In a time that requires leaders to be one step ahead of disruption, the old management systems no longer apply. Every leader needs to know how fast-moving disruptors are changing what’s required from organizational management and leadership. Organizations need to increase their speed, get better insights, and deliver better experiences to both customers and team members alike. This is the only way to ensure consistent growth and profits.

In short, even if you’re currently in the lead, the pack behind you is picking up the pace. They’re hot on your heels and would like nothing better than to put you one step behind.

That’s reality. But what can a CEO do to stay ahead? After all, we human beings are more or less built the same as we’ve always been. No one is a super hero. Just like everybody else, CEOs need to put in their hours at work and then go home and have a private life. They need to get more done with the same human limitations.

Whew! How Can Anyone Keep Pace?

You may ask, “How can any leader stay ahead of the relentless pace of disruption? Aren’t there too many moving parts?”

Relax. It’s easy to assume that all of the changes happening across the changing customer, emerging technologies, and economic shifts are far too complicated to ever understand. The good news is that assumption is wrong. Today’s innovation leaders develop a core competency around future trends. They don’t need to understand the endless minutia of every little emerging technology, consumer behavior, or economic shift. If you can focus on these building blocks at a high level, you can begin to understand how these changes impact the way in which you deliver human experiences, technologies, and services, and ultimately how you achieve sustainable results on strategy.

Be Bold: The “Baby-Step” Approach Doesn’t Work

LeaderLogic management consultants have seen great organizations attempt to leverage disruption by taking baby steps at disruptive initiatives that include future-casting activities, innovation customer experience (CX), workforce engagement initiatives – and the list goes on and on. The leaders therefore assume that by taking a cursory approach to leveraging disruption they’ll stay ahead of the competition. The problem is that the relentless rate and depth of marketplace innovation requires a holistic and comprehensive approach towards gaining better customer and market insights, while doing a far better job of maximizing the efficiencies and effectiveness of teams and leaders.

In other words, today’s disruption is changing everything, and how leaders lead is no exception. Be sure your leadership skills are keeping pace!