Technology is not disrupting business! Technology is an opportunity enabler. An opportunity that only some take advantage of proactively.
The reality is, business leaders not effectively leading is disrupting business and requires “transformation”.
Business leaders have been (and are) neglecting to keep on top of their ecosystem. From market behaviours, emerging tools, skills and approaches. This results in feeling like their stability is disrupted and in a reactive fashion attempt to respond to the “disruption”.
The focus has been (and unfortunately still is) on “do what we do, and then we will see”, rather than to make sensible, proactive, minimal changes; an approach of evolving and learning. The result is that business need to “transform” in an attempt catch-up with the market, to stay relevant and compete. If the leadership truly led and formulated strategy, a key component would be to look at the whole picture from the market ecosystem looking in. To increment and minimise disruption, instead of having to sponsor grandiose programmes. Transformation programmes that are hugely disruptive and unlikely to provide the required outcome and returns.
Sometimes “transformation” is required. A shift in strategy, changing business models or market. This could very well include significant technology changes to become “digital”, but that is usually the result of not making the necessary incremental improvements/changes and investment to stay current.
From a Customer Experience perspective and “Digital”, the shift in market expectations, technologies, and changes in models have been available and improving for decades. Even the introduction of the “Internet” shouldn’t be seen as a disrupting factor, but rather an opportunity that was neglected. The problem is that the changes, new opportunities and tools, are appearing in the ecosystem at a far more rapid pace than what “legacy” leadership are used to and comfortable with. These changes are then labelled as “disruptive” and requires “transformations”. It is purely a result of either not having the foresight, monitoring the market from a customer’s perspective, or not having the willingness to take an evolutionary approach and invest proactively in changes and technology. Primarily looking from the inside out, rather than from the outside looking in.
This is not referring to innovation. Innovation is required if your business wants to be ahead of the market or have a unique offering. This evolution is about keeping up, using the available tools, contemporary methods and approaches, and market expectations to stay current.
Not innovate, not transform, not disrupt, but to stay current, maintain and continuously improve. This is the primary responsible of business and technology leaders and should be the foundation of strategy.
Evolution effortlessly improves. Transformations disrupt.