Google's Struggle: 9 Lessons Learned

(Read it in your language)

Google has taken a punch in the face in recent months and it doesn't look like anything is going to change. Their stumble shows why constant change is the new normal and complacency is a luxury no one can afford.

Google touted its advanced AI Bart for months but then was forced to admit that Bart lags far behind competitors' AI products, hurting Google's business.

Even tech giants aren't immune to disruption if they overestimate themselves and underestimate change.

Google yesterday rushed to accelerate its collaboration with DeepMind in the U.K. (a company Google bought in 2014) to develop its AI from the ground up. But can Google's culture of over-promising and under-delivering withstand this pressure?

Google is now working non-stop to catch up in the race to be the best at AI. As technology accelerates, they have no time to waste. It could take months or years to recover and lose ground in search, advertising, cloud, and more. Google's setback affects the company and millions of users who were expecting Bart's release. It continues Google's string of failures to deliver ambitious new technologies when promised.

Google was once the market leader, but arrogant assumptions left the door open for others. These are the 9 lessons learned from recent Google's failure that your company should consider when it comes to accelerating change and disrupting the market in the age of AI:

1. Without vigilance and humility, no advantage remains. Forget that, and rivals will seize the opportunity.
2. Disruption spares no one, no matter how big, successful, or smart you're. If it can hit Google, it can hit us all. We need to see disruption as pervasive, not a problem for others to take care of.
3. Competitive advantage is fragile in a time of constant change. Overconfidence and complacency permanently shift the playing field. We need to disrupt ourselves before others do.
4. We need to watch our competitors and emerging technologies, not just ourselves. Don't underestimate your competitors or assume your lead is safe, especially with disruptive technologies like AI. Be informed or be uninformed.
5. Constant learning and evolution are critical. Adapt business models, products, capabilities and strategies quickly to keep up with the pace of change. What got us here won't get us anywhere in times like these.
6. Stay ambitious, but don't be reckless. Pursue risky new technologies and models, but don't let ambition override your ability to deliver reliably. Walk the fine line between prudence and daring.
7. Future-proof your organization and your capabilities. Foster a culture of constant proactive change, not reactionary catch-up. Acquire new skills and continue to educate yourself. Reinvent and renew yourself.
8. Constantly re-examine the risks and rewards of your strategy and models. Challenge assumptions and don't put too much faith in the status quo. See change on the horizon and prepare for it. Disruption requires vigilance.
9. And finally, SAFe, Scrum, Agile, or even Business Agility are prepared for product disruption, but not for business model Disruption. Enterprise Agile models from Enterprise Agility University are.

In the age of AI, no position is secure, no edge is safe. But vigilance, intellectual humility, and ambition can inspire us to turn constant change into constant opportunity. We can thrive in the midst of disruption if we choose to proactively adapt and evolve, rather than react when it's too late. Google's stumble reminds us of this.

We must all work to future-proof our businesses, our careers, and our lives—or risk being swept away by the crisis as well. The lessons are sobering, but they contain insights that will fuel our success.

If we meet Google's ambition with vigilance and execution, if we disrupt ourselves before we're disrupted, we can master change and take charge of the future rather than just reacting to it. But we must act today and adapt and evolve to the pace of progress. The time for complacency is over. Constant change is the new normal, and the only thing that will endure is our ability to constantly renew ourselves in the face of change.

Finally, expect my new book Enterprise Agility Foundations - Strategies and Roadmap for Leaders and Organizations in an Era of Disruption available on Amazon and all over the world at the end of May.

And one more thing... don't forget the  Enterprise Agility World Community event on April 12. Tania Serfontein will be speaking on a topic of great importance to both your professional development and the success of your business. DON'T WAIT AND BOOK IT NOW!

BOOK IT NOW!

Have a good Friday and a great weekend!

Erich R. Bühler

CEO, Enterprise Agility University