Catching up on some of our Inspiration postings as we don’t always have a chance to do so in real time..:-)
We were overjoyed to see this IBM report entitled “Capitalizing on Complexity / Insights from the Global CEO Study” as it very much reflects our own experience working with organizational leaders. We would recommend it to leaders interested in the subject of what is often referred to today as the Complexity Crisis.
This is essentially a survey of 1500+ CEOs worldwide regarding their perspectives on the subject and how they are addressing it inside their organizations. Published in 2012 these IBM CEO surveys are typically relevant for 5+ years depending on how fast or slow the economy and your organization are moving..:-) The Complexity Crisis remains front and center for many organizational leaders today.
It is interesting to see that this IBM report touches on and interconnects several different subjects that tend to be nested inside the Complexity Crisis.
Central Themes:
Creativity Leadership Rocks! Build Cross Disciplinary Collaboration Capacity! Enable Organizational Dexterity!
Hey did someone from Humantific work on this report? Sure sounds like us…:-)
Ten Key Quotes:
1. “The world’s private and public sector leaders believe that a rapid escalation of “complexity” is the biggest challenge confronting them. They expect it to continue — indeed, to accelerate — in the coming years.”
2. “A surprising number of CEOs told us they feel ill-prepared for today’s more complex environment.”
3. “Many CEOs expressed the need to simplify their operating strategies in order to better manage complexity.”
4. The world’s private and public sector leaders identify “creativity” as the single most important leadership competency for enterprises seeking a path through..complexity.”
5. “Manage complexity on the business side, but simplify the customer experience.”
6. “CEOs are now confronted with a “complexity gap” that poses a bigger challenge than any factor we’ve measured in eight years of CEO research.”
7. “It isn’t enough just to collaborate anymore. Today the watchword is to co-create.”
8. “Challenge every team to prioritize creativity..”
9. “Instill the pursuit of creativity into your organizational mission through informal and formal training.”
10. “CEO’s are realizing they must take a step further and think in terms of increasing overall operating dexiterity..to capitalize on complexity.”
Teaching Complexity Navigation skills including the enabling of “operational ambidexterity” also known as integrative innovation remains a significant part of Humantific’s ongoing business.