“Leadership isn’t simply an intellectual challenge,” writes Denham Pinder. “Leaders are now being held responsible in the battle to digitise and innovate at a great scale.” Excerpts:

“We are now in the midst of a major economic shift, where business value is becoming linked to the opportunities presented by digital technologies.

Starting on the journey to business innovation through digital invariably begins with a platform. From a context of digital transformation, a platform refers to the layers of software that gather data to connect ideas, products and partners with customer demand. Technology giants such as Alibaba, Amazon, Spotify and Uber have successfully implemented platforms by multiple means — including predictive analytics, seamless user experience, and app technology — to deliver customer value. 

Traditional companies are facing an uphill battle as their nimbler, collaboration-oriented competitors succeed in extending customer value. These businesses must now generate new ideas and innovations, and do so quickly, to survive. Existing decision-making dynamics found in many companies simply won’t function in an era that demands speed, agility and innovation. That is where the real leadership challenge often begins.

New digital leaders need to move away from legacy systems to ensure organisational success. Breaking down internal silos to ensure smooth decision-making is the best way to cross this divide. Forward-thinking technological leaders must encourage the creation of new organisational structures across businesses. 

Being a business leader simply isn’t what it used to be. With legacy business models hampering efforts to evolve workplaces during times of drastic digital change, the role of the leader has significantly evolved.”

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