The historical scorecard to date clearly favors technological progress over status quo. Innovation, provides opportunities for those who choose to embrace it and poses threats to those who do not. The battleground of competing ideas and beliefs around innovation is fought globally every day in almost every way. Winners emerge and losers are retired as the old ways become distant memories and sometimes folklore. Like the story of Paul Bunyan (see note below.)
In 1958 Walt Disney produced a cartoon about a fictional character named Paul Bunyan. Paul Bunyan’s bigger than life accomplishments were the product of hard work overcoming huge challenges. The climax of the cartoon presents a log cutting and stacking contest between man and beast (old ways) against man and machine (new ways). The technologist salesman and his new machines are presented as the antagonist to Paul and his sidekick Babe the Blue Ox. A weaker aggressive character with new machines supporting him ultimately bests Paul and Blue’s efforts where spirit and hard work were expected to prevail. It seems “just barely” is enough of an edge to completely usher in the new at the expense of the old. The defeated Paul and Blue dejectedly disengage and disappear into faraway lands to quietly live out their days as fun-loving relics of the past. It appears that being a lumberjack was a strictly defined job to Paul, not his calling. And when that job description changed, apparently so did his future.
In Barry Schwartz’s 2015 book Why We Work virtually any job role including custodians, carpet makers, and hairdressers has the potential to offer real work satisfaction. People decide to make even routine jobs meaningful through their own creativity as they exercise their autonomy to operate beyond the official job description. And in so doing, they find a way to connect and contribute to the welfare of others. They chose to engage, not disengage.
Today there is much angst in the world concerning the rapid advancement of technology and the potential impacts it will have on the workforce of the future. Will Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies replace some human workers? Most certainly. Will some workers who have their complete identities tied up in one perceived skillset be left behind like Paul Bunyan? Most certainly. Does that mean the all-or-nothing outcomes of machine vs. man contests is pre-ordained? Most certainly – not.
While the cartoon ending predictably follows the folklore script, what would have happened if Paul set aside his ego in one area (cutting logs) to find a way to recraft his job by partnering with the new to do the things the machine couldn’t. After all he also did make lakes and straighten rivers. The technologist, unlike Paul embraced the possibility of the new and helped create it. Innovation needs curious, creative, and persistent stakeholder contributors to fully realize itself. Rapid adaptation is the secret sauce to survival for organizations and people. The organization and worker of tomorrow must be willing and determined to change today or become the sad story of yesterday. As the former CEO of GE Jack Welch says, “change before you have to.”
Forbes.com annually lists the most innovative companies in the world. Those companies listed share one thing in common – evolution is baked into their corporate DNA. They didn’t get their reputation for innovation by accident or at the expense of wholesale replacement of their staff as they evolved. Quite the contrary. They hire, train, and purposely make time for innovation. That’s because they’re completely invested in alternative winning outcomes: outcomes that recognize the many interests and skills of a diverse family of individuals that are committed to seeking out the new, not fighting it. And in so doing, they co-create an innovative future together.
In these changing times, to be innovative, to have a future, companies and people must enthusiastically learn, emotionally grow, and emphatically unite or -- like Paul Bunyan – adopt a victors’ or victims’ mindset and walk away from each other. Decisions must be based upon a vision of what winning looks like for all stakeholders. It’s the only way this story and new ones will have happier endings.
Note: For those not familiar with the story of Paul Bunyan from American folklore or need a refresher, this video is provided for reference. Be advised, for some this cartoon video may be the longest 17 minutes of your life. Skipping ahead to minute 12 will help minimize your pain. For others, it’s a warm reminder of simpler times and how far we have come.
About the Author
Derek Scoble (@DerekScoble) is part of Salesforce’s Innovation and Transformation Services, a Cloud Services offering that helps customers achieve their most ambitious goals. As a Business Transformation Architect, he works with Fortune 500 companies to achieve innovation transformation success on Salesforce.