Page 37 - EngineerIT May 2022

ICT OPINION

Fostering purpose-driven

innovation in a new digital world

By Mohammed Amin, SVP – Middle East, Russia, Africa & Turkey (MERAT), Dell Technologies

hen we think about the leaders who have changed our world, we often focus
on the big events that shaped human history: the speech Martin Luther King Jr.
Wdelivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or Gandhi’s salt march which
proved to be a turning point in India’s struggle for independence, or even Neil Armstrong
and Buzz Aldrin’s first step on the moon. But the history of our world is also full of examples
of leaders who might not be as visible – but who have brought about a change through new
ways in which things are done.
In the last few years, a new breed of leaders has emerged. They are purpose-driven
innovators, and their impact on the world is just as significant as any other great leaders
in history. Purpose-driven innovators don’t just introduce new ways of doing things; they
introduce new ways of thinking about the world and the future.
They are persuasive, lead through example, and don’t shy from storming through peers during the recovery. Industry
adversity for better days. We are fortunate in that we have been privileged to witness leaders can achieve even greater
this leadership in action across the Middle East, particularly from the Gulf markets. From productivity increases from investments in
mitigating the pandemic’s impact, mobilising and ushering the economy toward a digital new technology, pushing them ahead of
future and showcasing a future full of possibilities, the region truly is at the epicentre of later adopters.
innovation. Tomorrow, technology will take us a
step further – helping us reimagine the
Innovation is a leadership priority way we live, how we connect and stay
Today as global businesses weather the storm, we need leaders who have the foresight and healthy. It will transform the relationship
drive to prepare their organisations to embrace the digital world. As leaders start to think between citizens and governments,
about what “work” looks like in a post pandemic world, we must consider what this means personalise blended learning in schools
for business. and put patients at the heart of their care
We now stand at a critical juncture with the latest tools to revitalise and reimagine vital plans. Businesses will provide services
industries. The fusion of technologies means that over the next decade, every successful that are truly innovative, giving consumers
business will need to be digital at heart. As we pursue emerging technologies such as AI/ experiences they don’t yet know they
MI, big data, IoT or robotics and embrace digital transformation, business leaders need to desire, thanks to new 5G speeds, AI-
practice innovation with a purpose. powered insights, and edge computing
Leaders are instrumental in fostering a culture of innovation and preparing the capabilities.
organisation to be the disruptor rather than the disrupted. A KPMG study estimates that Technology will drive the recovery
decisions, guidance and behaviour of leadership accounts for 70 percent of the impact to agenda and enable truly innovative
culture, while elements such as training and engagement programmes account for the rest. proposals and programmes that are
While innovation is clearly a leadership priority, a common pitfall is focusing citizen-centric, reform focused, and which
investments on the latest and greatest technology without a clear vision of what it is going promise to make a meaningful impact.
to do for the organisation. This all requires out-of-the-box thinking,
In a recent Dell Technologies’ Digital Transformation Index study, 80 percent of global excellent use of digital tools and brave
business leaders have fast-tracked at least some of their digital transformation programmes leaders to set our world on a different,
– accomplishing in a few months what would normally have taken years. Yet, the same more harmonious course.
study revealed that ‘data overload and inability to extract insights from data’ is one of their A forward-looking and purpose-driven
key barriers to digital transformation. innovator is every stakeholder’s dream,
Innovation cannot be rushed in response to sector disruption or competitor moves. It and a leader who can link innovation to a
has to tie in to the vision of the organisation and an organisation that chooses to respond company’s vision will be well-positioned
to disruption says a lot about how committed they are to achieving their vision. Innovation to deliver organisation and subsequently
in response to disruption can severely test this commitment, and this is a responsibility that industry-wide disruption. The future
the leadership shoulders. belongs to those who seek opportunities
to innovate and impact generations to
Technology remains the great enabler come. Now is the time to be bold and
Moving beyond recovery and settling into a new reality, technology will do more than drive recovery and long-term resilience
sustain us. Companies that invest in innovation during a time of crisis outperform their through technology-led innovation. n

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