Leadership

The two biggest issues faced by organisations today are the changing business context and the changing people context.

The changing business context 

Organisations are shaped by the needs and demands of the eras they have travelled through. Change has always been part of a business, but the seismic changes brought by technology today means organisations need to change faster than they ever have before.

It’s not that organisations haven’t done change before – it’s just now it’s a lot faster. And to cope with change that fast, some things need to be done differently.

How is Brexit currently mirroring most corporate change?

Theresa May and her trusted team (the Board) are currently spending a lot of time behind closed doors, with little outcome.  The people (your people), know that change is on the horizon, they know it needs to happen by a certain date, but nothing is happening.  People want to know how it might impact them, their work and their families, but nothing.

In recent times, more and more attention is given to the importance of mental health in the workplace. We now know what is at stake when we don’t create safe, sound working environments. In Australia, mental health compensation claims annually cost $145.9 million and the resulting absenteeism costs a further $4.7 billion.

We conducted a Q&A interview with Suzie Lewis, Managing Director at Transform for Value, around business transformation, strategic organisational change, and the importance of inclusion and wellbeing within an organisation.
 

Could you introduce yourself and what you do?

Are great leaders born or made? Some would argue that only those born with certain personality traits grow up to be leaders. Others argue that leadership skills are developed as one grows, through practice and education. Most likely, both factors play a significant role in how someone turns out.

Change has fast become the one constant in businesses today, but can there be a point when too much change is no longer good for business?

If the changes aren’t fully considered, fully implemented and the people are not engaged with the process, then yes.

In 2013 a large London based organisation commenced a two-year transformation programme looking to change everything from their systems, processes, policies, procedures, structures, IT infrastructure and nationwide office locations.

We conducted a Q&A interview with Trevor Sumner, CEO at Perch Interactive, regarding how digital transformation affects the future of retail.

1. Could you introduce yourself and what you do?

During a recent conversation with a family member about the data-age, she shared with me that she never thought there would be so much data at her fingertips -- anything and everything you could ever think of. We both agreed that no matter what “data” was available through online resources, friends, for example, nothing would take the place of experiencing first-hand what you just Googled.

But just how good are we at adapting to change, modifying our habits, or expanding our minds, especially as we get older?  The answer is that we’re pretty good at it if we choose to be.

Not long ago the prevailing scientific powers believed that we are born with a brain that undergoes great change in infancy and early childhood, but then prunes down to the executive organ we have throughout our lives.