Northshore is 5!
It feels like just yesterday I was celebrating Northshore’s four-year anniversary. And within the blink of an eye, it’s already time to celebrate the next milestone: five years! This means five years of working with individuals and corporations to help them navigate their transformation journeys, five years of joining up with strategic partners on a range of challenging and fascinating projects, and five years of discovering all the ups and downs that come with entrepreneurship.
I think it’s worth taking a moment to acknowledge the environment we find ourselves in today. We still feel very much on the upward climb of the AI hype cycle with a lot of frenzy surrounding this technology and its capabilities.
I think in the midst of all this, it’s easy for the hard work of transformation to get glossed over. The companies that will emerge as leaders aren’t just rushing to adopt AI, but they’re considering how they can use AI to enhance or improve their operating model. You’ll see that AI is a thread that runs through much of my work, but I always advocate for AI to be integrated into transformation work; not as a replacement for it.
As I did last year, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of this past year’s accomplishments. And, of course, to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey, whether as a client, a strategic partner, or a peer.
I partnered with data science expert Noelle Saldana on a six-part series to help you work through how to integrate AI into your work thoughtfully and effectively.
I’ve continued to progress with my Equus coaching, which now includes leading retreats and beginning to offer them to groups. This is a wonderful way of bringing groups of executives together in a more purposeful type of activity than the “forced fun” of typical team building. We don’t necessarily need to tackle a specific problem in the session, but it often helps teams grow in how they show up, collaborate and communicate with each other.
I’ve continued to refine my work on operating models and developed the OMG canvas to support this. This framework has been a labour of love and a tool I’ve been honing for several years to help make the complexities of transforming operating models more accessible. But now that Marty Cagan’s book Transformed has come out, operating models are top of mind. I look forward to continued conversations on this topic!
When it comes to my transformation consulting, I’ve worked with an industry leader on taking their operating model from good to great, blending their product operating model and AI.
I’ve also worked with a mid-size team to action their strategic ambition and adopt a more customer-focused approach. It’s been validating to see the impact and results of our efforts so far.
I’ve continued to coach individuals through various transformations, including stepping into more senior leadership roles, setting up and launching their own businesses, developing their innovation practices, and much more!
I’ve been organising and offering sessions at more leadership retreats, which is such a powerful way of disrupting the status quo and helping participants gain a fresh perspective.
Reflecting on these accomplishments, I’m thrilled. We’re at such an inflection point with AI—it’s the start of a new transformation cycle. And my years of experience as a design leader and transformation advisor instil me with both confidence and excitement. We have our work cut out for us to ensure we avoid the mistakes we’ve made in the past. But we also have an incredible opportunity to drive paradigm-shifting innovation.
I’ll continue to reflect on the interplay between transformation and AI and am beginning to think about how I can distil these observations into a book. Watch this space for more updates!
Oahu’s North Shore
Home of the Banzai Pipe, one of the most challenging surf breaks in the world–and namesake of my transformation practice.
I had a spiritual moment there this autumn when I returned after 10 years and was greeted by this magnificent double rainbow.
