Strategy leaders: What you need to know now

From autos to microchips to running shoes, lean manufacturing has improved quality, productivity, safety, costs, and more. Can the same standardized processes that work on the factory floor be applied to strategic decision making? Our recent CEO survey suggests the need is there:

Leading companies are embracing lean strategy making: Set the right ambition and strategic priorities, methodically manage the backlog of issues and roadblocks, continually monitor performance—and repeat. The results: Better, faster strategic decisions, delegated to the right functional leaders, and results that deliver on the aspiration you've set. In today's volatile landscape, lean strategy provides a true competitive advantage.

In our recent CEO Community conversations, a new way of describing the CEO’s most important role has emerged: Keeping the organization relevant —to the customers that matter, and to the employees who deliver on your company’s promises. In this video, CEO Community founder Jimmy Allen is joined by the CEOs of Pizza Hut, Flipkart, Macquarie Technology Group, and Colt Technology, who share how they've become the golden thread— from the firm’s strategy and differentiators to its talent and operating model —in order to keep the organization bold and energized through turbulence and transformation, with sustained results.

The period of trade liberalization that began in the 1990s is drawing to a close. In fact, it may be shifting into reverse. CEOs must reassess operations and commercial focus and rapidly retool for a new reality. For companies, this requires going beyond immediate “war rooms” to build blueprints and capabilities to thrive in the longer term, factoring in continued flux in trade policies and regimes—not only in the US, but globally. Our Macro Trends Group separates the signal from the noise, and offers an insider look at the steps we’re starting to see leaders take.

Corporate boards are playing a critical role in helping company leaders create and realize value from AI. It’s not enough to simply adopt the technology--organizations must transform to compete in an AI world. Boards are advocating for comprehensive AI strategies to ensure their C-suite truly understands and prioritizes AI and keeps a laser focus on risk management and governance.