Jump the Complexity Gap
and Hit the Ground Running

If the 2010 edition of the IBM Global CEO Study series is clear about one thing, it is this: we're living and leading in a very complex world. "The new economic environment is substantially more volatile, much more uncertain, increasingly complex and structurally different," the report says. More alarmingly, it also states: "Most CEOs seriously doubt their ability to cope with rapidly escalating complexity", with "eight out of ten leaders say[ing] they have never faced a learning curve so steep".

For leaders in the Asia Pacific region to successfully continue their progress, they need to bridge the complexity gap that is, the difference between the complexity expected and their ability to handle it. With borders disappearing into the virtual realm of the internet, plus the liberalization of economies like China and the splintering of market sectors, businesses find themselves coping with more people, working with more organizations, dealing with more information. It is no wonder that complexity has become the number one challenge for most corporations, compounded by cross-cultural and inter-generational issues and, particularly, the rapid pace at which companies feel compelled to grow to stay ahead of competitors.

Consider automobile maker Toyota. Renowned for its management philosophy, "The Toyota Way", this largest and most profitable of car manufacturers was battered by unprecedented vehicle recalls in the last year, attracting a record fine and unwanted notoriety. In their commentary entitled "How the Toyota Way Went Astray", Gasgoo's Bill Russo and Jeffrey Zhao write: "It is becoming increasingly apparent that the current problems are an outgrowth of a plan to grow the business too quickly at an unsustainable speed." The Financial Times' John Reed and Bernard Simon concur, "Toyota's expansion on six continents was not matched by a change in the company's culture, still surprisingly provincial in outlook and centered in Japan." It turns out that Toyota had been an unfortunate victim of the complexity gap.

The IBM report offers a solution: capitalizing on complexity through creative leadership.

CCL-APAC recognizes the importance of having leadership at all levels. Our programs set the stage for innovation and operational dexterity. We develop leaders to be more than managers: to be resilient, adaptable, dexterous individuals who are able to make swift and effective decisions.

Leadership development is the new priority. Get your next generation of leaders ready to hit the ground running.

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