When I reflect on the daily battle my wife and I have with our 5 year old twins for their extended use of the iPad on which they carry out all manner of tasks with effortless ease (parental controls are in place) then I know that they were born ready for the Digital Age. But the question is, how many C-level Business leaders can say the same and are embracing Digital in their daily lives?
An ex C-level colleague of mine once prophetically described how his organisation was responding to Digital with the following quote “It’s like standing on the beach, watching the water recede while my feet slowly sink into the sand”
You could conclude he had consumed one too many caffeine shots that day but it was his way of describing the risk of not making Digital a top priority for the business.
Many organisations are well on with their Digital journey but some are carrying so much baggage they will never set off, let alone reach their destination. Others like to spend time obsessing over the definition & boundaries of Digital or making the mistake that a Digital Strategy is the holy grail.
One thing I am certain of is that the most successful companies are already transforming themselves, redefining their business model and creating new products and services to disrupt their own markets in order to maintain leading positions while continuing to deliver value to their customers.
So, whilst reading your weekend papers on your tablet or laptop, ask yourself the following:
– What is the level of engagement / adoption of Digital in my business?
– How innovative and agile are we to keep pace with customer needs and expectations?
– What is our ability to keep up with the competition?
– Do I even know who my competition are in the Digital Age?
If you don’t the like the answers you have come up with then you know that you need to act ……..
by Marcus Sims, Head of Digital
