My name is Ozioma Egwuonwu, and I am the chief transformation officer of a company called Burnbright International that specializes in empowering individuals and organizations with reaching your full potential.In addition to that, a couple of years ago, I created a global day of action called World Dream Day, that is dedicated to empowering the ideas, the goals, and the dreams that exist within individuals, within communities, within families, within businesses, in order to support the cocreation of a better world. 

And so a lot of the work that I do is really focused on how do we create transformational strategies And I've been working over the past, I would say, 15 to 16 years with everything from the individual level, to my time that I, collaborated and supported non governmental organizations of the United Nations and also moderated high level commission meetings at the United Nations and then also, most recently, doing a great deal of work in what I call organizational transformation. 

Working with fortune, 50 companies, as well as individuals who really want to shake things up, who really want to empower and cocreate a new paradigm on this planet. And so that addresses issues of sustainability, innovation, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. And so what I want this session to really do is to serve to support you with, looking at organizational transformation from a different perspective and looking at culture from a perspective that you may not have looked at it before, as well as identifying what is the role that you can play in creating a greater shift, whether it's in your organization, whether it's within the, the, you know, the businesses that you kind collaborate with on multiple levels. 

And so that is what this session and my brief remarks will will focus on. And if we can get our slides going, we'll be able to share them. But in the meantime, what I'll do is I'll walk you through, the main content of what I've prepared. And so, a wonderful, I guess, writer, theorist, thought leader speaker, Frederic Laloux, he speaks about transformation, organizational reinvention from a very particular lens. And he says that organizations, as we know them today, are simply the expression of our current world view and our current stage of development. And so he really sees organizations and company culture as an as a evolutionary process of greater involvement and that every single organization that we happen to either be working with or collaborating with, they are at a particular state of development, and they themselves are on a journey. 
 
And we are either operating and participating at that level of awareness, or we are either at a lower level, or we're basically, even more advanced. And the goal is for us to collaborate and for us to allow ourselves and to invite the evolutionary leaps and steps in awareness and in action that will support a greater transformation. And I really agree with what Frederick has written about in his reinventing organization's book, and I really believe that That is what we are up to. We are not just individuals operating separately, but we are part of a larger collaborative shift and it's important for us to be aware of that because the because the, somebody just made a comment, sir, because the importance of that is that We realize that we are just not alone in this greater shift of transformation, but we are collaborating with others in order to create a greater shift. 

And so what is culture? Very often, we talk about culture, especially within organizational paradigms as the way we do things around here. And there's a famous, structure and system called the iceberg theory of culture that was created by Edward Teal, in the 19 seventies that really speaks to the way that there's what we see on the surface, right, the observable, our behaviors and our practices. But then underneath of underneath what we see, there is an, oh, a bevy of tons of things happening that really we can't see And so whenever you're looking at an organization or even the organization that you may be a part of, you may be seeing the way that behaviors and practices are being enacted but underneath, there are perceptions, there are attitudes, there are beliefs, and there are value systems that are undergirding the entire system. 

And that form the entire cultural construct. And so it's important for us to know that whenever we are talking about how to transform everything, there is a greater cultural environment that this sits within. And so by understanding the context of it, is the bottom. Okay. Sorry about this. This is you can try. Yeah. I am This is a bit disconcerting. Okay. But to continue, I'm just gonna continue with the flow. So in addition to the cultural In addition to the cultural iceberg theory, right, the approach to that, there's also something known as a cultural web, and it speaks about the nature of the cultural paradigm. And the paradigm of a particular culture consists of the stories that we tell, the symbols that we honor, and the symbols that we trade and that we we connect to and that we use to represent ourselves, right, the heroes that we choose to honor. 

There's also the power structures that exist in the in the in the in the cultural web and the paradigm, the organizational structures, the control systems, the routines, and the rituals. So all of these things when you're working in cultural transformation, the more that you are aware of how these interlocking, aspects work together, the more you can start to understand what is the cultural paradigm of that organization. And I've had the great fortune of working with companies to really assess through different techniques What is a cultural operating system? What is a cultural paradigm that is being enacted? And how do we create what I love to call cultural interventions, right, that serve as ways for us to reinvention the system, reinvent the paradigm that exists so that it is more attuned to a more holistic, more integral, just overall a thriving system Right? And we know that when we're talking about system, we're talking about an ecosystem, right, this living, breathing entity that is part of everything that we do. Right?  

We human beings are part of these little collaborative entities. Right? We call them companies. And so the thriving opportunity Right? The opportunity and invitation for us to participate and to collaborate and to cocreate more thriving systems is what this conversation is truly all about. And so as we move on, in addition to the cultural web, when we think about transformation, reinventing company culture, one of the key, individuals and examples of recent today that is often cited is Satya Nadella and his work at Microsoft. Right? When he took over, he'd already been entrenched in the systems for multiple decades. And people assume that Microsoft is always gonna be that kind of like knives out dog eat dog kind of culture, but he got his hands on the work of, Doctor Carol Duque. And growth mindset, and it totally revolutionized the way in which he was able to engage Microsoft to become a different type of core of organization. 

And it's not just about what he did himself. What he began to do was to create different systems and paradigms within the organization in order for it to begin begin to transform. So he says that Microsoft, we're aspiring to have a living learning culture with a growth mindset that allows us to learn from ourselves and our customers. Now, again, I don't cite, you know, Microsoft as necessarily the, you know, the best in class and, and the best that there is, but as it relates to an entrenched system that took it upon itself to transform, That is one powerful example that we could actually look at. Okay? And so when we think about that, when we think about growth mindset, and what does it mean to truly embrace a growth mindset. We see that it's about, you know, the I would say most people actually realize that it's actually not either just fixed or growth that there's actually something in between, and that's actually, really important to notice because it's very easy for a space. 

I have a fixed mindset. I have a growth mindset, but very often there's that sliding space in between where you are sometimes exhibiting one and sometimes exhibiting the other. And it depends on this context. It depends on the situation. It depends on what what you feel is at stake as well as, you know, the way in which you've kind of been, inculcated into the system and the culture of the system itself. And so that speaks to what's known as a mixed mindset. So between the fixed and the growth, there is the mixed. And what I want to introduce today is another concept that I have begun working with, that I think is really important called the transformation mindset. Because if we're gonna actually engage in shifting the paradigms and reinventing company systems and structures, we have to not just only embrace more of a growth mindset We also also have to engage what I call the transformation mindset, which is the belief that whatever arises within your present reality, you have the power individually and collectively to begin to transform it. 

And that is important for us to embrace and to remember that what we see was created over time and that we can participate in the process of recreating it, reinventing it. And that is so important. Here we go. Alright. We're gonna get up to speed. So this is a slide on culture, and it's the icebergs. That's why I want you to see it because will really help you to kind of anchor it in your consciousness, that there are the observable behavior practices and behaviors, and then there's what's underneath. The cultural web. This is how it looks like. Okay? The Satya Nadella and then the conversation of mindset. So fixed mindset, growth mindset, mixed mindset. And on the fixed end about how we're always trying to avoid failure. We don't want to be seen as wrong, but on the growth minds that we see ourselves, as trend as, as part of a continuous learning process, and we see our organizations as such. 

And with a transformation mindset, The transformation mindset really speaks to the importance of, really understanding that we have the power to transform the systems and structures that are all around us. And so one example that I always give about transformation mindset is the earthquake that took place in Lisbon, Portugal in 1755, was so much of the city was destroyed. And there was the opportunity by a man named Markisha Bamba who was tasked with helping to reconstruct or reinvent the city and the options were, do we recreate what we had? Do we make slide modifications, or do we totally transform the systems in a way in which we operate? And he chose to reinvent. He chose to say, we will build a better city. And in fact, by committing to reinvent in a very big way and a very important way and not do the same old same old. 

We have the beautiful city of Lisbon, which I am very happy to be living in, but currently, I'm in New York. Yeah, we have this opportunity, and we see what happens when we choose to reinvent our systems and structures. So every business leader knows that their company needs to adapt in order to survive long term. However, the real issue is not successfully transforming your organization on a one time basis. It's writing the ability to transform and adapt into the company's DNA. And so this is all about reinvention cycles. And in fact, Yuval Harari, you know, he speaks about how the art of reinvention is gonna be one of the most critical skills of the century, but it's not just going to be about a 1 and done. 

It's going to be about consistent process of reinvention. And one of the perfect, symbols and models of this that I love to bring forth is a framework and a, a model that was developed by a man named harden tips, which speaks about the future as a strategic landscape. And so there is that enduring kind of guiding social role, the vision, right, the larger purpose that we see in front of us. And then there's who we are. Right? The our values and our attributes as a strategic player and the challenges that we face And there's the chessboard in front of us, right, the choices we have to make and in the mountain that we have to overcome in order to reach and to really connect on a deeper level to our larger purpose. 

When we're talking about company culture, we're talking about this vision that seems so far away, and how do we actually have it larger than whether it's if we're the leader, How do we connect on a deeper level to that vision, to that possibility of a transformed healthy company culture, but also how do we transmit it to every single person, right, within the organization so that we then play a role in making a new a new paradigm occur. 

And as Priya director says, the best way to predict the future is to create it. And this is all about leadership, and it's also all about the reality that we have to move beyond a linear model of transformation and growth to one that is exponential. And as a result of what's happened with COVID 19, we know about what it means to go from 0 to 160 and to change everything, right, to go off from offline to online very quickly. And so this is about realizing that in every system, every structure, specifically when we're talking about company culture and organizational transformation, we have the opportunity to say, okay, little by little incremental, incremental, or to say, you know what? We believe in the power of exponential transformation and we believe in really putting energy and force behind and purpose at the center of what it is that we're up to and creating great changes. And so this model that I have developed really focuses on how do we develop our exponential capacities to create higher orders of transformation? 

And this is about looking and acknowledging that we, as individuals and collectives, have our embodied potential, by our exponential potential. Right? And this is seeing ourselves as agents of transformation. And then it's about us engaging in a exponential transformation process. Where we look at every single aspect of where we operate within our organizations, but also how our organizations operate out in the world and how we then can see all as a field, a field of action, the spaces, the places, the systems, the sources, all of it being places to transform the system, especially as it relates to when we think about, you know, we're here at the women's tech conference, right, the global conference about the role of women. 

So how do we then say, we as women with our power and our potential and our greater purpose How do we engage in a process, whereby which we are willing to transform ourselves, transform the systems that we operate within, to invite the awareness of the role of women to invite the awareness of what we can bring, what we can offer, and the need for what we bring and what we can offer to support the transformation of the fields of action. 

And as we do so, new realities emerge exponential possibilities begin to emerge. And that is a new reality. So then suddenly we look back and we look at the situations and the solutions and the stories and we say, This is what we did at this very important time. And as a result of what we did, look at the new world that we get to live in, Look at the new world that is more diverse, more collaborative, more innovative, more respectful, more healthy, or where we will say healthier and more thriving. So this is what we're up to, and this is all about embracing the new ways and moving beyond being stuck in the old ways. As you see, right? This idea of the sphere, the circle unity moving forward, you know, and those who stay stuck in the box will not be able to create those transformational shifts. And so it's so important that we pay attention to this. 

And so what I wanna do in the in the last moments that I have with you is to share with you what I call the nectar process of culture reinvention. And the way in which we do this is based actually off of a cultural transformation process that I had the great fortune to lead, whereby which I started with exactly this process, and it made truly not only powerful results within the organizations, but also within the participants, And so what I did is I took this process as well as all my other learnings, and I began to develop this particular, process, which is the nectar. 

Process of cultural reinvention. So the first thing you wanna do is you wanna notice. Anytime you are beginning the process of a transformation, you wanna begin by heightening your awareness of the underlying premises, principles, and practices that create the culture Right? And how it detracts and enhances from the full potential and the highest possibilities. Because whether it's the culture of your family, the culture of your organization, the culture of a, you know, a specific intimate relationship. It's all the same. You wanna notice what detracts from joy or what detracts from health and well-being and what contributes to it, what enhances it, and how does this impact our ability to actually access greater states of potential at the highest level. So you just wanna begin to notice it without any true judgment, you just really wanna have a noticing period. 

And then after you have had that noticing period, you want to then engage. You wanna engage in investigations discussions and dialogues that support the exploration of dynamics at play and how to transform them. So in my case, it took place as a series of roundtable, focus groups, discussions with stakeholders and leadership, a committee of those who in the organization were were were nominated to be the ones that speak on the behalf of of the rest of the organization. And so we engaged in these conversations where we really got to understand, and we use the cultural a web and to try to understand what's the paradigm at play and how does this happen? How did this culture get created and how is it operating today and how can we transform it? And then the 3rd aspect of it is you wanna commit to transformation. You wanna create a transformation statement that outlines what you are willing to transform. 

So it's not only enough to say, okay, we've noticed what's wrong. We now see what's up, right? We understand and we fully engage in the process, but if you engage and you don't commit to transform, then why are we doing this? Nothing will transform. And once the commitment is present, then it's all about activating, taking transformative action that begins to shift the paradigms on an individual and a collective basis, being nimble and adaptive, activating in small and big ways. And then once you are in that process, right, of noticing, engaging, committing to transformation, activating, you want to be in a process also of reflection. Continuous reflection is key. So setting dedicated timely check ins where you can assess and enhance the journey and embrace daily contemplative practices. So being aware and supporting that within the organization, whether it's through meditation, whether it's through a moment of pause, before meetings, or after meetings, these are cultural practices that can be baked in within the organization to support a different type of culture to arise. 

And so how we reinvent the paradigm within what I call local and global hives will require key transformative shifts. And these key transformative shifts come from a great deal of what I've been researching and teaching on in what I call the reinventing the future transformative framework. You know, and a lot of what I've been doing is actually speaking to, you know, national networks and different organizations and leaders within, the networks to speak about this particular framework. And so I'll be sharing a little bit of it with you today. The first is about the mindset, and we've already kind of taken a peek at that, right, shifting the mindset that you hold individually and collectively? Is it a growth mindset? Is it more of a fixed mindset that you see kind of operating? 

And how do we move it towards the belief in a transformational mindset and what's at stake there. 2nd is motivations realizing that very often when we are externally motivated, It's very hard to have lasting power. True, and it's not about saying external motivation is terrible, but it's truly about intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that actually is about your inner why. The reason why the organization is doing what it's doing Is it doing it so we can get pets on the back that, yes, we support women, yes, we support people of color, yes, we support the trans community. Yes. We're gonna change our flags or is it truly about we are truly fundamental fundamentally and intrinsically motivated to create a transformative cultural shift that starts within our organization, and that is why we are doing this. 

So being clear and the move from extrinsic 2 more intrinsic or at least identifying what the intrinsic aspects are. The 3rd is models. What are the models and the systems that are at play? Are you incorporating things like appreciative inquiry where you're inquiring into what works, and you're baking that into how you run meetings or how you do debriefs rather than listing what was broken, you actually start with what went well, and then you basically inquire into what is workings that more can be generated from that. 

These are ways in which organizations can operate to create a whole new way of engaging one another. And methods, what are the methods that we're using in order to enhance the way in which we arrive at more collaborative innovative techniques. And many of that, I mean, much of that is based off of what's known as adaptive expertise, right, realizing that the challenges that we face are not things that are gonna be as I spoke about 1 and done, and they're not going to be something where you just solve it once and you solve it for good. 

It's gonna always be about iterating and evolving and refining. And so, again, this reinventing the future framework looks at the center with the impact of your massive transformative purpose. It focuses on the mindset the motivations, the models, and the methods, engaging in adaptive expertise, self awareness, intrinsic motivations, motivators, growth and transformational mindset, as well as positive driven transformation models. And so this becomes essentially a transformative compass whereby which you can navigate a new approach to how you move within your organizations and inevitably how we operate within the world. So let's talk now a bit about the what I call the now frontiers. Okay? The now frontiers of company reinvention. One of them is sustainability Innovation, and moving from the depletion model to a generative model. The other is what I call transformative DEI, which I've kind of coined, which is about moving from performative to paradigm shifting and ways in which we can look at reinventing over a 90 day period cycle. 

Of looking at the realms that we operate in, the rituals that we enact in our organizations, the relationships that we hold, and the reality that's emerging. And then ensuring that we have a commitment. So this is just one example of a commitment that says that I commit to reinventing company culture and by doing so I will do these following things. And so identify what is that commitment statement that your organization is willing to make? And so if you are seeking to reinvent and would like support on it on a personal professional organizational level, I would love for you to be in touch with me And thank you so much. And as I always say, we must create a new vision of possibility, then together, make that dream our reality.