The central session of the Conference focused on key issues: how can we run businesses and equip managers and workforce alike to confront and overcome the challenges of a world in constant digital and data flux, a world in which leaders and employees must develop and ‘up-skill’ to remain relevant – because irrelevance leads to extinction.
The message from contributors was clear: ensure that technological development is embedded in the strategy and be certain that everyone in the workforce – staff and managers alike – stays relevant. To achieve that companies must train, develop, and empower staff themselves to grow. Equip them, communicate with them – and listen to them.
The tone of the day was set by David Haley, Senior Vice President of Atos, heading the BTS division which is a major business transformation leader. Atos provides global outsourcing services to clients such as the Olympic Games (IT and results), Aegon, BBC iPlayer and NS&I, Britain’s national savings bank. His own division has 5,500 employees and turns over c£450m a year.
In his keynote address, he vividly described how technology and workforce development are at the heart of his business. It was essential that all senior leaders – including himself – were conversant in necessary technologies. Encouraging all employees to volunteer for the training, he described those wishing to transform their own careers and prospects become ‘change agents’, going back into the business to encourage others to follow.
The delegates then set out to discuss three questions about the survival and growth of businesses in a world in which change is constant, rapid and unpredictable:
- How do you create an organisation ready for the future?
- How do you transform leaders to be ‘future-fit’?
- How do you balance a company’s values and beliefs with those of its leaders and aspiring leaders?
These were the conclusions:Organisational Readiness to Navigate the Future- Leaders with Customer-Facing Experience are the Key. While organisational structures and technical capability are vital, managers without the breadth of experience and particularly of dealing with customers will fall short when the challenges arise.
- Diplomacy. Hakan Bortecene, Chairman of Turkish Bank, said diplomatic skills were essential too for modern leaders, not only to manage contracts and customers but also to handle employees.
- Being Connected. David Haley of Atos stressed the need for businesses to understand the new and emerging technologies – quantum computing, Big Data and 5G and others as they develop – to ensure customers could benefit.
- Identify Future Competitors. Though tomorrow’s competitors may not yet even exist, future-proof businesses will aim to identify the most likely sources of competition. David Haley advocated leveraging SMEs because future leadership will come from different places.
- Continuing Development. Again David Haley, who emphasised this in his keynote address, underlined it – individuals must develop, or they risk being left behind. Clients expect continuing development, employers can enable it, but individuals have to be willing to engage.
- Market Digital Services for a Purpose – Not Just Because They Exist. Work with your customer in mind at all times and understand why you are advocating a course of action
- Don’t Make Assumptions About ‘Tech’ Adoption Among Customers. Rosie Ayoub, UK MD of Norstat, a market research company, pointed out that while telephone polling remains an important tool, landline adoption has fallen in favour of mobile.
- Working in Multiple Cultures. Mike Evans, formerly Global Head of Media at Dyson, highlighted how colleagues in China work in a different culture to those in the USA or the UK – but simultaneously all work in the very particular ‘Dyson culture’. That skill had to be learned.
- Energy, Enthusiasm and Commitment. These, declared Richard Boot, Chairman of IRC UK, were the key attributes for leaders.