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Embracing disruption TMT breakfast seminar Barometer on Change 2018/19
Embracing
disruption
TMT breakfast seminar
Barometer on Change
2018/19
MOORHOUSE BAROMETER ON CHANGE 2018/19
TMT
Introduction
In October 2018, we presented the findings of our Barometer on
Change 2018/19 report at our launch event which was attended by
over 150 senior leaders.
They shared their perspectives on the characteristics that were
identified through our research to thrive in an environment of rapid
and continuous change:
Practicing courageous behaviour
Demonstrating organisational agility
Nurturing talent at all levels
With this in mind, we brought together senior leaders from
Technology, Media, and Telecoms organisations to continue the
conversation and explore how these themes play out across the
sector. Attendees from 13 different organisations, ranging from
established media companies to new entrants in the telco market,
and Ofcom themselves contributed to the discussions.
We welcomed guest speakers from outside of the TMT sector to
understand how different industries approach these themes. With
Holly Grant, Head of Organisational Effectiveness at Heathrow, and
Anna Rissen, a Director in the Moorhouse Health sector, we
discussed the challenges in both transport and health, and how these
read across to TMT. Building on the Barometer themes, we focused
on:
• Courageous leadership to innovate
• Organisational agility and innovative operating models
• The importance of nurturing and harnessing talent to lead change
MOORHOUSE BAROMETER ON CHANGE 2018/19
TMT
Embracing disruption: transformation from the outside in
Our Barometer on Change report highlights that change is becoming harder to predict, and even harder to navigate. This is certainly true for
the TMT sector. TMT organisations are being squeezed by newer start
ups and face challenge from technology giants in relation to innovative
products. To keep up with these pressures, TMT organisations are
increasingly investing in greater business agility, as well as working to
simplify organisational structures and processes.
This is no easy task when there is huge complexity behind the scenes
from legacy systems and structures, and while customer expectations continue to rise. It’s no longer enough to look at your competitors for
inspiration on how to approach your challenges differently. You need to
look outside to other industries to understand new approaches and
truly embrace disruption.
Current TMT challenges
Market convergence
Traditional telcos and media providers are operating in increasingly converged
markets. All consumer-facing organisations have a relatively comparable offer, with
customer choice stemming from price or personal brand preference.
Squeezed in the middle
Being viewed as a commodity by customers has opened the door to creeping
upheaval from new competitors. Established providers are facing competition in
traditional markets from entrants such as Hyperoptic, Giffgaff, and Relish, as well as
from tech companies such as Netflix, Google, Samsung and Apple.
Traditional models
It can be difficult to identify where an agile and innovation approach will be best
placed in TMT organisations. Traditional models of service delivery, coupled with
high levels of fixed infrastructure mean that it can be challenging to identify areas
that will continually support innovative approaches.
MOORHOUSE BAROMETER ON CHANGE 2018/19
TMT
Perspectives from the discussion
Everyone should be responsible for innovation Attendees agreed that innovation should be everyone’s responsibility, and it’s key to
create a culture that supports this mindset. Working in cross-functional and cross-
generational teams were highlighted as ways to support new ways of thinking and to
harness the potential of your workforce.
People need space to innovate Attendees highlighted the importance of a culture of trust to support people to
innovate without being held back by fear of failure. The risks of overburdening people
who have innovative ideas were discussed, with organisations agreeing that these
individuals are usually asked to take new ideas forward on top of their existing
workload, rather than being given additional capacity.
Stay agile as you grow Newer market entrants highlighted the difficultly in maintaining their agility as they
grow. Finding the balance is important, as you need to embed business processes,
but also retain the ability to explore new areas. The importance of small scale
change, with testing, and then adapting was highlighted as a good approach.
Create a clear vision for the future Attendees spoke about the challenges of the competing priorities of daily operational
targets and innovation – a particularly tough area for a regulated area such as
telecoms. A clear vision for the future is key to maintaining focus and keeping
momentum to ensure that all activities are aligned to the overall goals. Constant
feedback is required to check there is continued support across the team.
“The question for us is how we best
plan and create an environment of
lifelong learning, knowing that some
core skills will always be relevant,
while others haven’t even been
developed yet”
Holly Grant
Head of Organisational Effectiveness, Heathrow
“The ability to adapt your operating model
to embrace innovation and rapidly take
new products and offers to market is a key
differentiator. Inability to do this poses a
genuine risk to established businesses
dying out in the face of market disruption”
Anna Rissen
Client Director, Moorhouse
MOORHOUSE BAROMETER ON CHANGE 2018/19
TMT
Moorhouse summary
Know where to place your bets Courageous leadership is about having clarity of purpose
and getting buy in from all levels of the organisation.
Heathrow has a team dedicated to innovation, giving them
the focus needed to cut through ambiguity and enable faster
decision-making. This has helped to build a culture where it
is everyone's responsibility to innovate to keep up in a
competitive environment.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn It's important to provide your people with the space to
innovate, and the space to fail without fear. Academic
Health Science Networks (AHSNs) were established by the
NHS as incubators for innovative solutions to the system’s
biggest challenges. The ability to move flexibly between the
two modes of operating, execution and exploration, and
recognising when to use each mode is key to delivering
change.
Foster a growth mindset
Investment in talent and effective engagement across your
organisation will facilitate agility and innovation. The AHSNs
bring together teams of technology firms, clinicians and
patients to work from initial idea generation to potential
implementation. As a leader you need to recognise the
potential value and strength of cross-functional and cross-
generational teams.
“If necessity is the mother of
invention, then businesses need to
create an urgency and culture of
innovation to stay ahead. At the
heart of this is courageous
leadership supporting framed risk.
Richard Brackstone
Client Director, Moorhouse
Moorhouse is a management consultancy that works with major corporate
and public sector organisations. We support our clients in turning their
strategy into action, through exceptional delivery, and establishing a
culture of change.
If you would like to hear more about Moorhouse and the content from this round table, please contact:
Richard Brackstone Dahlia Marcusfield
