As technological frontiers expand at an unprecedented rate, businesses face increasingly complex challenges in maximizing innovations to gain or maintain competitive advantages. While excitement surrounds emerging possibilities, successful execution requires navigating strategic complexities around data, partnerships, talent, and capturing true ROI.
Jeff Roberts, founder and CEO of consulting firm Innovation Vista, provides invaluable insights for businesses embarking on their digital journeys. With decades of experience leading major transformation initiatives, Roberts shares practical advice for navigating today’s turbulent waters of disruptive change.
Data as a Strategic Asset
According to Roberts, “The biggest hurdle holding companies back from AI is a lack of data preparation.” With AI models requiring immense volumes of high-quality inputs, proper data management represents the new infrastructure underpinning all digital initiatives.
As one client learned, “We thought we were doing AI, but everything is about data – centralizing, integrating, enriching.” Without this groundwork, models yield inaccurate results, undermining credibility and wasting precious funds.
Roberts advises treating data as a strategic asset. “Designate owners, constantly assess what new sources could enhance your offerings, integrate legacy systems.” While an investment, high-caliber data unleashes AI’s full potential to automate processes, enhance customer experiences, and deliver predictive analytics.
Choosing the Right Partners
Selecting the right partners is crucial for success. Roberts cautions, “Many rush into AI without assessing vendors’ true capabilities or understanding what they really need.” Vague pitches promising the “latest and greatest” rarely deliver the ROI or capabilities required.
Instead of flashy demos, focus on tangible case studies within your industry vertical. Probe data preparation support and look beyond model-building to ongoing maintenance as technologies and needs change. Ask how the partner will help operationalize results and embed new capabilities into your culture.
Strategic technology partnerships amplify internal skills and supercharge innovation goals. However, rushed deals rarely withstand disruption pressures without full consideration of resourcing, support structures, and cultural fit.
Building a Learning Culture
With technologies evolving faster than any individual can master, Roberts emphasizes the need for organizations to fuel continuous learning among employees and leaders alike.
As one client realized, “We hired great people but underinvested in keeping their skills current.” While training was once a sporadic off-site event, virtual platforms now deliver quality content anywhere, anytime.
Roberts advises budgeting learning as rigorously as other investments. “Employees hungry to evolve stay engaged and competitive. Those who feel stagnant will leave, taking knowledge with them.” Learning cultures also empower staff to drive innovation themselves through new skills and perspectives.
By prioritizing talent development at every level, companies instill resilience and agility critical to weathering disruptions while staff remain motivated long-term. As technologies reshape entire industries seemingly overnight, continuous skill-building forms the ultimate competitive advantage.
Focusing on Tangible ROI
Above all, navigating disruption requires maintaining a laser focus on ROI. Roberts advises clients, “You must show leadership how your technology proposal provides returns exceeding other capital allocation options.”
This means quantifying beyond anecdotes how initiatives will generate hard dollars, efficiencies, or growth against the risks of inaction as competitors pull ahead. Benchmarks and pilots help prove our assumptions beforehand to secure buy-in.
Roberts’ advice emerges from decades spent in both CIO and advisory roles. By blending technical acumen with business insight, Innovation Vista delivers results their clients can truly feel through enhanced capabilities, competitive differentiation, and measurable impact on financials and human experiences.
To learn more about Jeff Roberts, visit his LinkedIn profile.
Published by: Holy Minoza
