Anthony was in trouble: because of his success in leading a large R&D team within his organization, he was now tasked with leading an enterprise-wide digital transformation initiative. “I’ve been able to lead my direct reports effectively, but this,” Anthony hesitated, “this will require influencing and aligning people over whom I have no authority.”
It was a defining moment of leadership for Anthony. Leading a digital transformation requires aligning cross-functional teams, often with a workforce that is geographically dispersed. Could he successfully guide employees in collaborating across the enterprise?
According to researchers, most leaders fail to meet this defining moment. A relevant study highlighted the inability of colleagues to collaborate effectively. When 80 senior executives from 20 countries and 25 industries were asked what the biggest barriers to long-term strategic execution was, over 76% cited people failing to work together to make change happen.
The truth of the matter is clear: Most leaders simply don’t know how to lead collaborative organizations.
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