Strategy and Innovation. Keys to Transforming Organizations, by Xavier Marcet.

On October 7, 2024, Madrid was the epicenter of a new innovation meeting organized by INDPULS. This day, marked by the exchange of experiences and reflection, addressed crucial topics such as Industry 4.0 or 5.0 technologies, cybersecurity, and leadership in the transformation of companies.

During the meeting, Xavier Marcet, founder of Lead to Change, offered a presentation in which he shared the key vectors for organizations to transform the way we operate and, thereby, ensure long-term competitiveness. Here are some of the key points highlighted by Xavier Marcet:

• Influential Leadership: Leaders must be committed figures capable of positively influencing their team, working for and on behalf of the people in the company.
• Right People: The key lies in having individuals who demonstrate Commitment, Effort, and Passion. Only with a motivated and skilled team can strategic objectives be achieved.
• Agility with Patience: In the current environment, the ability to adapt quickly to changes is vital, but it is also essential to have patience for decisions to yield long-term results.
• Executive Solidarity: It is crucial for leaders to work as a team, eliminating internal silos that can hinder innovation.
• Culture of Seriousness: Companies must adopt a culture that takes the need for change and transformation seriously, avoiding falling into complacency.

New Paradigms in Planning

In his talk, Marcet explained that the traditional model of strategy based on detailed and rigid planning is becoming obsolete in a world where changes are increasingly rapid and unpredictable. The classic approach—where strategy translates into objectives, actions, and predefined indicators—is no longer sufficient. Instead, he proposed a balance between a clear strategy and operational agility, allowing organizations to adapt better to a constantly transforming environment.

This change in management does not mean abandoning planning, but rather dynamizing it. According to Marcet, not everything needs to be planned. The key is to plan just enough to align objectives and allow the organization to move with flexibility. “Few great successes have emerged from detailed plans,” he stated.

Xavier Marcet emphasized the famous quote by Peter Drucker—“Long-term planning is not about thinking of future decisions, but about the future of decisions”—highlighting the importance of moving away from rigid planning and proposing a more agile and dynamic approach.

The Future of Management: People and Technology

Marcet concluded his presentation by highlighting that traditional management is being displaced toward a model where people and technology are the true protagonists. Large companies must simplify their organizational structures and avoid internal barriers that hinder progress. Medium-sized companies, for their part, need to be able to combine agility with flexibility to quickly adapt to emerging opportunities.