear way. We assume progress happens step by step—losing a little weight for the summer, putting money into a college fund, growing a business customer by customer. We measure, plan, and execute accordingly. One day follows the next, and we try to make a little progress towards our goalsYet many have observed that shifts are often abrupt.
To Make Tough Conversations Productive, Focus On These 3 Things

1 month ago | greg-satell.medium.com | Greg Satell

Member-only storyGreg Satell·Follow6 min read·--Image generated by Microsoft DesignerWe spend most of our time with people who see things largely like we do. They work in similar industries, have similar educations and live in similar places. When confronted with areas of disagreement, we can usually bullshit our way through it and keep the peace. That’s how we normally go through life. Yet difficult conversations are sometimes unavoidable.