In today’s dynamic and complex business landscape, traditional approaches are being questioned like never before. The old paradigms that once dictated how organizations operated and succeeded are no longer sufficient. The rigid silos, short-term profit focus, linear thinking, and hierarchical structures that were once considered norms are now being reevaluated for their shortcomings.
It is in this context that RoundMap® emerges as a solution, offering a comprehensive framework that guides businesses through a transformative journey. RoundMap® challenges the status quo and encourages a shift towards a more integrated, sustainable, and purpose-driven approach to business.
1. Linear > Cyclical
At the core of RoundMap® lies a transformative shift from a linear operational approach, solely focused on improving results, to a cyclical operation that prioritizes increasing impact. This fundamental shift is where RoundMap® derives its name.
Research consistently demonstrates the power of closing the loop, incorporating feedback, and embracing continuous learning from each cycle. By adopting a cyclical mindset, businesses can harness the insights gained to create more value, foster greater loyalty, and drive higher customer and employee engagement levels.
RoundMap® emphasizes the importance of feedback loops, enabling businesses to adapt and refine their strategies and operations, ultimately leading to increased profitability and sustainable growth. By embracing this critical aspect of RoundMap®, businesses can propel themselves toward a more impactful and prosperous future.
Supporting the rationale of transitioning from linear to cyclical operations:
- Reichheld and Sasser (1990): In their Harvard Business Review article, “Zero Defections: Quality Comes to Services,” Frederick F. Reichheld and W. Earl Sasser discuss the concept of zero defections, which focuses on minimizing customer attrition rates. The study demonstrates that increasing customer retention rates by as little as 5% can result in a 25% to 95% increase in profits.
- Keiningham et al. (2007): In the Journal of Marketing research article, “A Longitudinal Examination of Net Promoter and Firm Revenue Growth,” Timothy L. Keiningham and colleagues explore the relationship between customer retention, customer satisfaction, and revenue growth. Their research shows that firms with higher Net Promoter Scores (a metric used to measure customer loyalty) experience higher revenue growth rates over time.
- Gupta and Lehmann (2003): In their research paper, “Customers as Assets,” Sunil Gupta and Donald R. Lehmann highlight the long-term value of retaining customers. They argue that customer retention not only leads to short-term revenue but also has long-term financial implications. Their study examines the economic benefits of customer retention strategies and their impact on customer equity.
- McKinsey (2021): Their study emphasizes the importance of adopting a long-term strategy and focusing on customer lifetime value to optimize business performance. Collecting data throughout the customer journey, determining actual customer value, and targeting investments to the most valuable customers can lead to maximizing long-term customer value.
Overall, adopting a cyclical operational approach, as promoted by RoundMap®, has been shown to have numerous benefits for businesses. By embracing feedback loops and a culture of continuous improvement, companies can drive engagement, foster loyalty, and achieve sustainable growth.
"The only way to do great work is to love what you do and learn from each cycle along the way."
2. Division > Wholeness
RoundMap® goes beyond traditional thinking, emphasizing division of labor and specialization, where individuals operate solely on a need-to-know basis. Instead, RoundMap® fosters a paradigm shift towards system thinking, or what we prefer to call whole-system thinking, and leading from the whole. It recognizes that true transformation and collective success can only be achieved when all individuals within an organization collectively create and continuously evolve a shared vision, purpose, strategy, and mission.
By perceiving the organization as a whole system and helping people understand their roles in shaping its meaning, RoundMap® fosters a sense of ownership and accountability for the entire system. This approach encourages active participation, collaboration, and whole system change, leveraging all stakeholders’ collective intelligence and energy. By leading from the whole, RoundMap® brings together diverse perspectives and aligns efforts towards a shared and continuously evolving vision, propelling the organization towards a more holistic, adaptive, and sustainable future.
Supporting the rationale of transitioning from divided to integrated operations:
- HBR (2017): A study by Harvard Business Review reveals that integrating customer information across different channels and departments enhances customer satisfaction and loyalty. The study further found that integrated customer interactions lead to reduced customer churn and increased sales.
- Accenture (2019): Research, presented in the article “Break through functional silos for speed, agility,” reveals that only 25% of companies believe their operating model has evolved quickly enough to align with their strategy. They identified that functional silos hinder incumbents’ ability to compete, making them slow, bureaucratic, and complex at a time when there’s a need for speed.
- PWC (2021): A study shows that 54% of executives say that AI solutions have already increased productivity in their businesses. These leaders are using AI to automate processes too complex for older technologies; to identify trends in historical data; and to provide forward-looking intelligence to strengthen human decisions.
- SAGE (2022): This study reveals that using a unifying model that incorporates both soft systems thinking (SST) and critical systems thinking (CST) can enrich the stages of the application process (i.e. the data collection, data analysis, and evaluation). It offers a meticulous process that helps individuals and organizations learn, plan, and implement systems thinking in their operations successfully.
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts."
3. Silos > Synergies
"Synergy is the highest activity of life; it creates new untapped alternatives."
4. Purpose > Planned Impact
RoundMap® stresses the need to integrate purpose and meaning into businesses through strategic planning, measuring progress, and planning for impact. Without this, a business’s purpose may remain only words, lacking in tangible results and impact. Measuring progress and planning for impact allow businesses to quantify and evaluate their influence on stakeholders and make informed decisions based on data and evidence. This approach allows businesses to ensure that their purpose aligns with their values and goals, prioritize sustainability and social responsibility, and make a long-term positive impact.
"The true significance of a business lies not in what it achieves for itself, but in the positive change it creates for others."
5. Shareholder > Stakeholder
"The business of business should not be about creating wealth for shareholders, but improving the well-being of everyone impacted by the business."
6. Transactions > Relationships
"The purpose of a business is to create and keep a customer."
7. Problems > Potential
"Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses."
8. Hiearchies > Holons
RoundMap® challenges the traditional approach of hierarchical structures and advocates for holons, an innovative way of organizing the workplace. Holons are interconnected, autonomous units that act independently and collaboratively to create a more agile and adaptable organization. In this approach, individuals and teams have greater autonomy and are empowered to make decisions, enabling them to contribute their unique expertise and creativity to the organization. This participatory decision-making approach replaces top-down directives and fosters a culture of transparency, collaboration, and collective responsibility. By breaking down traditional boundaries, creating interconnected holons, promoting autonomy, and empowering individuals, RoundMap® enables businesses to thrive in today’s ever-changing markets.
"None of us is as smart as all of us."
9. Excellence > Elevation
RoundMap® recognizes that in today’s dynamic and evolving business landscape, organizations must embrace a mindset of continuous learning and growth. It encourages businesses to avoid relying solely on past practices and actively learn and evolve in response to changing circumstances. Rather than being driven by risk aversion, RoundMap® advocates for value-driven decision-making that aligns with the organization’s core values and purpose. By embracing this shift, businesses can navigate uncertainty and seize opportunities. They become more adaptable and innovative, constantly elevating their performance and staying ahead of the competition. RoundMap® provides a framework for organizations to embrace a culture of continuous improvement, where learning becomes embedded in their DNA and success is propelled by the pursuit of excellence.
"Excellence is not a destination; it is a continuous journey that never ends."
10. Directives > Narratives
Finally, RoundMap® acknowledges the transformative power of narratives in driving meaningful engagement and inspiring action within organizations. It encourages businesses to move away from traditional top-down directives and micromanagement and instead focus on crafting compelling narratives that resonate with stakeholders. By tapping into the emotional aspects of the human experience, these narratives create a deeper connection and engagement. They inspire individuals and teams, aligning their efforts with the organization’s purpose and values. Through Storycasting™, RoundMap® encourages a shift towards authentic and meaningful communication, fostering a culture where ideas and aspirations are shared and collective action is inspired. By embracing the power of engaging narratives, organizations can ignite passion and motivation, leading to greater collaboration, innovation, and collective success.
"The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions."