“Smell the cheese often so you know when it is getting old”
– Dr. Spencer Johnson, Who Moved My Cheese?
While many enterprises are struggling to adapt to the disruptive change ushered in by COVID-19 it is no surprise that certain enterprises are continuing to thrive despite the unfortunate pandemic. The difference between those embracing change gracefully and those on the fence is their Agile and digital native DNA. The insight gained from these successful enterprises is soon to become the concrete template for others to emulate.
The blueprint of digital transformation has evolved over the last few years and is in an unprecedented state of maturity. Enterprises that are set up to harness the power of digital will pivot with ease to capitalize on new opportunities. The shortsighted reluctance of many organizations to disrupt today’s business model results from scarce resources and tight budgets. However, unconditional acceptance of scaling the digital divide is an existential necessity and it must be done now.
There are no shortcuts to the end game. Adopting a suitable digital model as quickly as possible presents best odds for regaining lost ground. “As-a-Service” model delivers the much needed “time to market” and “ability to innovate”. It will soon be an omnipresent, a de-facto mechanism for businesses to operate with. Extreme interoperability is bound to become a powerful guiding philosophy. Enterprises will thoughtfully choose to break down their monolith value streams and convert them into Lego blocks for monetization. This will in turn drive continuous improvements and help enterprises evolve as marketplace leaders in their chosen arena of core competency.
This shift to API economy will require diverse skills. Ubiquitous collaboration promises to be the silver bullet – siloed working is not going to cut it. Progressive enterprises have forward-thinking leaders who exemplify this in their actions. They inspire others to collaborate to build new relations, accelerate deliverables and differentiate in the market. They envision new possibilities within and across organization boundaries by foreseeing future through telescopic lens of digital innovation.
While there is an undeniable comfort attached to a tried and tested business model, the anxiety that follows when someone “moves our cheese” is a sign of productive growth, compelling us to make substantive changes.