Adopting a Digital State of Mind

The highest levels of organizational leadership are looking to IT as the primary driver of a digital transformation—something that C-level executives consider as a critical strategic priority for the future, according to a recent survey from North Highland. The accompanying report, titled "Business at the Speed of Data: A Digital Operating Framework," reveals that many companies are deploying agile approaches to drive their digitization efforts. They're devoting the greatest share of their digital funding to data-related efforts, as a significant number are now deploying more than 300 apps at any given time. As a result, they expect to reduce costs and streamline work processes while boosting customer satisfaction and engagement. When it comes to the latter goal, however, more innovation must take place, given that relatively few organizations take advantage of digital channels to connect to these customers. Ultimately, that innovation must come from leadership-inspired collaboration between IT and business. "The things that give digital organizations power are not new," according to the report. "They are the tried and true business best practices, scaled through free-flowing data exchange and radical transparency … And ultimately, all the tools, experience and technological expertise in the world are not as valuable as a leader with a willingness to transform. From that transformative willingness all else flows: business conducted at the speed of data, for scale and value growth on your terms and to the world's delight. Being digital is as much a mind state as it is a technological one." More than 200 C-level execs in the U.S. and U.K. took part in the research.