Guiding the Next Generation Of Leaders Through Digital Transformation

To be the leaders we need for the future, our top people must have three critical skills: the ability to show empathy, to embrace the diversity of voice and thought, and to maintain an agile mindset.

If they did not before, everyone now knows what uncertainty feels like. As businesses continue to navigate through Covid-19, it has become increasingly clear that the way we work has been redefined—and digitally transformed for the future.

One thing is for certain: Current and future generations of leaders must be nimble and adapt accordingly to accelerate change, and lead their companies through disruption—all while remaining competitive.

Greater flexibility, adaptability and resiliency are needed in the “next normal.”

Global supply chain disruptions have catapulted leaders into embracing digital transformation strategies. They have seen firsthand what successful digitization can bring to the enterprise, and have begun integrating technologies to address an increased need for mobility, remote connectivity and collaboration.

The takeaway: Knowing when to pivot as an organization, and with speed, will help companies stay ahead of future disruptions and navigate challenges with ease. This vision is what the next generation of leaders can bring to the table—many of them have lived through this digital acceleration and are more digitally native than their predecessors.

For example, as an organization, we pivoted in the early weeks of the Covid-19 crisis to provide better support for our employees and customers, striving for speed and responsiveness around their everyday job and priorities, helping them implement technology-based solutions and practices that are vital for business continuity and growth. Relying on mobile technologies, many industries pivoted successfully. For example, the foodservice industry leveraged mobile ordering, food lockers, contactless payment and other newer technologies to continue meeting consumer demand.

Collaboration is also critical and embracing it will serve leadership well as we look to remove organizational silos and include all stakeholders from different departments as a part of the digital transformation journey.

Being based in Chicago with our North America headquarters in New Jersey and corporate headquarters in Japan—and having worked with Panasonic employees across the globe—has allowed me to see firsthand how collaboration promotes problem-solving, and ultimately helps our employees work smarter and more productively. It also ensures the company mission is integrated effectively and deters disruptions to the company culture.

The distributed workforce in some form or fashion is here to stay, making it increasingly important for business leaders to remain connected to their people in new and innovative ways. In a digitally-disrupted world where company events, onsite meetings and direct in-person touchpoints are not guaranteed, how do leaders continue to lead while supporting business continuity?

The answer lies in three critical leadership skills: showing empathy, embracing the diversity of voice and thought, and maintaining an agile mindset.

The ability to recognize emotions in others by showing empathy, and to embrace other people’s perspectives, is a critical leadership skill.