Are We There Yet?: Insights on How to Lead by Design [Paperback]

The fundamental question that the book addresses is: Are our innovation efforts aligned to the challenges of our times? We face high costs, global competition, low productivity, and technology disruptions. Our education system is geared towards solving known problems through an inductive thinking mindset. We have relied on massive technology investments as our source of competitive advantage, but our growth is declining. If we want to maintain our standard of living, we need firms to grow.

Firms therefore need a new approach to innovation, one that focuses on customer engagement in its business model. The concept of design thinking is often described as the mindset for fi ms to make this transition. But with so much being written on design thinking, why do so many firms struggle to adopt this mindset and make this transition?

what does success look like?

So far, I’ve discussed the elements of DLI, the long journey a CEO must commit to when they embark on transforming their business to lead by design and some of the pitfalls they will likely encounter along the way. It may seem hard, very hard, but the effort in making this shift does pay off. As shown through the stories I’ve presented, the results are reflected in a stronger economic position for the firm, but often and more importantly the creation of a workplace where all staff are aligned around a common purpose, which lifts the culture and productivity of the organisation.
Given this is often such a long journey, it’s easy to get lost in navigating a pathway to success. So what does the destination look like and how do we know if we have arrived?
I hope I’ve communicated that leading by design isn’t a destination, but a complete renewal of a firm’s culture and mindset, which in turn changes how and what it innovates. Once you have developed a solid understanding of your future, it’s a process of continual renewal to ensure yourlq