Today, we are exploring a new phrase: the Hyperadaptive Organization. My guest, Melissa Reeve, coined this phrase and it is the central focus of her essential new book, Hyperadaptive: Rewiring the Organization to Become an AI-Native Enterprise.
With 80% of AI initiatives failing to deliver on their promise, Melissa steps in to give leaders a practical framework. She defines a Hyperadaptive Organization as one that 'rewires its structures, processes, and capabilities to integrate AI and other technologies effectively, allowing them to sense, respond, and evolve at the speed of AI.' I like to also add that a hyperadaptive organization must allow support AI in sensing, responding to, and evolving at the speed of the consciously evolved people.
Hyperadaptive organizations require hyperadaptive human beings. Yet people often fear change. This is why it is important to recognize that not only do projects fail but individuals and teams fail to experience the success and fulfillment possible. This is why understanding what it means to be hyperadaptive, especially at this time, is so crucial. As Meredith Grey says in Grey's Anatomy, "We either adapt to change or we get left behind.” Our conversation today is to help you, our listeners to adapt to needed change with confidence and joy. With this in mind, I'm excited to introduce my guest Melissa Reeve.
Questions we may cover include:
1. Melissa, both of us are huge advocates for psychological safety. What does hyperadaptability have to do with AI and why is this especially critical when implementing AI? What happens to an AI experiment in a low-trust, "power-over, power-under" environment?
2. When Everyone Wins is all about shifting from "power-over and under" (command-and-control on the part of leaders, and resentful compliance-and-conformity or rebellion to their direct reports). “How does AI force leaders to finally give up "power-over"?
3. In my work, I see ways direct reports use "power-over" too. They often do so more subtly to protect themselves but they use this dynamic with their leaders and peers. How does AI force direct reports to finally give up “power-over?”
4. Melissa, I love your concept of the "AI Time Paradox"—organizations being "too busy to save time" with AI. This feels like one kind of classic symptom of a "power-under" culture, where the typical way of operating makes it almost impossible to learn and evolve. How can leaders create "power-within" for their teams by breaking this cycle?
5. In our work, “power-under” is also when front-line staff, non-titled employees give up their autonomy not always because of a leader’s behavior, but because of conditioning to conform and comply rather than critically think or act as a leader in moments when it would be helpful for them to engage in a power-within way. Is it crucial in your model for those without a title to step up so they are not acting like powerless victims or reactive rebels? How does AI when seen through Hyperadaptability break this cycle and move front-line staff into leader/follower agility?
6. Melissa, like LifeWork Systems, you and your company argue that organizations must move "From Linear Hierarchies to Dynamic Networks." This is what I mean with the shift in power until it is “shared power.” This is very much the same as the responsibility-based model we use to help leaders create "TEAL organizations.” Why do rigid, traditional hierarchies and AI fundamentally conflict with each other?
7. Your work positions AI as a "co-worker" or "partner." Our tagline includes "power-between" (requiring collaboration and trust). How do we build that "power-between" relationship, not just between humans, but between humans and their new AI "co-workers"?
8. Melissa, you shared with me a little about a practical tool you use called the FOCUS framework for evaluating AI use cases. Can you tell our listeners more about bout FOCUS and how a shared framework like this helps teams build "power-between" with each other so they make decisions collaboratively, rather than waiting for "power-over" approval?
9. Melissa, you talk about AI "democratizing skills" so decision-making authority can be distributed. This is a key part of my company’s "responsibility-based" CultureEX model. Where have you seen this "democratizing skills" work well, and where do leaders get scared and try to hoard control?
10. Your book outlines a 5-Stage AI Integration Journey. For a leader listening right now who wants to begin, what is the very first cultural step they need to take to move from Stage 1 (Foundation Setting) to Stage 2?
11. My show is called "When Everyone Wins." In your vision of a truly "Hyperadaptive," AI-Native organization, what does that "win-win-win" look like? What's the "win" for executives, the "win" for middle managers, and the "win" for the frontline employees?
12. As we wrap up the episode, what final words of wisdom would you like to leave with our audience?