The CEO's digital playbook for 2025 [Q&A]

As we head towards the end of the year, the pace of challenges posed by technologies like AI shows no signs of letting up.

So what should CEOs be doing to ensure that their workforces are equipped to deal with the changes and ensure that their business remains competitive? We spoke to Mike Lee, general manager at AND Digital, to find out.

BN: What are the key areas where CEOs should prioritize their efforts in 2025 to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving digital landscape?

ML: CEOs in 2025 must prioritize upskilling their workforce, enhancing their own digital literacy and leveraging AI responsibly. Rapid advancements in technologies like AI demand that organizations remain agile and forward-thinking. CEOs must focus on creating a culture that embraces digital transformation and places continuous learning at the forefront. This involves not only upgrading technology but also ensuring that your workforce is equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in their roles. In addition, CEOs should be actively experimenting with AI to enhance decision making processes, while ensuring that human judgment remains central to their leadership approach.

BN: Many CEOs feel their staff don't have the adequate digital skills to address a rapidly changing tech landscape. What strategies can they implement to help the workforce bridge this gap and future-proof their business?

ML: Our own research actually showed that while 76 percent of CEOs have launched AI boot camps, 44 percent said staff are still not ready for its adoption. To bridge the digital skills gap and future-proof their businesses, CEOs should start by clearly defining their digital goals and mapping them to the necessary skills. Conducting a GAP assessment over a few weeks can help identify areas where skills need improvement. Following this, CEOs should invest in targeted training and coaching, focusing on both the business and technology sides. This approach ensures that the workforce is equipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving market.

One effective strategy is to implement a 'learning labs' approach, where key stakeholders are paired with external experts to prioritize high value projects with significant revenue lift or cost reduction potential. This not only facilitates skills transfer but also retains valuable knowledge within the company. Additionally, leveraging free learning resources, such as those offered by Google Digital Garage, can supplement formal training and provide employees with the tools they need to continuously upskill.

BN: What steps can CEOs take to enhance their own digital knowledge and confidently lead their companies through technological transformations?

ML: CEOs can significantly benefit from hiring an executive coach who specializes in the digital skills they wish to develop. Personalized, one-on-one coaching can accelerate their understanding and application of new technologies. Additionally, CEOs should leverage their networks to learn from other executives at companies that excel in the same areas that their own organizations are prioritizing. By visiting these companies, seeing their operations and solutions, and engaging directly with experienced leaders, CEOs can gain valuable insights and adopt best practices that can be applied to their own teams.

This hands-on learning approach ensures that CEOs are not just passive recipients of information but active participants in their own development. This proactive stance is crucial as CEOs navigate their companies through digital transformations, ensuring that they lead with confidence and competence.

BN: As CEOs lean on AI for more informed decision-making, how should they approach the adoption of AI to benefit their businesses without undermining their own roles?

ML: As AI becomes a more integral part of decision-making, CEOs should approach its adoption with the understanding that AI is a tool designed to enhance, not replace, human judgment. While AI can optimize various processes by analyzing vast amounts of data, it still relies on high-quality, error-free inputs. This is where human oversight remains critical. CEOs must recognize that their intuition and strategic thinking are irreplaceable, even as AI provides them with more informed insights.

A practical approach to integrating AI is to consider a hackathon-style event to identify high-impact use cases. For instance, a company might use AI to streamline customer experiences by integrating multiple data feeds, as seen with International Airlines Group's (IAG) loyalty program, which uses an AI travel agent called 'Genie'. By experimenting with AI in controlled, targeted ways, CEOs can unlock value without compromising their leadership role.

BN: How can CEOs balance the need for rapid innovation with the necessity of maintaining security and demonstrating value to stakeholders? What role can CIOs or CFOs play in achieving this balance?

ML: Balancing fast innovation with security and value means focusing on business results and showing a good return on investment. During economically challenging times, it's essential for CEOs to prioritize initiatives that offer quick returns or cost savings. This might involve delaying large-scale infrastructure projects in favor of smaller, more innovative technology deployments that can provide immediate benefits. Once the ROI is clearly demonstrated on a smaller scale, such as within a single business unit or among a smaller team in the company, the project managers can more easily broaden the scope to other business units or even the rest of the organization.

CIOs and CFOs play a crucial role in this balancing act. CIOs should ensure that the technological innovations are secure and align with the company's long-term goals, while CFOs can help assess the financial implications and ensure that investments are within budget and deliver tangible results. Collaboration across the leadership team is key to navigating these challenges.

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