To address this question, the Digital Business Transformation Center at IMD undertook a major study along with specialist HR Consultancy metaBeratung. Data was collected from two sources: a survey of 1,042 executives, and in-depth interviews with nineteen digital leaders.
The research revealed that leadership effectiveness in disruptive environments shared many of the same characteristics as leadership in more stable environments, but with a few notable differences. We were able to identify a number of key competencies and business behaviors of Agile Leaders who thrive in this type of environment.
Four characteristics distinguish agile from non-agile leaders. Agile leaders are:
1. Humble: They are able to accept feedback and acknowledge that others know more than they do.
2. Adaptable: They accept that change is constant and that changing their minds based on new information is a strength rather than a weakness.
3. Visionary: They have a clear sense of long-term direction, even in the face of short-term uncertainly.
4. Engaged: They have a willingness to listen, interact, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders combined with a strong sense of interest and curiosity in emerging trends.
In addition, we found that Agile Leaders exhibited three key behaviors helping them to successfully navigate disruptive environments. They are:
1. Hyperawareness: They are constantly scanning internal and external environments for opportunities and threats.
2. Making Informed Decisions: They make use of data and information to make evidence-based decisions.
3. Executing at Speed: They are able to move quickly, often valuing speed over perfection.
We found that Agile Leaders, those leaders who rated highly on the competencies and behaviors mentioned above, tended to significantly out-perform other leaders on measures such as work engagement and leadership effectiveness.
For the past 20 years, ‘growth at all costs’ has been the dominant Silicon Valley mantra, with companies foregoing profitability to scale fast and dominate the market. Yet, in a time of...
PM was one of the most promising applications in the Industry 4.0 revolution, but for years it struggled to find traction. Thanks to unexpected new markets, all that looks about to change....
How can we best accelerate our search for the new practices our planet needs to ensure its future? By adopting the habits of ALIEN thought, says Cyril Bouquet, IMD Professor of Strategy...
Multistakeholder SDG platforms can open the way to enabling sustainability innovation both in and beyond companies, say IMD research fellow Amanda Williams and sustainability specialist Lara Anne Blasberg....
You have 4 of 5 articles left to read.