ACCELERATING MINDS
THE STORY
CAN WE?
Over 200% of an employee’s annual salary – that is how much companies lose when an employee leaves, and even more if the employee decides to stay and disengage! There is a pervasive sense of unfairness, mistrust, and inequality that is hardly noticed by management, creating a lack of passion among employees and enabling a culture of insincerity and apathy.
Is it possible to create an environment founded on collaboration, a culture rewarding merit, and one that pushes growth to new limits?
Is that even possible?
YES WE CAN!
Human creativity is beautiful. It sparks the flames of innovation through imagination, challenging conventional wisdom, and inspiring us to pursue the impossible. When harnessed and nurtured within a positive corporate culture, it can lead to breakthroughs that change the world.
I know we can create a better environment for innovation, which would encourage everyone to grow through continuous development and education. It is not a matter of if, but when!
So yes, we most definitely can!
1
WHAT’S DRIVING US BANANAS!
“Many of the current proposed solutions from consulting firms are based on diagnostic and prescriptive methods, which result in unsustainable short-term fixes against a large budget”
There is a pervasive problem facing the modern workforce: employees are feeling dissatisfied with their jobs and quitting in great numbers. Dubbed 'The Great Resignation' in 2021, merely having a job is no longer sufficient; employees also seek to feel challenged, respected, and inspired.
Since COVID, the way people live has changed - so why shouldn't the way they work change too?
Modern workplace trends are characterised by more resignations and less employee satisfaction, adversely affecting creativity, innovation, and productivity across industries. This also contributes to mass layoffs by giant corporations.
People resign because they do not feel engaged, or their workplace does not understand their needs, leading them to believe there is something better out there.
The traditional workforce model has become outdated, so leaders should step up to make changes in their corporate culture. However, companies are struggling to make adequate changes to their corporate culture without breaking the bank.
WHAT’S DRIVING US BANANA’S?
2
WHY CARE, YOU ASK?
WHAT ARE THE DRIVERS
OF INNOVATION ACROSS
NATIONS?
Innovation, the radical type, mind you, is an instrumental driver for the prosperity of a nation. Growth, wealth accumulation, and economic development are all proven to be positively correlated with the rate of radical innovation. Because radical innovation is crucial to the wellbeing of a society, heaps of research have been conducted across various disciplines to understand this link and have concluded that the drivers of such innovation are skilled talent, capital, government, and culture.
Recent research has added that while these drivers, namely skilled talent, capital, government, and culture, have an absolute impact on the innovation of a nation, which contributes to its general prosperity and happiness; a fifth factor, which is corporate culture, is the strongest driver of radical innovation across nations. The research was conducted on 759 companies across 17 major economies around the world! Not only is the commercialization of those radical innovations a strong predictor of financial performance, but it is also crucial to the growth of firms and economies.
SINCE RADICAL INNOVATION
IS SO IMPORTANT,
HOW DO WE MEASURE IT
FOR A NATION?
YOU KNOW, WHAT GETS MEASURED,
GETS IMPROVED, RIGHT?
“Corporate Culture is the strongest driver of radical innovation, and Radical Innovation is a significant predictor of the growth, wealth accumulation and economic development of a nation”
If I were to ask you about the most innovative nations today, you probably would think of the United States and China, among others such as Japan, Germany, and South Korea. As anecdotal as this might sound, the above list also happens to be the top countries in the number of academic publications and patent applications worldwide.
If we accept the notion that the number of patent applications and published research papers are outputs of research and development, representing activities aimed at radical innovation, then they can be considered as quantifiable measures that can be used to assess a nation’s innovation activity. These measures can provide some insights into a nation’s ability to generate new ideas and turn them into tangible products and services that can be utilised by society.
“Although patent applications and published research can be used to assess a nation’s innovation activity, they are not the only ones. They are, though, an indication of the level of investment in activities from corporates and research institutions.”
WHY CARE, YOU ASK?
3
WE HAVE A DREAM.
TOGETHER WE CAN
IMAGINE!
There is a yearning passion to make an impact on a scale that would change the lives of millions. We recognise this to be only the start! There is another side to this story! Allow us to tell it to you.
Once upon a time, in a land of opportunities, there were two employees, Fatma and Ahmad, working for the esteemed Bestcompany Inc. They felt appreciated, and their surroundings fostered their growth and development. The culture of the organisation was geared towards nourishing creativity and innovation. It was this environment that kindled their passion, zeal, and an unbridled sense of belonging. They were more productive than a bird during mating season.
Their superlative output resulted in significant profits and growth for the organisation, which then funnelled it into research and development activities. As a result of this growth and the consequential positive outcome of the R&D efforts, Bestcompany Inc. expanded its operations, throwing open its doors for more job opportunities. This move signalled a stable economy, which emboldened citizens to part with their hard-earned cash and spend it on frivolous things. They paid more taxes, which inevitably led to the government investing in infrastructure projects, education, and healthcare.
Fatma and Ahmad were the linchpins of the entire chain reaction. Without their invaluable work, none of this would have been possible.
Our dream is to inspire humanity
back into the workforce,
to reignite the fire in
employees!
That way, companies will focus on solving important problems, and build a better world for all of us to enjoy!
This can only happen if we challenge conventional wisdom, work together to understand the cause, acknowledge our state, and push through to grow our society for the betterment of tomorrow and today!
We dream of answering two questions:
How can we make employees work with the same drive, passion and sense of belonging as an entrepreneur?
How can we encourage an environment that supports growth and innovation for everyone?
DEMOGRAPHIC
Our addressable audience are professionals, who are high achievers with above average intelligence. They have achieved what most aspire to. These are leaders of organisations large and small, with extremely busy schedules, who possess the key to their organisations’ culture.
WE HAVE A DREAM.
4
ONE SMALL STEP,
METHODOLOGY
Corporate
Engagements
Research
& Partnerships
Content & Media
Production
Network &
Community
ONE SMALL STEP,
CORPORATE
ENGAGEMENTS
INNOVATION
Accelerated Innovation
This engagement is for corporate leaders which will discuss how to create a culture of innovation within their organizations. The discussion covers topics such as idea generation, prototyping, testing, and scaling. Participants will learn how to accelerate the innovation process and bring new products, services, and processes to market faster.
From Inventions to Innovations
Designed for corporate leaders to discuss how to turn innovative ideas into tangible outcomes for their organizations. The discussion covers topics such as ideation, validation, commercialization, and performance measurement. Participants will learn how to develop an innovation strategy that aligns with business goals and drives growth and competitiveness.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is a problem-solving methodology that emphasizes empathy, experimentation, and collaboration. This engagement would discuss the use of design thinking to generate innovative solutions to organizational challenges. It would cover the design thinking process, including empathy mapping, ideation, prototyping, and user testing.
Open Innovation
How to leverage external resources and expertise to drive innovation within organizations. The discussion covers topics such as crowd-sourcing, co-creation, open data, and intellectual property management. Participants will learn how to collaborate with external partners to identify and develop innovative solutions to business challenges.
Innovation Culture
An Innovation Culture developed correctly covers topics such as leadership, communication, risk-taking, and continuous improvement. The discussion will deep dive into how to foster an environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and collaboration, and drives business success.
LEADERSHIP
Strategic Leadership
Strategic leadership focuses on developing the skills and knowledge needed to set and execute a vision for the organization. This engagement discusses with leaders how to identify opportunities and challenges, formulate strategies, and lead their teams in executing these strategies.
Emotional Intelligency
Emotional intelligence is a critical skill for effective leadership, which this engagement focuses on highlighting this skill. It discusses with leaders how they can understand and manage their own emotions and how to build positive relationships with their team members.
Change Management
Change is a constant in today's business environment, and leaders need to be able to manage it effectively. This engagement discusses with leaders how to plan and execute change initiatives, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and manage resistance to change.
Coaching and Mentorship
Coaching and mentoring are essential skills for leaders who want to develop the potential of their team members. This engagement discusses with leaders how to provide feedback, set goals, and provide guidance and support to help team members grow and develop.
Managing Culture
This engagement is to discuss with leaders how to create and maintain a positive organizational culture. The workshop covers topics such as culture assessment, values alignment, communication, and change management. The discussion will centre around how to create a culture that promotes engagement, productivity, and innovation.
CULTURE
DEI
This engagement discusses diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizational culture. It allows participants to have a dialogue about implicit biases, systemic discrimination, and the importance of creating an environment that values diversity and fosters inclusivity.
Performance Management
This engagement focuses on promoting a culture of performance excellence within the organization. The discussion will be around how to set clear expectations through relevant goals, provide feedback, recognize and reward high performers, and address underperformance.
Innovation and Creativity
Promoting a culture of innovation and creativity within the organization is a topic that gained traction in the leadership domains. This engagement discusses with participants the different types of innovation, how to encourage experimentation and risk-taking, and how to foster a culture of continuous learning.
Values Alignment
This engagement focuses on aligning the values of the organization with the values of its employees. The discussion touches on how to articulate the organization's values, identify gaps between these values and the values of employees, and develop strategies for aligning the two.
Communication, Collaboration and Conflict
Promoting a culture of effective communication and collaboration within the organization is what this engagement targets. The discussion will touch on how to improve communication skills, build trust and respect among team members, and develop strategies for effective collaboration.
STRATEGY
Mergers and Acquisitions
This engagement focuses on the process of evaluating and executing mergers and acquisitions as a strategy for growth. The discussion will allow leaders to identify potential targets, conduct due diligence, negotiate deals, and integrate acquired companies.
Scenario Planning
Exploring alternative futures and developing strategies to address potential challenges and opportunities is a key skill that is taken for granted by most leaders. This engagement discusses how to identify key uncertainties, develop scenarios, and create contingency plans for each scenario.
Strategic Planning
This engagement targets the process of developing a corporate strategy. The discussion will be with leaders on how to assess the external environment, identify strengths and weaknesses, set strategic goals and objectives, and develop action plans to achieve them.
Business Model Innovation
The focus of this engagement is on developing innovative business models that can help the organization achieve its strategic objectives. The discussion will be about different types of business models, how to identify opportunities for innovation, and how to test and refine new business models.
Innovation Strategy
Developing an innovation strategy that supports the organization's strategic goals is mostly lost between the corporate strategy discussions, and the different business strategies for its strategic departments. This engagement targets how to identify and prioritize innovation opportunities, and how to align innovation initiatives with the organization's overall strategy.
TECHNOLOGY
Cyber Security
Protecting organizations from cyber threats, including hacking, phishing, and other forms of cybercrime is typically a reactive, rather than proactive, activity. This engagement will include discussions around how to identify vulnerabilities, implement security measures, and respond to security incidents, all while making business sense from any associated investments.
Business Process Automation
A high percentage of the business is wasted on tasks that if automated, can free up time for more valuable tasks. This engagement is designed to discuss with leaders how to automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks. The discussion covers topics such as process analysis, workflow design, software development, and integration with existing systems.
Data Analysis
This engagement touches on using data to gain insights and make informed decisions. The discussion will include points such as how to collect, process, and analyze data, as well as how to use data to identify patterns and trends that can inform business strategy.
Digital Transformation
Away from the marketing buzzwords, this engagement focuses tactically on how using technology can transform the way organizations operate, including their business models, processes, and customer engagement. The discussion will shed light on how to identify opportunities for digital transformation, develop a roadmap for change, and manage the process of transformation.
GenAI for the Workforce
This engagement targets the understanding of the basics of AI and machine learning for business, including algorithms and models used for training and prediction. The discussion will include methods to develop and implement AI-based solutions for various business problems.
RESEARCH AND
PARTNERSHIPS
STAGE 1
SPOT A PHENOMENON
The world is filled with phenomena that are begging to be investigated and researched. The lack of research in social sciences, namely management, leadership, education, culture, among others, creates a massive gap that prevents the region from progressing in other sciences. These engagements will serve as a source for enquiry.
STAGE 2
INVESTIGATE EMPIRICALLY
When a phenomenon is noticed, and the problem attached to it is significant, then the only way to study, analyse, and potentially find solutions is through the scientific method! Instead of relying on theory, anecdote, or even logic, verification with observation and experience is a sure way to understand the world around us.
STAGE 3
PUBLISH IN A JOURNAL
If the argument made is solid enough, why not share it with the worldwide scientific community and have them scrutinise, verify, and grill this argument? If it withstands scientific scrutiny, then it deserves to be published and shared with others to benefit and, hopefully, make an impact for a better future for all.
MEDIA AND CONTENT
ESCAPADE - LEADERS EDITION
Long-form dialogues with leaders in a podcast style, discussing leadership, people, culture, and organisational development.
ONLINE CONTENT
Thematic sound bites and nuggets to emphasise topics of high importance related to the overall vision.
ESCAPADE - GenZ EDITION
A pitch competition for entrepreneurs, presenting in front of a panel to win the grand prize.
Engagements and research will inform the media content produced in an integrated and cohesive manner to tackle the main topics: organisational culture, innovation, leadership, strategy, and technology.
5
ONE GIANT LEAP.
STRATEGIC IMPACT
Engagements and content will inform research and build a community.
Research and community will foster trust and authenticity.
Trust and authenticity will create an anchor for influence.
This influence will encourage people to pay attention to the message and change their lives.
6
CHANGE THE WIND’S DIRECTION?
A HEALTHY DOSE OF
DOUBT
Over 7 million people in the United Arab Emirates alone are employed, according to the latest data available from the World Bank, many of whom have made life-altering decisions to move away from their homes and desire a corporate culture that is inclusive and cultivates their creativity. You may be one of them! But you might be wondering, why do we need another organisation preaching about leadership, culture, and change? Let’s be honest; there are hundreds of other consulting or training companies, already established as authorities in their own domains, led by bright, intelligent, and passionate consultants, coaches, and experts. Indeed, you will even see us reaching out to most of them for collaborations and potentially even licensing their work.
SO, WHAT MAKES
ACCEMIND
SO SPECIAL?
QUESTIONING ASSUMPTIONS
It is easy to challenge conventional wisdom; what’s not easy is to do something about it!
AcceMind was born out of the question, 'What if?'
What if companies motivated their employees to find their passion?
What if employees adopted entrepreneurial mindsets?
We understand that progress without passion is inhuman, and passion without progress is blindness!
Here is an even bigger reason that makes AcceMind so special: although many consulting companies offer training and coaching, AcceMind is a platform!
Our engagements are all based on tailor-made solutions that start by understanding the current situation, guiding the organisation into diagnosing its own symptoms, prescribing its own solutions, and then facilitating the execution so they can focus on what they do best, all while utilising the scientific research method.
But we don’t stop here; our model is based on an integrated, emotion-inducing, rational controlled methodology. That is why everything we do is based on content, namely videos, that will create excitement and spread the word that change is inevitable.
7
CURIOSITY MADE CATS AWSOME!
CURIOSITY BACKED BY BELIEF!
Human nature is constant,
The environment is a variable.
Put both together, and you will get behaviour.
Behaviour is the building block of a culture.
Thus, the focus should be on building an environment conducive to education, development, creativity, and innovation.
IMAGINE THIS:
More employees are happy; they are in an environment that supports their passion and creativity.
Productivity skyrockets; companies are now able to fund research and development of solutions to world problems.
How do we measure this at a national level? One way is the number of patent applications and research publications.
BUT WHAT’S IN IT FOR ORGANISATIONS?
Over 200% of an employee's annual salary is the cost of them leaving, according to a report by the Centre for American Progress.
And billions in loss of productivity, according to a Gallup study, if employees decide to stay and disengage!
8
PREDICT OR CREATE?
JOIN THE DISCOURSE
We need your help. If you are:
A leader of a large organisation who has the keys to your organisation’s culture,
A researcher interested in delving deeper into this topic or any related area,
An authority in your domain eager to offer support,
A talented individual keen to make a difference.
Please contact us on:
usama@accemind.com
eman@accemind.com
We look forward to hearing from you.
IF YOU’VE READ THIS FAR,
THEN WE NEED YOU!
Whose life did you impact today?