Martas Maasikas. There is no need for a world-class company that needs a world-class service

I recently visited Silicon Valley and Stanford University. Compared to previous years, the direction of the debate has changed. Business leaders gathered in previous years first spoke about innovative technologies and their uniqueness as a value of the core business. I have now faced deeper and more serious debates about how to build sustainable organizations. What are the inspirations that create an exceptional business culture to maintain business competitiveness and longevity?

The main feature of a sustainable organization is the value created for customers. If an activity is not beneficial to the client, it is best to stop it. It is also very important that the innovation is not the responsibility of only one person or some selected professionals. Innovation is the key to three things: the first is a person with an idea, a vision and an ambition, the second is a technology without which change is impossible, and the third – innovation must be beneficial. The most important of these three things are people. Technology is available for everyone today, creating new business models is also possible, but if there are no people, nothing will go. But if all these three components are together, the magic of the born will be something new.

Innovations and their magic are not born in themselves, therefore, it is necessary to create a process of innovation. We also created this in the SEB group. It helps us to work systematically. There is no need to be a world clbad bank – you have to be a world clbad service company and go beyond the industry. There is no comfort zone. It is unclear where this will lead, but the goal is inspiring. The need to go along with customers who become partners to help them find answers to emerging issues.

The team of William Barnett, a professor at Stanford University, studied more than 5,000 students. Twelve year financial data for technology companies concluded that companies that perform more experiences and learning are much more successful. This means that I am not planning a business growth curve – it needs to be developed: experimenting and learning discoveries, implementing ideas in a practical and quick way.

This philosophy of discourse is based on four subjects. First, you have to start with the customer and the problem you are facing. Second, in search of the best market, to follow the needs of consumers and improve their services. Third, work in different teams, because the new partnership opens up new opportunities. The fourth and very important success factor is leadership.

You must always learn and constantly ask yourself and others what I have learned today because of important data and evidence. You have to think as a beginner, try and test – there are always alternatives and better ways.

Prepared after a report of the Sixth Banking and Financial Conference "Banking and Finance" organized by the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Vilnius "The future without money