Bridging the gap between linear and exponential thinking

The greatest opportunity in business today - Bridging the gap between linear and exponential thinking

The biggest challenge for business today is that the world is becoming increasingly exponential while many organisations are still faced with linear thinking. Bridging this gap is the greatest opportunity for growth.

Few organisations are able to respond to the rate of change today, even though it is the slowest it will ever be. The changes between now and 2028 will be more profound than over the last 40 years.

In brief, what will matter most?

Never stop learning, reskilling and unlearning. It will define success as it creates an open mind to all possibilities and acknowledges other people’s way of thinking. The best ideas may also be outside the organisation and industry.

Be an innovation doer not a bystander. Realise that operational excellence is needed but innovation is key for survival. Competitors won’t stand still. Take an outside in view on innovation in terms of problem solving. Use design thinking as the facilitator.

Understand disruption and the value impact on the organisation of new operating models and exponential technologies. Others will identify your limitations, you need to find the opportunities.

Use the combination of technology, data and people as an enabler to solve business problems/opportunities. Technology should not drive strategy and decisions should be data informed and not data driven.

Ask the right questions. Refocus traditional KPI measurement to align with how success will be defined at each stage as you move towards an exponential thinking organisation.

Have the courage to create an organisational culture, with leadership support, for exponential thinking.

Exponential thinking creates something different in the organisation. It enables an understanding of what the future could look like and how best to prepare for it. Successful transition requires transformation across several dimensions and will follow a number of phases. It will never be complete, every accomplishment will be the beginning of something new.

Over the next few months I'll be sharing some deep dives, across industries, into what will matter most in exponential thinking organisations.