DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
“ We ’ re undergoing massive transformation , and time of massive change is when you most need leadership . And the change is going to be constant , so leading change is one of the most critical assets we need for the company ,” Boxer says .
In addition to readying workers to move up into manager and executive positions , Boxer says those in the programs have demonstrated they ’ re able to pilot initiatives through challenging scenarios . He points to one recent project where Willis Gee , a senior vice president of IT at Cigna , successfully oversaw the creation of a telemedicine application for the United Kingdom ’ s National Health Service — a project that required cross-Atlantic collaboration between Cigna workers and many British counterparts .
Adastrum ’ s Chris Underwood added he thought transformational success was going to be dependent on leaders ’ ability to unite teams as much as their technical knowledge . This , he says , is because leaders of change are still leaders of people , and CIOs that have developed their ‘ softer ’ skills , as well as digital ones , will be far more successful when it comes to implementing new ways of working .
“ To retain their value , CIOs must become forward-thinking visionaries . Balancing technological curiosity with business acumen to understand the benefits and threats innovation can bring to the business . CEOs aren ' t necessarily concerned about the technology itself , but the impact it can have on the business , its customers and staff - and the most successful CIOs think in the same way ,” he concludes .
Management consultants McKinsey warn that any enthusiastic return from remote working might run the risk of business leaders actually increasing the disconnect between themselves and their people . As many people are returning to work after a period of remote working the next challenge could be around hydrid working , which could be more complicated than the remote model . At this early stage it is difficult to predict the outcome .
Peter Davenport , Senior Strategic Consultant at Definition Group , says : “ We are at a watershed moment in the life of business leaders . The benefits of a strong workplace culture are widely acknowledged , but how to maintain that in the new world of work in the long term is uncertain . Balancing corporate requirements and employee preference will be a major change .” technologymagazine . com 47