That the world is in the midst of a Second Industrial Revolution powered by digital technology is hardly a novel observation. The sweeping changes brought about by the radical technological advances of the past decade have overturned traditional business paradigms and created existential challenges for companies in every industry. But while every business leader acknowledges the need to adapt, the majority of companies remain ill-prepared for this brave new digitized world. Author Sri Manchala, CEO of a Silicon Valley digital transformation services firm, first published CROSSING THE DIGITAL FAULTLINE, his guide to understanding and navigating the new technology-driven paradigm, in early 2020—just as COVID-19 began its own global disruption. This revised edition is updated to incorporate developments in consumer behavior in the wake of the pandemic.
CROSSING THE DIGITAL FAULTLINE opens with Manchala’s dramatic personal account of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake that inspired his book and its central metaphor of seismic upheaval. The author draws parallels between the massive disruption of the quake and the radical ways in which technology has altered how the world works, produces, sells, and buys. Those who led their people safely through the earthquake, Manchala observes, did so through calm composure, thoughtfulness, quick analysis, and decisive action. Business leaders can, Manchala argues, achieve digital transformation by cultivating these same qualities and adopting the leadership mindset of a “Methodical Innovator,” with the analytical skills and communication style suited to the new business paradigm. Manchala begins his analysis by identifying the major forces underpinning the digital revolution, including changes in customer behavior, disruptive technologies and innovations, mounting global competition—primarily from Asia—and the rise of high-tech startups. He then lays out the “10 rules of highly successful leaders” that distinguish companies able to successfully navigate the digital landscape, illustrating his points with examples of “Digital Champion” organizations such as Apple and Amazon. Manchala then details the qualities of the Methodical Innovator persona and provides a detailed plan for leaders wishing to reinvent themselves accordingly.
CROSSING THE DIGITAL FAULTLINE doesn’t necessarily say anything that dozens of similar books haven’t already said but the book succeeds on the strength of author Sri Manchala’s engaging and accessible writing style—he is adept at making jargon-laden concepts digestible—and a solidly-organized analysis bolstered by easy-to-understand charts and infographics.
~Edward Sung for IndieReader