The rules of the game in corporate management are changing – and faster than many organizations can keep up. Digitalization, changing expectations of leadership, new market logics: Those who manage today as they did five years ago will be left behind tomorrow.
Agility does not mean turning everything upside down. It is about focus, responsiveness and proximity to decision-making. In practice, this means giving responsibility to where the knowledge is. Away from rigid hierarchies and towards clear roles and genuine responsibility for results. According to a study by Deloitte, more and more companies in Switzerland are adopting agile forms of organization. Controlling has a new role to play in this: no longer just a supplier of figures, but a sparring partner. Real-time data, scenarios, recommendations for action – that is the new requirement.
Automation relieves the burden of routine activities, but that is only the beginning. The real added value lies in the ability to identify and analyze relevant data and use it to make targeted decisions. Anyone who looks at dashboards but does not derive any action has misunderstood digitalization. According to a survey by EY Switzerland (2023), 72% of companies are investing in enhanced data skills in controlling. Controllers are developing into strategic business partners – provided they understand the business model, not just the balance sheet.
Technology creates opportunities. People make the difference. Managers must be able to provide orientation, create trust and exemplify change. This is not achieved through mandatory attendance or KPIs, but through communication, empathy and clarity. Companies that invest specifically in leadership development not only implement transformations more successfully, they also retain talent for longer and react more quickly to market dynamics.
The corporate management of the future is data-based, decentralized and human. It does not rely on predictability, but on adaptability. Those who take this seriously will redefine controlling, strengthen leadership and create the space in which strategy can really take effect.
