Page 19 - From OD to XD Sample

"We must continually evolve the way we work, not
just what we deliver." — a Zappos team lead during

its Holacracy rollout

XD organizations like Zappos teach us that resilience is born not
from perfection—but from courageous iteration.

Airbnb: Pivoting at Pandemic Speed with Purpose and
Precision

In 2020, the pandemic decimated global travel overnight. Airbnb lost
80% of its business in just 8 weeks. Most companies would’ve
folded—or frozen.

Airbnb chose XD.

• It redesigned its core offerings: shifting focus from
international travel to local, long-term stays.
• It redeployed employees across functions using a
transparent internal talent marketplace.
• It redefined trust by embedding safety, flexibility, and
community into every digital touchpoint—backed by rapid
customer feedback analysis powered by AI.
• Leadership conducted weekly livestreams with employees
and hosts, building psychological safety and strategic clarity
in one stroke.

The result?

• A record-breaking IPO by year-end 2020,
• A culture that emerged stronger, not shattered, and
• A business model now embedded with XD pillars: continuous
sensing, cross-functional agility, data-driven empathy, and
stakeholder trust.

From OD to XD Page 19 of 23