The innovator’s Mindset - Leading Through an Era of Exponential Change - McGill University 2025

"The Innovative Mindset" is not just a conference on digital transformation, it is a real invitation to rethink the way we learn, collaborate and lead. By sharing his experience of transformation at La Presse, Jean-Marc De Jonghe demonstrates that the success of a digital transition is based on adaptability, collaboration and, above all, on people. The impactful images of his presentation reinforce this message: to be relevant tomorrow, we must dare to reinvent ourselves today.

The conference is resolutely optimistic. Jean-Marc reminds us that change, although inevitable - often difficult, rarely self-imposed - opens the way to new opportunities. By adopting an "innovative mindset" - that is, accepting uncertainty, continuously learning and placing the human at the center of the transformation - organizations can not only survive but also thrive in a constantly changing world.

Topics covered:

Speed of change, learning, collaboration, openness to change, world of tomorrow, etc.

The speed of change around us is now dizzying. Technology, markets, customers, competitors, employees, etc.; nothing escapes it! To survive, we are all doomed to adapt, innovate and transform ourselves continuously.

At this conference, Jean-Marc humbly shares with us his experience as a leader and privileged witness of the titanic transformation of La Presse and the creation of its innovative products: the digital edition for tablets La Presse+, the Mobile app and its "Mobile first" creation tools in order to share with us learning that will inspire us to find innovative solutions to our problems of tomorrow and will help us personally create the professional career of our full potential.

Review of this great experience and sharing of 5 learnings that allowed us to activate innovation.

Acknowledgements:
Presentation made on November 3rd, 2025 at McGill University during a IT Town-hall Meeting
Special thanks to Mr. Paul Chamberland for the invitation and the opportunity

Transcript

1. MONTREAL NOVEMBER 2025 🧠 THE INNOVATOR’S MINDSET LEADING THROUGH AN ERA OF EXPONENTIAL CHANGE JEAN-MARC DE JONGHE LA PRESSE
2. @madmac 2 • Medias — 1995 • La Presse — 2003 • VP Digital Product & Strategy — 2010 • Led La Presse’s digital transformation, creation of La Presse+ and our award wining Mobile App Jean-Marc De Jonghe VP Digital Product & Strategy • La Presse has transformed from a printed daily newspaper into a 100% digital, free, independent, and non-profit media outlet of reference, with strong influence in Quebec and beyond. Its mission: to provide high-quality information that is accessible to all. • La Presse reach each month 4 million readers with Impactful content that fuel the important debates of our society. La Presse Montreal, QC, Canada Inspired
3. 3 My mission today
4. @madmac 4 Technologies People 💃🕺 A successful transformation 20% 80%
5. 5 Agenda •High-level look at our transformation • 3 key learnings to inspire you • Question and exchanges 40 mins 5mins
6. @madmac 6 HIGH-LEVEL LOOK AT OUR RECENT STORY
7. @madmac 7
8. 8 2013 From disrupted to innovators
9. 9 2019 From disrupted to innovators
10. 10 Our greatest asset = our people Today
11. 11 La Presse — 1955-2003 La Presse — Today A radical transformation Masters of one recipe Collaboration, empathy and openness to change
12. 12 The speed of change is accelerating Impact of changes Analog PC Computer 1884 1990 Internet 2000 2010 2020 Social AI https://www.digitaltransformationbook.com/the-speed-of-change-4-waves-of-digital-acceleration/ Mobile <- +100 yrs -> Cloud & big data
13. CHANGE IS POSITIVE! Disruption
14. 14 4,6 ★★★★★ 86k reviews No 6 - News — iPhone Canada 4,6 ★★★★★ 65k reviews No 1 - News — iPad Canada 4,8 ★★★★★ 30k reviews +1M Install. Google Play Store 4,3 ★★★★★ 10k reviews +100k Install. Google Play Store 45 to 55 minutes/day on average! AMAZING RESULTS
15. 15 Reader’s and advertiser’s revenue REVENUE GROWTH +50% Digital Ad $ Stoped the press
16. 16 Daily Audience 2002 2012 2022 2024 0 200 000 400 000 600 000 800 000 1 000 000 1 200 000 559 450 350 30 349 325 244 240 230 255 Newsprint* La Presse+ App mobile Web** *Newsprint base on weekly average — 2000 *Web ComScore READER’S GROWTH
17. 17 Traditional organization Digital & innovative organization There is a durable and reproducible recipe There is no sustainable recipe except adaptability and agility New World Old World Everyone’s transformation
18. @madmac 18 FROM DISRUPTION TO DISRUPTION Us (Still running) The market Disruptions
19. 3 KEY LEARNINGS TO INSPIRE YOUR JOURNEY 19
20. We all sucks at trying to predicts the future Escape from old ideas and paradigms is really hard Reframe learning – How to be future proof? 3 2 1 🧠 20
21. 21 Speed and impacts of change « We tend to overestimate what we can do in the near future and grossly underestimate what can be done in the distant future. This is because the human imagination extrapolates in a straight line, while real world events develop exponentially. (like compound interest) » – Arthur C. Clarke
22. 22 From good newsprint producers 1955
23. 23 2003 An investment to become the best of all
24. 24 2006 To best newsprint producers of the world
25. 25 2006 To best newsprint producers of the world « … human imagination extrapolates in a straight line »
26. 26 2010 To disrupted printers « … real world events develop exponentially »
27. What actually happen 27 Results / performance Time Atomic Habits, James Clear What you think should happen A mirage Speed and impacts of change
28. 28 Résultats / performance Temps Atomic Habits, James Clear Speed and impacts of change
29. 29 The speed of change is accelerating Impact of changes Analog PC Computer 1884 1990 Internet 2000 2010 2020 Social AI https://www.digitaltransformationbook.com/the-speed-of-change-4-waves-of-digital-acceleration/ Mobile <- +100 yrs -> Cloud & big data
30. 30 1930: we imagine the smartphone… https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/retro-future-predictions/
31. 31 1950: we imagine a View master … Waze https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/retro-future-predictions/ Viewmaster
32. 32 1960: we imagine the newspaper of the future… https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/retro-future-predictions/
33. 33 Imagine the TV of the future?
34. 34 The television of the future will be both the TV... ... and the studio so that everyone can create his own show! Imagine the TV of the future?
36. @madmac Utilisateurs d'ordinateurs dans le monde (milliards) 36 0,5 G 1,5 G 4,5 G 5 G iPhone From exciting to universal
37. @madmac 37 Adoption rate
38. Impact of covid in our work space
39. @madmac 39 Chart of the century: Days from 1m to 100m users
40. 40 It's going to get crazier!
41. IMPERMANENCE The state or the fact of lasting only for a limited period of time
42. IMPERMANENCE The state or the fact of lasting only for a limited period of time There is a sustainable recipe and reproducible STANDARDIZATION There is no sustainable recipe otherwise that adaptability and agility ADAPTATION & EXPERIMENT
43. What actually happen 43 Results / performance Time Atomic Habits, James Clear What you think should happen A mirage Speed and impacts of change We must prepare our organizations, our teams and ourselves for here
44. The market Our beautiful products, services, processes, principles and our business model Impermanence
45. Anyone can optimize the « today" - you must plan and organize yourself to be relevant and competitive tomorrow. Future proof?
46. We all sucks at trying to predicts the future Escape from old ideas and paradigms is really hard Reframe learning – How to be future proof? 3 2 1 🧠 46
47. 47 2009 2008-2009 -2M$/month
48. @madmac 48 I make a model and tries to convince my CEO to develop an application for Apple's rumoured tablet At the end of 2009 I came out of my comfort zone
49. @madmac 49 BUT WHAT DID I DO?!? Early 2010 = the biggest project of my career!
50. @madmac
51. @madmac 51 Monkey Trap
52. @madmac 52 Loss aversion & The Status Quo Bias « It is thought that for humans the pain of losing is psychologically about twice as powerful as the pleasure of gaining » Richard Thaler 1990 « The endowment e ff ect » : the sellers vs choosers Kahneman and Tversky 1979 « The Status Quo bias » and « Loss aversion » : mugs vs chocolate bars
53. 53 The difficulty « The difficulty lies not in the new ideas, but in escaping the old ones, which ramify, for those brought up as most of us have been, into every corner of our minds. » — John Maynard Keynes 🍌
54. @madmac 54 Escaping from old paradigms Winning concepts and recipes that have carried us so far Winning concepts and recipes that we will need to succeed in tomorrow's world 🍌
55. @madmac 55 In a world where everything changes so quickly Adaptability + Ignited by the new problems Focused on customer value Mind Mindset
56. 56 I know how it works! I’m an expert!
57. 57 In a constantly changing world I am competent I am an expert
58. 58 I am competent I'm constantly learning and experimenting Meta understanding + Mission Customers & market Values Domain Vision Rules of engagement In a constantly changing world
59. 59 What is your banana?
60. We all sucks at trying to predicts the future Escape from old ideas and paradigms is really hard Reframe learning – How to be future proof? 3 2 1 🧠 60
61. @madmac 61 The career of your parents @madmac
62. @madmac 62 Your careers More changes Disruption @madmac
63. Career of the next generation
64. @madmac 64 World of work: important transition Tools Toolset Skills Skillset Mind Mindset
65. @madmac 65 Five years from now, almost half of the skills (44%) that are considered important in today’s workforce will have changed Disruption and speed of change World Economic Forum – Future of Jobs Report 2023
66. CV•Resume 📎 Disruption and speed of change
67. @madmac 67 Resilience, Flexibility and agility Motivation and Self-awareness Curiosity and learning Throughout life Empathy and Active listening Customer centric Leadership and Social influence Teaching and mentoring 0 % 12 % 24 % 36 % 48 % 28 % 36 % 39 % 40 % 45 % 47 % 48 % The skills of the future
68. Transform yourself, learn = future proof yourself! CV•Resume Before CV•Resume After
69. Transform yourself, learn = future proof yourself!
70. Recruitment/changes/leaders Who is best quali fi ed for the position? Who is most likely to help us move from where we are today to where we want to go tomorrow?
71. @madmac Unicorns No thank you ! When recruiting or building your dream team S K I L L S W I L L Soft Skills Hard Skills 71
72. @madmac With time Relevant With time Obsolete S K I L L S W I L L Soft Skills Hard Skills 72 When recruiting or building your dream team
73. Not a question of age! Attitude It’s about self-confidence and courage!
74. 74 Results / performance Time Atomic Habits, James Clear In a world of exponential change 🏊 🏄 🚣 🏊 Agile to learn new skills Skilled in creating new knowledge 🏊
75. @madmac Plateau Comfort Con fi dence Beginner’s
 Valley 75 Learning is escalating an S-curve Mastery Time DEVELOPING A COMPETENCE Beginner Master
76. @madmac 76 0 Con fi dence SET OF COMPETENCES A To disrupt yourself… go ahead, jump ! SET OF COMPETENCES B 0 Con fi dence Beginner’s
 valley Comfort
 zone
77. @madmac 77 The Status Quo bias Richard Thaler 1990 « The endowment e ff ect » : the sellers vs choosers Kahneman and Tversky 1979 « The Status Quo bias » and « Loss aversion » : mugs vs chocolate bars « People irrationally overvalue bene fi ts they currently possess relative to those they don’t. »
78. @madmac 78 0 Con fi dence SET OF COMPETENCES A To disrupt yourself… go ahead, jump ! SET OF COMPETENCES B 0 Con fi dence Beginner’s
 valley Comfort
 zone Highly inconfortable !
79. @madmac 79 0 Con fi dence SET OF COMPETENCES A To disrupt yourself… go ahead, jump ! SET OF COMPETENCES B 0 Con fi dence Beginner’s
 valley Comfort
 zone Evolving, changing, growing is always fi rst a feeling of setting back!
80. @madmac 80 LEGITIMATE! Change
81. GREAT TRUTH
82. If there is no: •Resistance •Feeling of set back •Feeling of incompetence •Feeling of overflow There is no change! Change management
83. All we want in this life is always on the other side of the worst! Beginne’s valley Fear, retreat, discomfort, then ew experiences, new skills! Challenge yourself, reinvent yourself, transform yourself
84. @madmac 84 The great danger If we are afraid of failing and not being up to the task, if we are afraid of being judged, the logical reaction is to try to be perfect. (Or seek to be perfect) Paralysis Paralysis Paralysis Paralysis
85. @madmac 85 Careful not becoming the expert of yesterday! Tools Toolset Skills Skillset Mind Mindset 🍌
86. CONCLUSION 86
87. CHANGE IS POSITIVE! Disruption Embrace change rather than fear it
88. Shared Values What we agree is important? Purpose Why we exist? Rules of Engagement How we interact with one another and think about problems? A SENSE OF COMMUNITY SOURCE: https://www.cascade.app/blog/cross-functional-teams-culture Tomorrow's winning teams
89. Rules of engagement Is this decision the best for our current and future customers? Is this decision take into account the impact on achieving our business targets and objectives? Is this decision based on data and customer proof evidence? Have we carried out tests, experiments, POCs to validate our hypothesis? Does this decision make it possible to harmonize and simplify our systems (and the CX) and mitigate the number of possible variations? Does this decision allows us to be flexible, sustainable, resilient? Future Proof? Do we use best practices of tomorrow? Are we taking this decision In a fast and agile way or have we spent too much time on it? 🎛 🧲 👀 🎯 🧪 🔮 🏗 🏎 Take the decision or escalate if blocked
90. @madmac 90 Purpose Rules of engagement Shared values A SENSE OF COMMUNITY + EMPATHY Tomorrow's winning teams
91. Your questions
92. @madmac 92 Jean-Marc De Jonghe jean.marc@lapresse.ca ca.linkedin.com/in/dejonghe speakerdeck.com/jdejongh Connect with me 🧠 mindsetinnovateur.com https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/brrYMnLhcW Give me feedback And I’ll send you the deck
93. REFERENCES 93
94. @madmac 94 • Crossing the Chasm (1991, revised 1999 and 2014), Geoffrey A. Moore • Creativity Inc (2014, Random House Canada), Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace • Being Digital, Nicolas Negroponte (Knopf 1995) • TedTalk, Dan Pink sur la surprenante science de la motivation, Dan Pink https://www.ted.com/talks/ dan_pink_on_motivation?language=fr#t-1010302 • Why we plan – Part I – Failure to Rescue, Buridan’s Blog http://buridansblog12.rssing.com/chan-20258046/ all_p1.html • ICE Score all you need to know Itamar Gilad https://itamargilad.com/ice-scores/ • The Phoenix and the Unicorn, Peter Hinssen (2020 nexxworks) • Complicated vs Complex and why it’s matters - Roland Wolfig https://beya.io/2016/03/complicated-vs-complex- and-why-it-matters/ • Complexity and Strategy https://hackernoon.com/ complexity-and-strategy-325cd7f59a92#.5h6wyrxvk • Prototyping: Fake It till you make it (WWDC 2014, Apple Developper, Apple Inc.), Get a glimpse of Apple's prototyping process and the range of tools and techniques they use, some of which might surprise you. https://developer.apple.com/videos/ play/design/12/ • The Future of Jobs : Employment, Skills and Workforce Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (World Economic Forum, Jan 2016) References
95. @madmac 95 • Crossing the Chasm (1991, revised 1999 and 2014), Geoffrey A. Moore • Creativity Inc (2014, Random House Canada), Ed Catmull with Amy Wallace • Being Digital, Nicolas Negroponte (Knopf 1995) • The Phoenix and the Unicorn, Peter Hinssen (2020 nexxworks) Books to inspire your journey
96. @madmac 96 Workshops available • Digital transformation and change management with a human face • Achieve true organizational agility • From vision to realization • Get into action • Develop your influence • Creation and management of a pipeline of ideas/initiatives/tactics aligned with the desired strategy and results • Mobilize and align your teams in change and innovation • Etc