By Abaasa Joan
Communications Intern, ICPAU
Dr Emmanuel Dei-Tumi, the President of Human Capital International has urged accountants to embrace a system mindset where there is interdependence and interconnectivity if they are to remain ahead of digital transformation.
“System thinking involves viewing an organisation as a system of interconnected parts and understanding how changes in one area can impact the entire system, therefore, when we embrace system thinking, we embrace the entire organisation he said.
“Silo thinking does not help us,” he added.
In an era marked by the dominance of the free enterprise system, globalisation, knowledgeable customers with abundant choices, and rapid technological advancements, organisations are in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world.
He highlighted three fundamental truths: digital transition, change means a difference and the complicated landscape. He classified problems into three groups: simple, complicated, and complex. According to Dei-Tumi, simple problems have clear solutions like following a recipe to bake a cake, complicated problems such as sending a rocket to the moon require specialised expertise, teamwork, and careful coordination due to their lack of straightforward solutions, while complex problems, which are prevalent in the digital age, bring ambiguity, and uncertainty, and require adaptive approaches.
Dr Dei-Tumi highlighted that this dynamic landscape necessitates a shift in mindset and strategy.
“We need to find creative ways of utilising what we were taught in school, in a new world order,” he said.
He encouraged organisations to efficiently manage and maintain the existing business while embracing competitiveness through exploring new business areas, and urged managers to expand their level of influence by acquiring the relevant leadership skills and mindset for actionable results.
Dr. Dei-Tumi cautioned accountants against the iceberg of ignorance, where oftentimes senior management sees 4% of the problem, while the staff sees 100%, and hence the need for managers to engage more with their juniors so as to attain more perspective on organisational problems.
He proposed an inverted pyramid culture that favours the customers, as opposed to the traditional hierarchy-driven pyramid where the managers and directors are at the top of the pyramid and there is minimal input from other team members.
Dr. Dei-Tumi delivered a presentation on the impact of digital transformation in organisations at the 28th Annual Seminar on 20 September 2023. The Annual Seminar is being held under the theme, empowering change for corporate and personal growth at the Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe. It runs from 20-22 September 2023.
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