The leadership leap: Shaping future-ready organisations | Atlassian

[intro jingle] So, every time I step into a room like this, - I'm really reminded of just how amazing it is - to bring a diverse mix of thinkers, builders, and leaders - from various industries, disciplines, and even corners of the world, - unified by one thing, all together in this room - to shape the future of software. It's not lost on me, and I really do appreciate the privilege - to be able to speak to you today. My name is Jacques, - I lead up Atlassian's global function for solutions engineering, - specifically around our enterprise strategy and planning product portfolio. Before I joined Atlassian, I spent the most part of my career - working with teams to help create new operating models, - new ways of working, and really try to unleash the potential of these teams. But through that working with our delivery teams, - I really found that we struggled - mostly with the operating models of our leadership teams. Which is where I started to spend most of my time. And my passion really lies in helping leaders build better models - for connecting strategy and execution, - where we can really bring ambition into action - and really clarity and momentum together. So, I'm really interested in helping leaders find new ways - to evolve the way that we lead. How do we create alignment and complexity? How do we empower teams to make better decisions? And how do we create connected organisations - that truly thrive in what's coming next? So, that's what I'd like to explore with you today. I really want to explore with you what leadership of the future looks like, - what needs to change for us to be able to get there - and how technology can help us do things in an entirely different way. This is, however, not a tech-heavy talk. It's going to be about culture, leadership, and systems. So, if you have a really, really urgent deployment that needs to go out there - to deliver your value to customers, I won't feel completely offended - if I don't meet your expectations of a tech-heavy talk. But I hope that you stay and that we can have some fun together. So, I really love this quote. And I think it really captures something that we all feel - but often struggle to articulate. We are not in an era of change. We are in a change of era. Expectations for leaders have completely shifted. And it's because change is no longer linear, it's exponential. And to be honest, it's almost happening faster than most of us - can comfortably keep up with. The truth is that most of our leadership practices - are from an old playbook that no longer holds true. It was built for a world where systems were predictable, slower, - and far less interconnected than the world we live in today. And so, we face a choice. Do we retrofit these old systems to survive in a new world? Or do we find the courage to actually reimagine leadership itself - and thrive in a world that's actually radically different? But before we can look at what leadership would look like in the future, - I think it's important for us to understand where we came from. Because so often where we come from has shaped the way that we are today. And traditionally, companies were built around hierarchies and silos - and long, rigid planning cycles. Strategy was set at the top. Execution was handed off below. And success was measured in efficiency and in output. Many consultants have actually called this the machine model of management, - a system designed for predictability and not necessarily adaptability. And to be fair, it worked. Well, at least in a world where change was linear, - where execution, at least in a world where change was linear - and things didn't have to change as fast and as rapidly as they did. But as we look to today, we are also kind of finding ourselves - caught between old habits and new realities. We are in this messy in-between stage where things have changed, - we've introduced things like Agile, new ways of working, - but we really haven't embedded those into our strategy or governance. We've introduced digital tools, - but have we really rewired our workflows and decision-making that are driven by these tools? So, we've also looked at introducing outcome-based things - to help move us from output, like OKRs. But if we're honest, we are still planning a bit like it's 1999. We are still not there yet. The big consultancy has described this as the frozen middle. It's that layer where transformation ambitions stall - because the vision at the top is really not connected - with what's actually happening at the ground. And so, despite all these buzzwords, frameworks, and tools, - most organisations are still managing modern complexity - with old mental models. And it truly actually is because the world has just evolved faster - than our most leadership mindsets were able to shift. We haven't been able to catch up. Customer expectations, technology, data, and AI - have all evolved so fast that it's just created a gap. And when we're trying to navigate in this modern world, - we are still using these old, industrial age mental models. So, what we're seeing here is a leadership lag, - a gap between how fast our environment is changing and the speed at which our leaderships can change - and update their mental models to accommodate for the new world. The tough reality is that this gap is actually compounding - the cost, the opportunity cost on a daily basis. Slower decisions are being made, we are seeing wasted effort, - we are seeing the disengaged teams, - and we are also seeing missed opportunities. So, in this moment of change, - we are actually at this leadership diversions point. On the one path, we see leaders - that are actually still applying legacy thinking to modern practices. They are managing through control, through KPIs, through oversight. And for most leaders today, it's sad to say, it's comfortable. It's familiar. But unfortunately, that world no longer exists. So, there's another path. And luckily, we are seeing new leaders emerge in this path, - leaders who are starting to shape systems instead of dictating tasks, - leaders who enable alignment instead of enforcing compliance, - and who are building organisations that have the capabilities - of adapting in real time. So, this talk is really about the shift - of helping you as leaders move from the first path to the second path. Because I think the real challenge in creating the software of tomorrow - is also transforming how we lead for tomorrow. So, the future of leadership really demands - something fundamentally different from us. We are moving from systems of predict and control, to sense and respond, - from centralised strategy to distributed aligned teams - where clarity and context flow seamlessly across them, - from being efficiency-driven to really being outcome-orientated, - from org-centric structures that are built for command and control - to eco-centric networks built around value, - and from static roadmaps or plans - to what I call a living system of work - that is always learning, always adjusting, and always evolving. And this future is really going to be a combination - of human judgment and machine intelligence. It's been referred to as the bionic organisation, - but whatever you call it, the idea holds true. It's bringing leaders and all of the intelligence that we can together - for them to be able to make better decisions. Because customer expectations evolve faster - than our annual planning cycles, which they drive for us. Disruption no longer gives us warnings. And the cost of misalignment is just compounding. Which is why leadership in this new era is about creating adaptability. And that's really why we need adaptive leadership. And when we talk about adaptive leadership, - it isn't just about reacting faster. It's also about sensing sooner. But if we really want to move into this new era of leadership, - we really need a new leadership operating model. One that rewires how we think, decide, and enable others. And so, based on ideas from systems thinking, - from adaptive leadership, and from modern organisational design, - I've brought together these key five characteristics - that really define the new leadership operating model. Characteristics that I think every leader should operate with - if they want to find success in this new era. So, let's unpack them briefly. We've got, at least I think the first, - every leader should operate as a sense maker. Great leaders cut through the noise and complexity, - and they surface meaning. They help teams to understand not just what's happening, - but why it matters. And in a world of constant change, clarity is the new currency. Secondly, they operate as system shapers. Instead of managing silos, these leaders design systems - with structures, rituals, and feedback loops - that make alignment and learning a natural part of how work flows. They think in networks. They no longer think in hierarchies. And they operate as outcome orientators. They shift the conversations from, are we busy, - how much are we being utilised, - are we capturing all these timesheets, et cetera, et cetera, - to are we actually creating impact? They connect work to purpose, they align effort to value, - and they make progress measurable against outcomes - and not output or activity. Fourth, they operate as an alignment multiplier. Alignment is that hidden force multiplier - that every high-performing organisation needs. The best leaders create the shared context within their organisations, - they connect strategy, teams, and data, - so that everyone can move in the same direction without constant oversight. And they operate as adaptive leaders. These leaders build organisations that learn their way forward. They embrace failure, they fail forward, and they reward this. They embrace uncertainty, they experiment boldly, - and they adjust course quickly. For me, these characteristics make up the new operating model - for leaders of the future. And it's one that's built for adaptability, - intelligence, and human connection. But it's also optimised for adaptability. Because me, I think alignment is the new agility. Because in a world that's moving faster and faster, - agility without alignment is just motion without direction. Which is why a connected, aligned system is so important. So, if leaders can take those five characteristics - and shape their mindsets, - I think that they'll be able to create and design systems - that work around four core capabilities, - which is necessary for a connected, aligned enterprise. So, let's look at these capabilities. First, the systems we create must allow for clarity at scale. It's no longer enough for top leaders to be in the know and know what's going on. Every team needs to understand how their work links to purpose and outcomes. Clarity is no longer vertical, it's networked. Secondly, the system must ensure connectedness of effort. The best organisations move like one organism. Work, goals, and data flow seamlessly across functions, - so that everyone can see how their contributions intersect. And this is how alignment turns into momentum. Third, the system should support continuous alignment. Annual alignment cycles are dead. Modern leaders design feedback loops where alignment is always on. And through shared tools, rituals, and real-time context, this is enabled. Fourth, the system should accelerate decision-making. In the world where the half-life of information is constantly shrinking, - leaders win by accelerating insights. Decision-making has to be distributed, - it has to be data-enabled, and it has to be trusted. So, I think these four things that I put here, - these four capabilities, aren't just technology features. They are actually design principles that leaders should embody. And if you do this well, and if you design your systems well, - this is really what will help you to create that connected, - aligned system of work. But a well-designed system means nothing - if we cannot put it into practice. I've worked with many leadership teams, - and I can say that I rarely find a lack of strategic intent - or vision or mission stated somewhere on a deck or a page or a document. Most of them have this. They have a set of goals, and they have priorities, and it exists. But I think the real problem is that - not everyone is seeing the same picture at the same time. They don't suffer from poor strategy, most organisations, although some, there's work to be done. They suffer from misalignment. So, I think execution gaps emerge not because people aren't capable, - but it's because the teams don't understand how their work - actually aligns to outcomes. So, on paper, everything looks great, but in practice, - energy is fragmented, priorities are conflicting, - and decisions continue to happen in isolation. And so, these are the things that we're seeing, and if we don't address them, - we'll continue down this road. So, how do we actually move - from leadership intent to organisational behaviour? How do we change these in practice? Well, first thing is, we need to think about - getting the strategies that live in DEX out with everyone. So, an adaptive organisation is something - where strategy lives in the flow of work. So, we start with strategy, a clear intent, - constantly visible to everyone and where updates are reflected in real time. These are then translated into the outcomes. Outcomes need to be quantifiable, - they need to be observable and also transparent to everyone. We then translate these outcomes, intent, into the work, - the real initiatives, the things that the teams actually own and deliver. And as we execute on these, we are learning. We are learning what worked, and we are capturing these learnings, - and we are capturing what didn't work and also what needs to change. And finally, that learning feeds a realignment cycle, - adjusting direction in real time instead of waiting for the next planning cycle. This is how I think modern leaders should organise - a self-correcting system, not through static plans, - but through this living mechanism where alignment becomes continuous, - and value becomes measurable, and learning becomes systemic. So, what role will technology play - in building support for these connected, aligned systems? Well, in many ways, technology is currently - the nervous system of the organisation. It senses, connects, and signals faster than any human process can. That's just the reality of it, right? And the right platforms and technologies won't replace - the leadership responsibility, but it's definitely going to amplify it. They will reflect clarity. They will enhance connectedness. And they are also going to enhance what's already part of your system, - or they will amplify what's lacking in your system. And so, technology is going to act as this mirror - to the four core capabilities that we need to design systems, - which I touched on earlier. So, how will it act as a mirror or a multiplier? Well, first, it's going to give us data-rich visibility, - real-time insights into strategy, progress, and risk, - and it's really going to help with transparency into leadership habits - that are required to create this clarity at scale. It's going to reveal dependencies, it's going to reveal duplication, - and it's also going to show this connection between priorities, - which, hopefully, then helps us to align priorities. And I think through this, it will help us shift from static dashboards - to actually living systems of coordination, - where we are all working together towards the same purpose. Instead of OKRs or quarterly or annual reviews, - we are going to be able to get near real-time updates and insights - into what's continuously happening - if we embed this directly into the flow of our work. Now, as much as it pains me to say, - the right technology won't make the decisions for us. But it's going to bring the right context - to the right people at the right time - to improve the speed with which we make decisions - and the accuracy with which we make those decisions. It becomes an accelerator for insight. It doesn't replace the leadership responsibility, - but it does help us to accelerate that. So, when we think about technology, I want you to not only think - about the applications and the systems and the tools. But I want you to think about the capabilities - that these systems, tools, and technologies - need to amplify in your organisation, - so that you have more signal and less noise in your organisation. Because technology is going to do one of two things. It will either magnify your dysfunction, - or it's going to multiply your intent. And I think we are also seeing a really interesting period - where we are moving from this age of digital transformation - to intelligence transformation. Now, digital transformation allowed us to digitise a lot of processes. We are collecting a vast amount of data, we are automating a lot of things. However, this data still seems to be caught up in places, - and we haven't really been able - to capture the insights and make action out of that, - which is why intelligence transformation is becoming such a big thing. And I think AI is going to play, or we are seeing - how AI is already playing a key role in this. And it's not just going to be because it's a productivity booster. No, it's because AI is an operating system for leadership - to be able to decide, to make better decisions - and to create that clarity. But it's also going to force us to reflect deeply on our operating models - and to redesign them with AI in mind. It's going to force us to think differently about partnerships - that strengthen our data ecosystems, - forcing us to think about sources - where we haven't really thought about that before, - and that weren't necessarily apparent to us. And it's also really going to force us to really frequently look into - our strategic intent and adjust quickly to maintain momentum and relevance. Because if we do this, AI will form a really invaluable part - of the living system of work. Which will fundamentally rewire how decisions are made. By embedding this into the workflows, - not just our software development workflows, - but all workflows that we have, - we'll be able to move from reactive to predictive. It's going to help us shift from that command and control era - to a context and collaborate era. But here's the key. I'm going to mention this again. AI is not going to replace the leadership responsibility. It's going to augment it, and it's either going to amplify - or show you a dysfunction. It is going to help us to surface blind spots. It will connect signals across our systems so leaders can sense earlier, - which is what we need, the sense makers. And it will streamline coordination, so decisions move with velocity. Yet, all of this will only work if we change our mindsets - and if we can let go of control, and if we really get into - that co-intelligence space, the partnership - between human judgment and machine insights. So, I don't think that the future belongs - to leaders who have the most AI. It will belong to those who know how to lead with it. And that's because AI isn't just changing the way we work, - it's really changing the way that we lead. So, we've talked about how leadership is changing, - how technology, AI, and all of these externalities are amplifying - either the way we work or showing the dysfunction. But I think one thing is clear. Technology is definitely changing the environment that we are operating in, - but the transformation that we need to go into this next era - has to start with us. So, we need to ask ourselves, are we leading for the future, - or are we still leading from the past? So, I want to leave you with a couple of questions - that you can take back to your teams. And I truly think that this real shift begins with us. So, if we have the courage to hold up the mirror - and ask ourselves these questions, this will really tell us - whether we are ready for the leadership of the future. So, can your teams see how their work connects to outcomes, - or are they still buried in tasks disconnected from purpose? Ask yourself if you can adjust your strategy mid-cycle, - or does your planning process still assume - that everything will stay the same and look the same in the next quarter? Is your system built for learning, or is it optimised just for delivery? Because I think agility without learning is just repetition at speed. And finally, are your insights real-time, - or are they retrospective? Are you just sensing what's happening and responding to that, - or are you looking at the future? And I think these are simple questions, but they are deeply revealing - about how we as leaders show up and help our teams be their best. The future-ready leaders aren't the ones with the answers. They're the ones that will actually keep asking these questions. So, I want to leave you with this thought. The job of leadership isn't to predict the future. It's to shape the systems that adapt to it. What separates great leaders, I think, from the rest isn't foresight, - it's their ability to create systems that adapt to continuous change. So, this isn't about Agile, - it's not about tools, and it's not even about AI. It's really about redesigning how we lead, - how we build organisations that thrive for the future. And so, when we talk about the future of software, - we are really not just talking about developing better code - or productivity improvements or developer experience - or enhancements or optimised pipelines. We are talking about the kind of leadership - required for the future of software. One where conditions of clarity, - alignment and adaptability emerge at scale. And this is where we're all here today, is to shape that future together. So, I want to thank you for the time and space that you've given me - to explore this with you. As you go back to your teams, ask yourself, - how many of you are operating with those characteristics in mind? Are you a sense maker? Are you a system shaper? Are you an outcome orientator? Are you an alignment multiplier? Are you the adaptive leader? And as you're shaping these systems, keep those capabilities in mind. Are you creating systems that foster clarity at scale, - connectedness of effort, continuous alignment, - and helping you to make speedy decisions? Because I think the part of the future that we need to look at - is how we transform our leadership models. And I think this starts with us, everyone in this room. And so, yeah, I hope that you can take some of this - back to your teams and make it valuable. Thank you. It's been a privilege to share this with you. [outro music] [music stops]