New Leadership Imperative

In a recent report by Accenture Strategy, Harnessing Revolution: Creating the Future Workforce, research indicates that as different generations enter and exit the workforce amidst a rapidly changing technological landscape, the very concept of work is being redefined. According to authors Ellyn Shook, Chief Leadership and Human Resources Officer, Accenture, and Mark Knickrehm, group chief executive, Accenture Strategy, leaders must be responsive and act to “harness the power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for long-term advantage and shareholder value.” Among Shook and Knickrehm’s findings:

• The Fourth Industrial Revolution will create winners and losers – both organizations and individuals.
• Leaders need to ensure their employees are relevant and adaptable to rise to the challenge of this new revolution.
• Creating the future workforce (now) is the responsibility of the very highest levels of an organization, due to the complexity and the urgency of the challenge and opportunity. The risk of inaction has never been greater.
• Leaders will be required to ask the tough questions: How do we attract and develop the new talent we need? Scale and accelerate the pace of change? Make sure current employees don’t get left behind? Secure the right amount and type of investment in our people to prepare them?

• Accelerate reskilling people
• Redesign work to unlock human potential
• Strengthen the talent pipeline from its sources