Decide – Delegate – Focus: How Managers become the number one factor for success

Pressure for change and the need for leadership to adapt

It is known as the automation paradox: it describes the phenomenon whereby the more efficiently an automated system operates, the more important human oversight, collaboration or intervention become.

Applied to banks, this means that the better and more reliably banking processes are automated, the more critical and important the role of humans becomes. Particularly when it comes to complex decisions or when something goes wrong, swift and decisive intervention is required. This applies above all to managers on the front line.

To meet these new demands, the core competencies of managers within the bank are shifting. Three competencies stand out in particular:

These core competencies can be measured using scientific methods: managers and their teams are systematically surveyed regarding their leadership styles, and the results are analysed. Specific measures for the development of each manager are then derived from these analyses.

For the bank, however, developing these skills in its managers is much more than just a question of productivity. It also strengthens the organisation’s resilience in volatile times and ensures that the bank remains adaptable and competitive.

At the same time, managers must address the strategically important issues of the future.

Senior managers must steer the bank’s business model towards relevant future trends at an early stage. These include, amongst others, artificial intelligence in banking, embedded finance, instant payments and platform economies.

Recommendations for action

• Consider organising workshops on strategic foresight¹ with senior managers.
• Establish regular trend and technology scouting.²
• Create structures that actively encourage experimentation and pilot projects.
• Establish agile innovation workshops.
• Promote a participatory management style.

Digital literacy is now a fundamental requirement for leaders, enabling them to strategically assess and apply technologies.

Recommendations

• Invest continuously in digital training for your managers and teams.
• Implement AI-powered tools to make decisions more quickly and with greater confidence.
• Establish clear standards for data quality, data access and data ethics.

Cultural change is crucial to the success of transformation. Managers must motivate staff, provide guidance and encourage a willingness to embrace change. Use a structured change communication model (such as regular dialogue sessions).

Recommendations

• Encourage cross-departmental collaboration to break down silos.
• Embed leadership values such as transparency, trust and accountability.

Customers expect simple, digital and personalised services. Managers must ensure that products and processes are consistently designed with the customer in mind.

Recommendations

• Use customer journey analyses to consistently identify pain points.
• Prioritise investments that deliver clear, measurable customer benefits.
• Embed customer satisfaction metrics as a management tool, such as NPS (Net Promoter Score).

In a rapidly changing regulatory environment, robust processes and a high level of risk awareness are more important than ever. Resilience encompasses organisational stability, cybersecurity and the ability to cope with uncertainty.

Recommendations

• Hold regular risk and resilience workshops.
• Establish a company-wide cybersecurity mindset.
• Use regulatory requirements as a driver for efficient, customer-friendly processes.

Demographic change is a reality. For banks, it will be crucial to attract, develop and retain digital talent in the long term.

Recommendations for action

• Make use of modern learning formats such as micro-learning, peer learning and on-the-job learning.
• Improve access to digital specialists through targeted recruitment.
• Develop hybrid working models that combine flexibility, productivity and culture.

Conclusion and Outlook

An increasingly digital world is placing new demands on bank executives. Decision-making, delegation and focus are becoming key competencies in an environment characterised by uncertainty and rapid change. These competencies can be systematically developed with the help of experts. At the same time, executives must address key areas of action to ensure the bank’s future viability.