BUSINESS STRATEGY
while ensuring they stay engaged and motivated . The absence of ‘ corridor conversations ’ has also led us to consider how to keep in touch with colleagues on a personal level too .
It has been a challenging time for business leaders , but it has also served as a great learning curve , and this article explores three ways to improve strategies for coping with new challenges in the future .
Take a top-down mentality
In the current climate , it is crucial that leaders understand the role of technology . Organisations that keep a keen eye on the horizon and anticipate how technology will change ways of working will be better placed to maintain their competitive advantage .
Businesses can face the ultimate downfall if leaders are unable to reimagine themselves in the new technologically driven world . If those in the top roles fail to recognise the importance of this Digital Transformation , employees will follow suit . The call to drive change must come from above , otherwise the rest of the organisation will never exist in the innovative space that is necessary for a modern company to keep up with its peers . In summary , the top-down mentality can have an adverse effect , if not handled correctly .
Regardless of the day-to-day role of a business leader , and whether or not they work closely with technology themselves , instilling the value of learning and development is of paramount importance – as well as engaging in upskilling themselves . This approach encourages employees to learn , as they see senior managers embracing the same opportunities that they are being pushed towards . Remote working makes it particularly beneficial for leaders to be genuinely engaged in the educational pathway alongside employees . This includes having full visibility into what skills their employees need , where skills and knowledge gaps exist and how and when upskilling works best .
Even in a role like sales , courses from cloud to AI can help to be able to understand firsthand how technology can solve pain points for customers . Although these skills are not directly required for a sales role , they support sales conversations . Without a wider field of expertise , a leader ’ s service to customers would not be nearly as comprehensive .
Be ready to pivot
At the onset of the pandemic , businesses had to adapt , virtually overnight , to new ways of working and operating . Agility has been key to the success of this and will continue to be so as we emerge from lockdown and into a hybrid model of work .
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