In our last newsletter, I shared a few thoughts about how business leaders can accelerate growth through an effective use of technology – with smarter systems, automation, and better use of data.
At the same time, when we look at the businesses we’ve helped grow the most, a lot of it comes out of a CEO’s approach to IT – how their people respond, how they adapt, and how they build trust inside and outside the organisation.
We have a few suggestions, based on our experience with successful mid-sized businesses.
1. Change starts from the top
A few months ago, I was talking to a CEO who’d invested heavily in upgraded systems. The tech was sound, but enthusiasm was low. Staff didn’t see how it helped them.
The turning point came when leadership stopped talking about ‘systems’ and started talking about what’s best for the business. They framed the discussion to stress customer outcomes and making work easier for staff, and suddenly adoption followed.
2. Recession-proof with efficiency
In tougher times, efficiency is a growth strategy. One of our clients put it perfectly: ‘We stopped trying to grow by adding more and started growing by improving what we already had.’
They focused on streamlining processes, eliminating duplication, and giving their teams tools that made work easier, not harder.
3. Cyber security as an enabler, not an obstacle
When we talk about growth, cyber security doesn’t always sound exciting, until it’s the thing that damages your reputation or stops M&A in its tracks.
The good news is that keeping a business secure and making a business more efficient often rely on the same building blocks. And cyber security can be a point of difference or let enterprise clients know where they can put their trust.
To sum up: growth doesn’t always come from the shiny things; sometimes it’s about tightening the bolts, streamlining your systems, and building consensus around the changes.
If you found the above useful, you may also want to take our brief, complimentary Technology Maturity Scorecard. It gives you a clear picture of where your organisation sits at this point and highlights the practical steps to build resilience, improve efficiency, and support growth. Many leaders use it simply to validate what they’re already doing.
And, as ever, you’re always welcome to a more casual conversation about your IT, no-pressure, no-strings attached.