The acquisition will empower more businesses to navigate the rapidly changing economic landscape of the 21st century.
Cathy Banks, founder and director of Analyze, provides insight into the impetus behind the acquisition: "The ability to not simply endure change, but learn to embrace it, is the most underrated skill in business today. It’s one of the key factors between those companies who will still exist in a decade, and those who are destined to go bust." This sentiment underscores the urgency and necessity for change leadership within the corporate sphere, adds Banks.
LeadMe's innovative leadership training programme combines team coaching, on-the-job learning, and a comprehensive online curriculum that lasts for a year. Analyze Consulting sees the acquisition as a way to deepen its commitment to change management by adding sophisticated leadership development tools to its offerings.
Analyze's co-founder, Reyer Meihuizen, speaks to the synergy between the two firms: "Whether we’re helping with process optimisation, a complex implementation, or navigating a smoother tech transition for a client, we’ve come to appreciate that without a corresponding focus on the people at the coalface of the change, the project will have limited success at best."
"Our goal was simple," says Banks. "We wanted to upskill our team with the tools necessary to not simply cope with change, but begin to capitalise on it – for ourselves, as well as for our clients."
Adding to this, LeadMe's founder, Jackie Kennedy, emphasises the current corporate challenge: "Businesses of all shapes and sizes have never faced the level of complexity and rapid change they face today. While the particular changes we face will shift over time, the unrelenting pace of change is here to stay.
"That means we’re all in the business of change now, no matter your sector or service. The sooner you recognise this, and empower everyone in your organisation to become effective change agents and leaders, the better."
Statistics from the World Economic Forum anticipate that 50% of all employees will require reskilling by 2025, with leadership being one of the top skills in demand. Furthermore, organisations with leadership development programs are reported to be 86% more capable of responding to adversity. Leadership development is not just a training exercise; it results in tangible business outcomes, such as a 114% increase in sales, 70% lower staff turnover, 71% higher customer satisfaction, and 90% reduced absenteeism.
These programmes, when applied across an organisation, can provide a substantial competitive edge, resulting in enhanced productivity, a resilient and high-impact workforce, smarter resource management, and amplified revenue.
The African Development Bank forecasts that by 2030, technological progress may leave approximately 100 million young people in Africa without new employment opportunities. Companies must now determine how to synergise human intelligence with artificial intelligence to ensure they do not merely survive but thrive in the forthcoming industrial evolution.
With this acquisition, both Analyze and LeadMe will maintain their distinct business models and brand identities to create a cooperative atmosphere conducive to innovation and learning.
