Disruption is at an all-time high. The CEOs who think outside their four walls will thrive — while the ones who don’t will disappear.

Software continues to eat the world, new technology emerges at a dizzying pace, and 'The Great Resignation' reshapes the workforce. For CEOs, it's no longer enough to ask how to make the next widget — the question is how to see around corners and engage with the innovation happening outside your walls.

Software that continues to eat the world. New technology that continues to emerge at a dizzying pace. “The Great Resignation.” Business leaders face a bevy of challenges, both internally and externally. Disruption is coming from every angle. And as a CEO, it’s no longer enough to ask, “how do I make the widget and get to the next level?” Now, the question becomes: “What do I do to adapt to all of these disruptive elements, and not just to survive, but to thrive?” The CEOs (and rising CEOs) who adapt — who ride these near-constant states of disruption and keep their companies relevant — will win the game. The ones who don’t will be left in the dust. For companies to remain relevant, they must engage a larger ecosystem — not a single entity. To ride these multiple waves of disruption, CEOs need to create an organization that doesn’t look at things myopically. The most effective leaders can take a step back, look at the external factors that affect their company, and address them in the same way they’d address internal issues. This is especially true in technology. Again, software is eating the world; we all know that's been the case for twenty years now. Just look at the emergence of ChatGPT, an AI writing program that no one knew about weeks ago. Now, it’s poised to change the way we research and write almost all forms of content. In this new world of increasing disruption, companies need to think of themselves not as singular entities, but as part of a larger ecosystem. They may have a great product or service, and a great network or channel. But instead of trying to be the lone dominant company in a particular space, the smartest executives are looking for ways to collaborate with players of all sizes. They’re bringing in insight from those players and evolving. As you look back on the history of business, that collaboration element isn’t something you’ll find too much of because historically businesses weren't structured that way. They were structured for command

By Fred Hoch at TechNexus Venture Collaborative