May/June 2019

More articles in this issue:

• What is Artificial Intelligence Anyway? A Standardized Response
• The-New-Mobility
• Problem Solvers Caucus
• 3D-Printed Foods
• Five Ways AI is Transforming Health Care

Surprise: Just when you think you’ve got the consumer technology business mastered, disruption hits. In fact, the single biggest theme in the high-tech business world is unpredictability, according to PwC’s 2019 CEO Survey. Worse, executives say their confidence in their enterprises’ ability to grow is at a record low. So how can your business thrive in an age where senior leaders say that (even after years of investing in digital transformation) they’re hard-pressed to gain the insights needed to make smart decisions?

The Simple Secret Start taking more risks, not fewer, and steadily invest in initiatives that drive ongoing learning and growth for your workforce especially while things are going well, and you can afford to take chances.

Likewise, since customers are consumer technology leaders’ most reliable source of successful new ideas, it’s imperative to proactively put systems in place that can help frontline employees better monitor shoppers’ shifting needs, and rapidly adapt business strategies based on their feedback.

In uncertain times, tech industry pros reveal, you must take more chances. However, these risks should come in the form of smart, cost-effective bets on new initiatives (e.g. new product solutions or customer outreach campaigns) that can help you quickly gain deeper insights into changing customer preferences to make more informed strategic decisions.

The Elmer’s Case Study

For 65 years, Elmer's Products has been creating glues and adhesives under the direction of individual executives, who decided which products to make and when. But recently, the market began changing so fast, the company needed to create new ideas to appeal to younger audiences, especially millennials that are becoming parents.

So, Elmer’s created a website where employees can suggest innovative new concepts. It also put out open calls for partners, vendors and even the public to submit ideas. Thousands of submissions later, Elmer’s is cranking out more successful concepts faster than ever. In fact, its cutting-edge School Glue Naturals line — created in partnership with a supplier — is one of the first and most successful natural products to appear in classrooms nationwide.

Worth remembering: Many high-tech organizations can go from concept to execution in less than 30 days. Likewise, our consulting firm has multibillion-dollar clients rolling out new apps every six weeks for $20,000 apiece all year round — just for the learning experiences they provide. If you want to get better at operating in a world where customer needs and competitive landscapes are continually shifting, challenge your team to think differently. Put communications tools in place that give workers the ability to help great ideas bubble from the bottom up.

The trick to succeeding in disruptive environments is to encourage your team to apply fresh strategies and solutions, track results and improve your approaches based on market feedback. It’s also important to promote entrepreneurial thinking throughout the organization — and give people room to focus on long-term goals by providing the tools, time, freedom and support that they need to reimagine everything.

Routinely review the impact of your company’s initiatives, and reallocate funds being poured into less well-performing programs into those poised to make a real impact. Likewise, move your organization’s focus away from strictly short-term cost-cutting to steadily reinvesting in long-term growth.

Finding ways to stay relevant is easy when you keep an open mind and encourage your people to apply new strategies. Forget the phrase “thinking outside of the box.” If you’re thinking right, there are no boxes in place to begin with.

The bottom line is: Embrace change and reinvention — the more you do, the more you can grow, stay competitive and create the future you choose, whatever tomorrow may bring.