MXO June 2020 Summarised Extracts: Leadership & unpredictability

MXO is a private peer group forum for leaders. The intention is to create an open forum for debate in which leaders from a range of sectors around the world have the opportunity to come together on a regular basis in a confidential environment and share, learn and grow together.

In June’s sessions, we focussed on the topic: What do we need to do now to deliver sustainable growth over the next five years. Through a series of workshops the conversations tackled the question and raised a broad array of themes. These included:

• • What to expect from the new environment
    
  • Leadership and unpredictability
    
  • COVID19 as a catalyst for cultural and organisational transformation
    
  • Digital Transformation and Sustainability
    
  • The importance of themes such as coopetition
    

In a series of shorts, we have highlighted critical outputs.

LEADERSHIP & UNPREDICTABILITY

How do leaders navigate the unpredictability themselves and create certainty and direction for their own and partner organisations, even during unpredictable times? An overview of the key comments and conclusions is shown below:  

• • The lack of information has at times created a lack of decisiveness. Leaders need to set direction, define success and bring a positive outlook. 
  • Zoom out and understand where you are – understand the now, the next and the far – in so doing create predictability out of uncertainty by being clear about the simple things 
  • To manage this unpredictability, leaders must enable the business to create options – don’t be tied to Option A or B   
  • Coopetition requires leadership to create the right environment and success conditions by defining the vision. This is a fundamental change in outlook and business culture for many businesses and requires focus on cultural norms and new behaviours.   

• • TRUST was a huge part of this conversation, playing into co-opetition. Without a fundamental mindset shift on how to do business with your competitors, instead of doing business against them, from leadership it won’t be a successful tie up. I.e. leaders have to shift their cultural perspective quickly and communicate + influence mid management how to treat competitors in this environment.