We’re living in the age of transformative change. New and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and social media have forced industries and governments to rethink the way they operate. They have sparked new ways of developing marketing strategies, creating products, employing people, and much more. It has also given rise to “uberization” – or what companies describe as direct contact between the customer and supplier, usually via mobile platforms. As a result, this has created a lot of uncertainty and rendered tried-and-tested techniques and ways of doing business obsolete. Even our understanding of competition has changed — The Huffington Post points out that companies must now also compete with businesses outside of their industry, as our lives and institutions become increasingly convergent. Thus, these new developments call for a new breed of leaders who can successfully navigate all the confusion and use these changes to their advantage. So what do leaders need to survive in today’s competitive and constantly changing digital world? Individual Development There’s no sense in hiring talented people if the only thing they’re going to do is follow instructions. Giving your employees the opportunity to grow can certainly add to their personal skills, motivation, and overall productivity in the office, while also keeping your organization on its toes when it comes to new and developing trends. There are plenty of ways you can do this, such as integrating cross-functional team interactions, giving them the reigns to work on their own projects, hosting seminars and workshops, or even encouraging them to attend events like last year's seminar on ‘What does it take to make a great leader?’ At the event, we invited industry leaders from Salesforce, Box, Adyen, and Medallia to share their experiences and best practices in sales. Through initiatives like this, you'll see that letting your employees grow will not only help them as individuals, it will also contribute to the growth and competency of your business as a whole. Organizational Leadership While there is no perfect leadership style that works for every single company, corporate entities should at least make decisions that’s best for both their employees and the business itself. Maryville University refers to organizational leadership as an approach that puts an emphasis on change management, critical thinking, and collaboration — which, together, can influence organizational behavior. This can be achieved by mindful decision-making and interacting with employees, and through the use of the right collaboration tools like Zoho and G Suite to get every member of your team communicating and involved. Digital Marketing Digital is the new form of marketing. With 7 out of 10 people in America active on social media platforms, traditional ads just aren’t as effective as they used to be. Though every company has a dedicated digital marketing team, it doesn’t excuse you from being ignorant about the current trends happening online. These can very well shape not just how customers see your business, but how they approach different events as well. Sufficient knowledge here can help you get a better grasp of your consumers, products, and services to develop new ways of growing your business. Risks We’re not suggesting that you should blow your resources at every opportunity; instead, it's important to take calculated risks. Choose which risks you’re willing to take, weigh up the pros and cons with your team, and make a decision. Just make sure that you do take a risk at some point. If you’re not taking risks, it means you’re not innovating or changing — and in a world that's constantly evolving, being stagnant is the last thing you want to be. If you’re interested in similar talks and classes, check out our event calendar here at Always Hired for more details. Written by: Holly Foster
