For our latest Digital Perspectives dinner, Inflexion addressed the issue of digital leadership.
The dinner saw guests with experience working for organizations including Amazon, eBay, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Visa, as well as mid-market companies in the UK.
The open discussion initially addressed the question, “How do we ensure effective digital transformation?”. Many opinions were offered with the themes of trust (in the data) and conviction (sticking to the long-term vision) emerging. There was also a clear need for senior digital capability – digital experience and vision being embedded in the board and management teams.
The conversation moved onto the associated topics of organization design, the role of data, and the need for a customer-centered attitude at the most senior level.
Many of the digitally-centered businesses represented were able to reference an impressive ability to radically reorganize their structures in response to the fast-changing habits of customers. The question then was raised regarding the challenge of adopting such methods in smaller businesses.
The evening concluded that an attitude of digital transformation, and the leadership of this, is a trait that must be embedded in all business processes; although it often introduces new or unusual methods, a digital attitude must be embraced as part of “business as usual”.
