Growth and innovation are top of mind issues when I speak with business leaders around the world. One of those conversations included Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella. Three years ago, we were both new to our roles and facing a similar challenge: shifting priorities from efficiency to growth. This kind of change not only requires a reallocation of resources — it necessitates a change in culture and a new way of leading. At my first meeting with our management, I quoted Satya challenging Microsoft to recognize innovation and foster its growth. I thought his words reflected a unique perspective on the emergent nature of true innovation and the evolving role of leadership to fuel creativity.
When Satya and I later talked, we recognized the customers we served were facing the same hurdles around innovation and creativity. So, we asked our teams to think about how our companies could work together to be more helpful to those facing this challenge.