07 Apr Transform or Extinct

How to create a favorable future, set the rules of the game, and lead your industry

 

In the distant past, when change was happening occasionally, we used to say, ‘Change or stagnate!’ Starting some decades ago, we upgraded it by saying, ‘Change or die!’ Now?! ‘Transform or Extinct!’

‘Why Transform, rather than Change’, you may wonder? Because superficial changes don’t cut it anymore. To survive, outlast, and most importantly, thrive in this CHANGE-RIDDLED century, individuals, teams, organizations, and industries must transform themselves by undergoing deep changes.

You may ask: “What is the difference between die and extinct?” In the past, only fields, companies, and empires that resisted change died, one at a time.

The game has now changed. Things escalated…

Not only those who resist change, but also those who are not pro-change may die to never resurrect. What is more? The change that is coming may lead to the extinction of ENTIRE industries, and even humanity!

I’m not exaggerating! If you’ve been closely studying the trajectory of change for decades like I do, you too won’t find using the word extinction embellishing.

From happening once in a century to every now and then

Let me give you some context:

• At personal and micro levels, change has been happening all the time and throughout our history.
• However, mega changes that affect all of us used to happen once in a century. Then, once a decade. Lately, mega changes have been surfacing seasonally.
• In recent years, however, change has stopped occurring in seasons. It interrupts us more frequently and without warning.

 

The purpose of this blog is not to induce fear. It aims at:

1. Alarming all of us of the coming potential mega changes,
2. Encouraging us to become pro-change, and
3. Preparing us to survive, outlast, and thrive in the aftermath of the next major changes we may face.

 

What mega changes are you anticipating?

To stimulate your thinking, let me ask you: What potential mega changes or crises do you anticipate in the next few years?

I’m sure one or more of your predictions have to do with the following universal potential changes that could lead to the extinction of humanity:

1. Pandemic.
2. AI.
3. World War III.

 

We may not survive another respiratory pandemic

A few years ago, because of a contagious respiratory virus, we lost millions of precious people. The COVID-19 pandemic drastically disrupted our way of life and how we work and do business, and we never fully recovered from the status quo. We have evolved and are now dealing with the new norm.

Regardless of some bitter losses, we got lucky this time and defeated the pandemic, which presented a dire challenge that could have led to humanity’s extinction. The next questions:

• Can we beat another respiratory pandemic that may visit us in the future?
• What if the next pandemic transcends our ability to combat and defeat?

 

The answers to these questions are dependent on what we do in the NOW before we ever face an imminent attack from a microbial more aggressive than the COVID19 virus.

By the way, some health experts were warning the pending danger of a global respiratory disease. If the responsible parties heed to these warnings, we wouldn’t have paid the dire prices we paid.

Likewise, there are many health officials who are now alarming us of a potential respiratory pandemic. Are we listening?

I don’t think all global key stakeholders are listening, coordinating, and taking serious preventive actions. We should all be mindful and inquire:

1. What if this time, the agent has innate ability to mutates rapidly and circumvent any potential remedy we may come up with?
2. What can we do now, never to come close to this kind of scenario, which may lead to the extinction of humanity?

 

AI can extinguish the existence of humanity sooner than we anticipate

Let’s say we can prevent or, at least, beat the next respiratory pandemic.

Can we survive the pending threat that may come from AI?

The COVID-19 virus was very intelligent but not smart enough to beat human intelligence. AI is a totally different animal…

Humanity’s creativity has evolved to the point of creating Artificial Intelligence after its own mind’s image. Amazing! I don’t know about you. Glad I was born to see this mental evolution of humanity!!!

These days, we all hear the question: Is AI a danger to humanity? Depending on who you ask, you may get two totally opposite answers:

• Yes, it presents a grave danger that may lead to the extinction of humanity.
• No, it offers a golden opportunity for the advancement of our civilization.

 

Though there are loud voices that are warning all of us, not sure whether key decision makers around the world are investing time, energy, and resources toward preventing the potential threat that may come from AI. Who blames us? They have so many pressing issues that preoccupy them. That is the danger.

History may repeat itself. As those voices in the wilderness who had lamented the coming danger of a global pandemic before COVID hit us were ignored, these few voices in the AI industry may also be ignored.

Because we didn’t listen to those health officials on time, the pandemic landed and caused havoc mercilessly. Back then, we lost millions. Can we beat AI if it causes havoc with a price tag of only a million lives, or will it be so powerful that no human intelligence could stop it from doing whatever hell it wants to unleash against the very survival of humanity? Unlike in the post COVID-19 pandemic era, no one may be left behind in the post-AI period to tell how the story unfolded…

We aren’t taking AI seriously enough. We’re always good at dealing crisis when it happens. Right now, while we have the upper hand, we’re hesitating to pull the trigger and take meaningful actions that allow humanity to have a say in the future scope and authority of AI.

Here is the truth. I’m a proponent of AI advancement! As much as it may wipe out millions of jobs, it’ll create billions. AI is good news like the advent of:

1. Air transportation
2. Electricity
3. Internet

 

I’m one of the advocates for the further development and advancement of AI. The only concern I have, like many in the industry, is that AI may mature sooner than most of us are predicting. It is only now, before we lose total control that we can determine our fate. Once we lose ‘backdoor access’ to AI, as soon as it becomes autonomous, we’re done! We aren’t in charge of our destiny. We willingly put the future of humanity in the hands of our own creation.

The extinction of humanity could be a few buttons click away

No one should miss it. It is all over the media. There is a geopolitical reshuffling going on.

Nations are coming together to establish formal and/or informal alliances based on shared interests.

Around the world, there are geopolitical tensions we never experienced since the height of the Cold War.

As I write this blog:

1. A few wars are ongoing,
2. People are dying in thousands, and
3. Billion dollars’ worth of infrastructures are ruined.

 

What is most worrisome? We’re at the risk of World War III.

Unlike WWII, the next World War will involve nuclear exchanges.

It is very sad to see the leaders whose fingers may end our existence barely talking among themselves. Diplomacy seems DEAD!!!

Unlike the 60s generation, we’re not lucky enough to witness world-class diplomacy in action between JFK and Nikita Khrushchev, who negotiated to resolve the Cuban missile crisis without going to war.

Sadly, many of us are busy handling our immediate challenges, ignoring the big elephant in the room. We’re not playing our part to push for peace before WWIII is triggered.

A mistake or misstep from one person or AI can lead to WWIII and, in turn, the extinction of humanity.

If we don’t promote dialogue, negotiation, and tolerance TODAY and before it’s too late, WWIII is looming…

We all should play our fair share wherever we may be

I mentioned just three potential mega-crises that may threaten our existence. Otherwise, there are many equally important global dangers that can only be prevented or mitigated if and only if:

• Nations collaborate.
• Industry leaders are actively engaged in influencing the positive outcomes of these pending dangers.

 

Of course, we citizens can also influence our elected officials to take these and many other challenges seriously and proactively.

Humanity is at the verge of experiencing serious changes. Unless we transform personally and collectively and proactively, we may risk individual or collective EXTINCTION. We can’t afford to sit on the sideline and watch as our world burns down if not now, soon.

The past is the only certainty

The reason most of us don’t act proactively when it comes to pending change is that we have a disadvantageous perspective about time and its power to dictate our destiny individually and corporately.

Very few people and organizations grasp time well. They excel at handling it better than most of us.

They know that the only thing that is certain is the PAST! It has already happened. No debate about who survived and who lost the game. It is a done deal; we all know it either we witnessed it or read about it.

The wise are those who don’t consider the past as a deadbeat, though. They are self-learners. They take lessons in the now to shape their future by learning from the PAST and by projecting into the FUTURE so that next time, HISTORY won’t be a harsh teacher against them.

We exert influence on the future through the present time

Successful people and organizations live in the NOW. They fully understand that what is going on is the PRESENT. Now is happening with the speed of light.

Except few, most players on the canvas of today don’t pay serious attention to what is transpiring in the NOW. They wait for TOMORROW to know what opportunity they missed.

Unfortunately, those who miss today become helpless tomorrow; they can only regret it in the aftermath.

Few are catching up with the PRESENT as if they are catching hold of a tiger’s tail. Most of us let very few individuals and organizations set the tone, dictating the future of humanity and our respective industries.

What is uncertain is the Future! But it can be accessed and influenced through the PRESENT.

Where do you find yourself?

So far, we’ve been discussing generic realities we all face. Many of us may not significantly influence how the future unfolds in our industry and globally. However, we are responsible for influencing ourselves, our teams, our organizations, and our communities.

Personally and corporately:

• Do you find yourself among the most sleepwalking people TODAY? Or
• Have you joined those who are AWAKE and doing something to influence the future? Or
• Are you among the very few who are certain because they’re leading TODAY to influence the future and even dictate the game’s rules?

 

Right now, I’m in two major industries:

1. Learning.
2. Commercial real estate and business brokerage.

 

Learning Professionals (Coaches, Consultants, Speakers, and Trainers) like myself are facing so many uncertainties because of:

1. The pending economic downturn. Whenever there is an economic meltdown, individuals and companies first cut their expenses toward coaching, consulting, and training.
2. The emergence of AI. Generative AI can be used to replace various aspects of the learning industry. We’re not yet sure whether we’ll be as relevant as we used to be in a few years. It is scary to contemplate the impact of AI on our businesses. Of course, our industry isn’t the only one that will be disrupted. For instance, AI began upsetting the movie industry. You may already know about the Hollywood strike. Writers and actors realized that AI could completely replace some or all aspects of the movie industry processes, such as scriptwriting, sound engineering, video editing, visual effects, casting, etc.

 

I’ve had interesting conversations with my colleagues in these industries. We’re aware of the pending interruptions coming against our industries. We’re trying our best to get ready, survive, outlast, and even thrive after major industry changes. What about you, your team, and your organization?

If you’re in the commercial real estate industry, check out my latest blog where I warned about the upcoming Armageddon coming in the commercial real estate and suggested what should be done. To read the entire blog, click here…

What about you, your team, and your organization? Is your finger on the pulse of what is happening within your profession and industry? Are you:

• Staying on alert,
• Preparing to survive, and
• Thriving in the aftermath of the coming challenges and crises that may happen globally, nationally, and/or within your industry?

 

If you haven’t yet done these, consider starting from today:

• Carve quality time and dedicate some resources from those tasks and projects designed to meet your immediate needs. Get your head out of the sand, pay attention, reflect, strategize, plan, learn, and grow fast.
• Take some specific proactive steps that position you ahead of the storm.
• Collaborate and partner to tap into the present and shape your future.

 

Many leaders make a mistake of being busy taking care of the immediate while the storm is boiling and roaring under their feet ready to storm them at any time. You hear them saying: “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

This reactionary attitude isn’t new. Many leaders forget the universal law: “Only the fittest survives” and pay dire prices for their negligence.

Look back at those companies that went extinct, such as:

1. Blockbuster
2. Kodak
3. Blackberry
4. Compaq
5. And many other multibillion-dollar companies that went bankrupt and were acquired by other companies. By the way, the latter are organizations that have been pro-change. Unlike their peers who stumbled, they did their homework that empowered them not only to survive but also to dictate the future of their industry by further acquiring those who once were their competitors.

 

These once giant and vibrant multibillion-dollar companies and their leaders weren’t stubborn all the time. They resisted change initially. They shrugged off many internal and external warnings. When they finally saw the writing on the wall, they used every trick in their books to survive. Unfortunately, it was too late. The boat had already left. You and your organization should never allow this to happen.

Change, like Time, doesn’t have a reverse gear. It is a BRUTAL Disciplinarian. It doesn’t have mercy and forgiveness in its DNA for those who resist it. If individuals, organizations, and communities don’t comply and flow with it, it doesn’t take prisoners, even those who beg for mercy at the 11th hour.

Before I close this blog, here are a few areas where we can help you:

1. Facilitate a strategic planning session using the latest strategic planning tools. It could be 1 – 3 days onsite or off-site in the form of a retreat.
2. Design and deliver a Change and Crisis management workshop that allows key players within your organization to understand the nature of change/crisis, models that explain the lifecycle of change, approaches on how to overcome resistance to change, and more.
3. Empower your team members and leaders to build their organizational, leadership, and personal development capabilities and resilience that enable them to initiate, implement, and sustain changes.

 

To learn how we can help you get ready today to lead in the future, reach out to our team at [email protected]