Beyond Digital: How Great Leaders Transform Their Organizations and Shape the Future

The internet is decades old, and “being digital” is a worn-down mantra, according to this eye-opening study. Leinwand (Strategy That Works) and Mani, who both work at Price Waterhouse Cooper, write that rather than simply digitizing existing strategy and workflows, leaders need to ensure their organizations are truly innovating. Following a three-year study, the authors detail how 12 companies found new ways to drive success: there’s Citigroup’s transition from finance supermarket to just banking, Cleveland Clinic’s expansion into new markets, and Honeywell’s acquisition of communications and connectivity companies. The common thread is that these enterprises integrated knowledge, data, and culture shifts that allowed them to create entirely new value. The authors also dispense plenty of advice for making organizations outcome-oriented, creating a focused leadership team, and reinventing a workplace’s social contract. Leaders should “establish [their] top team based on the right skills mix, rather than tenure,” they suggest, and reassure employees of their “importance in shaping the company’s future.” The well-observed insights are sure to appeal to business leaders looking to revamp their approach. (Dec.)