Successful digital transformation requires strong leadership. Dave Vincent outlines his tips for successfully embedding innovation in business
Growing up in Belfast in the seventies and eighties, I was convinced that by 2020, we’d all be travelling around on flying cars or hoverboards and have a host of robot servants looking after us.
Fast forward to the nineties, and I can vividly remember sitting in my university computer lab wrestling with the logic and code required to help teach a hungry virtual monkey how to get their hands on a hidden bunch of bananas.
In 2023, while software applications and systems are significantly more developed than in the nineties, the reality doesn’t quite match the vision of the eighties (the hoverboard being the biggest disappointment).
I couldn’t have dreamed of many of the developments that have instead taken place, however.
Since the term ‘artificial intelligence’ (AI) was first coined almost 70 years ago, we’ve seen wave after wave of technology-enabled innovation, from the rise of personal computing to the internet, mobile devices, augmented and virtual reality, the cloud, the metaverse, self-driving vehicles and now, generative AI.
Each shift has captured the imagination, created new opportunities and raised further questions and challenges for business leaders. We are surrounded by technology, and every day, we can see that technology evolves and changes as it impacts how we live and do business.
How can technology help?
Some of the most frequent questions I hear from clients considering digital transformation are: “Where do I start?” “How do I create the most impact?” “What does success look like?”
Rather than starting by asking or thinking about what a particular tool or technology can do, I prefer to reverse engineer the questions and ask: “What are you trying to do in your business or what problem would you like to solve, and how can a digital mindset or technology help?”
As these new technologies continue to influence all areas of our business operations, customers and employees, companies need a new type of (digital) leader who can understand, interpret and navigate this digital transformation era.
The digital leader
Implementing new technology is challenging. The organisation seeking to embed the latest technology — and its staff — must unlearn old concepts and embrace the new systems.
For digital leaders, this means adopting alternative leadership styles.
In the past, leadership was about giving orders and making decisions. Digital leaders know that successful digital transformation is not just about adopting technology; it’s about transforming business and operating models, driving growth, enhancing competitive advantage and increasing business agility.
Today’s leaders must be able to evaluate progress, priorities and business models continually and be prepared to change direction quickly.
Digital leaders need to understand not only how systems and technology work but also how that technology will be received and used by staff, as well as how it will impact how employees work and the type of work they do.
Digital leaders need to be able to effectively manage employees through shifts and changes to ensure that digital technology is used to deliver the best business outcomes.
To make informed and pragmatic decisions about technology, digital leaders must be able to evaluate the impact technology can deliver for their organisations, use data to inform policy and decision-making, and proactively assess and manage risks related to data security.
To drive digital innovation, leaders must be agile and flexible, creating a culture where innovation, collaboration and continuous learning can flourish and empower their teams to make data-driven decisions.
To ensure focus and alignment, leaders must share a well-defined and compelling strategic vision, calling out what success looks like and showing the roadmap that will get there.
It is also important to remember that leadership in the digital age is not just the responsibility of the nominated digital leaders and senior leadership teams, however. Every employee can be a digital leader.
The future is digitally enabled
Organisations can drive digital innovation and growth from the ground up by empowering staff at all levels to take ownership of, and show leadership in, their work.
The future of work is undoubtedly digitally enabled, and business leaders who are prepared to embrace this change and lead their teams effectively will be the ones to succeed.
The digital age allows leaders to create more meaningful and purpose-driven work for their employees and promote innovation and growth for their organisations.
Organisations can position themselves for continued success by investing in digital leadership development.
And maybe somebody will finally work out how to create the hoverboard of my dreams.
Dave Vincent is a Director of Digital Transformation at Grant Thornton Northern Ireland
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