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Gone are the days when leaders could coast along in a thriving global economy, basking in cheap money and limitless opportunities.

We’re now in a world of �,� with a higher cost of doing business and lower room for error. As a result, leaders must aggressively manage capital allocation, explore new labor models, examine a relentless wave of emerging risks, and continually evolve the business.

In fact, one of the top items on the 2023 board agenda is helping management address ongoing risk and uncertainty, while ensuring there’s flexibility in the company’s strategy to pivot. That means leaders must have a strong vision while also remaining very adaptable.

Creating flex appeal

This combination can be challenging, and progressive leaders are turning to managed services to help. As strategic collaborators, the best providers design nimble, scalable operating models that deliver mission-critical processes, reduce costs, and advance organizational priorities—with the ability to quickly shift direction if those priorities change. 

These providers design operating models for long-term value, helping leaders think through factors such as:

• Talent. After decades of plentiful labor, the coming years will have more scarcity. How will companies get the domain expertise and sector-specific knowledge they need to keep evolving?
• Technology. In the not-too-distant past, leaders could place big bets on innovation because capital was cheap, but now they have fewer chips to work with. How will companies keep up with rapid tech advances? Should they leverage a provider’s technology vs. building or buying their own?
• Processes. Amid constant change, organizations must continually optimize processes—and not just in the back office but throughout the enterprise. What is the strategic vision, and how can processes be redesigned to enable it?
• Data management. For digital transformation, the traditional people-process-technology approach to service delivery must expand to include data governance and analytics. How can companies harness ever-increasing amounts of data—across areas like cybersecurity, finance, and regulatory compliance—to generate insights and make better decisions?

A winding journey

In the new world, leaders need a clear vision of where their company is heading, plus the flexibility to change course as needed. That could mean scaling services to support a merger or acquisition. Or changing processes to meet a new regulatory requirement. Or reshaping operations to enter or exit a key market. 

With the help of managed services, leaders can keep their eye on the prize—while building functions that flex at the speed of business.