B2B Agility™ with Greg Kihlström - Episode #45: REPLAY: Thriving Amidst Transformation, with Steve Blum, Autodesk
Release Date: May 27, 2025
Introduction
In Episode #45 of B2B Agility™, host Greg Kihlström engages in an insightful conversation with Steve Blum, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Autodesk. This episode delves deep into the art of fostering a change-maker culture within organizations, emphasizing how teams can not only survive but thrive amidst continual transformations.
Guest Introduction and Background
Steve Blum begins by sharing his professional journey, highlighting his transition from an electrical engineer to a sales and business leader. His diverse experiences span across sales management, marketing, global consulting, and revenue operations, all culminating in his current role as COO at Autodesk. Steve emphasizes the importance of being open to opportunities and adapting to various roles to build a well-rounded leadership skill set.
Key Discussion Points
1. Embracing Career Transitions
Steve discusses his initial foray into engineering, detailing his innovative work with semiconductors at NCR. An unexpected opportunity in sales engineering prompted his shift from a purely technical path to roles encompassing sales and management. He reflects:
"[...] I decided to make the change and never really looked back from there."
[03:11]
Steve underscores the significance of courage and openness to navigate career changes, advising listeners to seize growth opportunities as they arise.
2. Leading Organizational Change
The conversation pivots to managing significant transformations within Autodesk. Steve outlines two concurrent transformations:
- Long-term: Transitioning Autodesk's business model to a platform-based approach.
- Short-term: Reshaping engagement models with customers and partners.
He shares critical lessons from previous transformations, emphasizing the necessity of clear and continuous communication:
"Whenever you're driving a big change as a leader or as leaders in an organization, you need to focus on communicating the whys behind the what's of the change."
[07:30]
3. Strategies for Effective Change Management
Steve elaborates on strategies that have proven successful in leading transformations:
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Burning the Boats: Committing fully to a change without the option to revert, thus fostering dedication.
"[...] creating the scenario where there's no return actually helps when you're driving a really big change."
[08:15] -
Agility and Flexibility: Acknowledging that transformations won't be perfect and being prepared to adapt as new insights emerge.
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Stakeholder Engagement: Involving all stakeholders continuously from the inception to the completion of the change process.
4. Overcoming Resistance to Change
Addressing the inherent resistance to change, Steve provides actionable advice:
"Leaders need to have empathy for those that are going through the change and may be impacted greatest as a result of that change..."
[11:10]
He emphasizes the importance of:
- Empathy and Support: Understanding the challenges employees face during transitions.
- Clear Vision and Storytelling: Articulating a compelling vision that illustrates the benefits of the change for all parties involved.
- Training and Enablement: Providing necessary education and resources to facilitate smooth transitions.
5. Balancing Transformation with Operational Continuity
Steve discusses the challenge of maintaining day-to-day operations while implementing transformative changes. He shares Autodesk's approach of piloting initiatives in specific markets (e.g., Australia) to gather feedback and iterate before a broader rollout:
"We launched the program there. We learned from the experience... positioned us to then be prepared to go and scale it in other locations."
[17:47]
This Minimum Viable Product (MVP) strategy allows Autodesk to refine processes and address gaps without disrupting the entire organization.
6. Prioritization and Iterative Implementation
Steve highlights the crucial role of prioritization in ensuring that essential elements are addressed first:
"We need to be really clear on what are the need to have things, the must haves..."
[18:24]
By focusing on must-have capabilities initially and iterating based on feedback, Autodesk ensures that transformations are both effective and manageable.
7. Enhancing Customer and Employee Experience
A standout point in the discussion is the intertwined relationship between customer and employee experiences. Steve explains that by improving employee engagement and equipping them with better tools and processes, Autodesk can, in turn, deliver superior customer experiences:
"We're a really big believer in if you can continue to create a world class employee experience... you will be in a position to deliver a world class customer experience."
[27:42]
Notable Quotes
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"I actually had to be open to opportunities as they came up. That, by the way, takes a lot of courage."
Steve Blum, [05:19] -
"We need to be really clear on what are the need to have things, the must haves, not the want to have things..."
Steve Blum, [18:24] -
"But things work out in the long run."
Steve Blum, [29:32] -
"Leaders need to over communicate the whys behind the change."
Steve Blum, [30:15]
Conclusions and Takeaways
Steve Blum imparts several key takeaways for leaders aiming to successfully navigate organizational transformations:
- Communicate the 'Why': Consistently articulate the reasons behind changes to garner support and understanding.
- Commit Fully: Adopt approaches like burning the boats to ensure unwavering commitment to transformation goals.
- Embrace Imperfection: Acknowledge that transformations are iterative and remain flexible to adjust strategies as needed.
- Engage and Support Stakeholders: Involve all members of the organization throughout the change process and provide necessary support.
- Prioritize Effectively: Focus on essential elements first to ensure foundational success before expanding efforts.
- Align Customer and Employee Experiences: Recognize that enhancing employee experience is pivotal to delivering exceptional customer service.
Steve concludes with actionable advice:
"Leaders need to over communicate the whys behind the change... when you can get people bought into why this is going to benefit them, why it's going to benefit their customers while it's going to benefit the stakeholders involved."
[30:15]
Final Thoughts
This episode of B2B Agility™ offers invaluable insights into managing and thriving amidst change. Steve Blum's experience at Autodesk serves as a blueprint for organizations aiming to lead with agility, empathy, and strategic foresight. Leaders and marketers alike can draw from his strategies to foster resilient and adaptable teams capable of driving successful transformations.
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