Margaret “Magi” Graziano, founder/CEO of KeenAlignment and author of “Ignite Culture,” emphasizes the importance of emergence in achieving success in modern business. Emergence is defined as the process of coming into being or becoming important or prominent. Graziano outlines a holistic approach to emergence, based on each letter of the word itself, focusing on establishing a clear intent, developing an ecosystem within the organization, generating ideas and collaboration, and inspiring contribution to ultimately achieve agility and endurance.
The ecosystem within an organization, including the culture, environment, and stakeholders, forms the foundation for emergence. Motivation plays a key role in driving engagement, with an emphasis on connecting employees’ intrinsic motivation to the overall goals of the organization. Empowerment is essential for enabling self-actualization and personal freedom within the workforce. It requires a shared responsibility between the individual seeking empowerment and those empowering them, with a focus on providing support, resources, and training.
Results are a core aspect of business existence, emphasizing high achievement and self-actualization. To achieve emergence, there needs to be a fertile ground for innovation, teamwork, and motivation, leading to genius-level work through collaboration and co-creation. Employee engagement is a critical challenge for business leaders, with the key being to connect individuals to their intrinsic motivation and remind them of the organization’s ultimate intent to create a sense of purpose and contribution.
The North Star represents the ultimate reason for an organization’s existence, guiding its efforts toward making a positive impact on the world. Contribution is essential for shifting employees from task completion to idea generation and continuous improvement, ensuring that individuals understand their unique role and how it contributes to the organization’s success. Endurance is about standing the test of time, facing volatility and uncertainty with adaptability and resilience.
Emergence requires strategy, effective leadership, and a strong organizational culture centered around a clear ultimate intent. By cultivating the different aspects of emergence, organizations can better prepare themselves to navigate challenges and changes in the future, remaining emergent and adaptive in the face of adversity. Graziano’s insights highlight the importance of creating a culture that promotes innovation, collaboration, and a sense of purpose to drive enduring success in organizations.