Organisations of today’s fast changing world must innovate to be able to stand out and stay ahead of competition both in the present and into the future, according to an expert.

Speaking at the Dubai Global Convention’s 25th World Congress on Leadership for Business Excellence and Innovation, Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, director of Dubai Customs, said the shortest way to leadership is to think outside the box and to think differently.

The three-day convention, which will conclude tomorrow (April 22) at the Meydan Dubai, is being held by the Institute of Directors-India in association with Dubai Customs.

“The ‏ future belongs to those who can imagine it, design it, and execute it. It isn't something you await, but rather create,” he quoted Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai as saying.

Outlining Dubai Customs’ own perspective toward organisational innovation both as a concept and as a practice, Musabih said that innovation does not only entail organisations creating new ideas and technologies but also improving on older methods and processes that proved working.

Innovating efficiently requires leaders who have the skill and imagination to produce new ideas and who are able to generate change based on critical and creative thinking. Only then would organisations be able to move from a culture of process to a culture of innovation, he said.

“But for this 360-degree transformation to be successfully implemented across the board not only do processes and procedures have to be changed, mindsets have to alter as well,” said Musabih.

“There is a crucial need to incorporate within our organizations a collaborative mentality towards innovation, engaging everyone’s creativity based on a positive innovation management that encourages teamwork and collaboration.”

The latest innovations, state-of-the-art technologies and systems put in place by Dubai Customs have remarkably helped speeding up customs processes and therefore boosting the UAE’s and Dubai’s global competitiveness, he said.

Meanwhile, Dubai Custom’s client satisfaction mounted to 91.2 per cent last year compared to 89.2 per cent in 2013, while employee satisfaction soared from 67.2 per cent in 2013 to 80.4 per cent in 2014, according to a survey conducted by the Executive Council of Dubai Government, in cooperation with an external research company.

Innovation should not be an end in itself, but rather a means to do better and achieve prosperity. Likewise, organisations should adopt excellence as a daily practice within their business operations in a nonstop journey to be distinctive and so remain competitive, he concluded.

The conference is a platform for sharing excellence ideas and experiences between leading organisations  from around the world.

It aims to further nurture a culture  of innovation and excellence towards business leadership and governance in both the public and private sectors. Challenges and best practices in trade and economic fields are to be discussed during sessions.

The conference discusses critical issues, including leadership challenges for inclusive growth, creating world class organisation, risk and compliance framework for business sustainability, leading corporate transformation through fostering innovation and ideas management, and social innovation as a driver of economic growth. - TradeArabia News Service