Leaders need to demonstrate four behaviours to maximise the chance that Transformation will succeed.
1. THE COURAGE TO CHOOSE A NEW PATH BEFORE CONVINCING DATA HAS ARRIVED
Evidence that business may get disrupted is always opaque.
By the time the evidence surfaces, it’s too late to do anything about it.
2. BRING CLARITY TO TODAY’S STRATEGIC CHOICES (What to do and What not to do)
The mistake leaders make is projecting today’s business on to the future.
Rather ask what the future will look like and cultivate a ‘future back’ mindset.
Invest to create the future than to be owned by it.
3. THE CURIOSITY TO EXPLORE AND DEVELOP WHAT YOU DON’T HAVE
Leaders face two fundamental challenges: exploit what you have while exploring and developing what you don’t.
Predictability helps with exploitation, and keeps the core business running. But predictability can choke off exploration.
Companies need to boost their curiosity quotient by cultivating curiosity.
4. THE CONVICTION TO PERSEVERE
The biggest obstacle to transformation is the organisation itself and leaders will encounter three categories of crises.
Crises of commitment: Does the (historical) core-business have a future? What if it doesn’t?
Crises of conflict: What resources do you back in the battle between today and tomorrow?
Crises of identity: Who are you? Who do you hope to become?