No Digital Transformation without a Team to back it up
The Holy Grail of digital transformation always appears to be just over the horizon, out of reach. Companies invest in the coolest technologies, believing that an upgrade in software will automatically raise their operations to the next level. But here’s the kicker: unless you have the right organisational culture and effective change management to go along with it, you might as well be fitting a Ferrari engine into a rusty old tin can. It isn’t about the horsepower; it’s about the chassis.
Culture: The Magic Ingredient
Take, for instance, the much-publicised transformation of Microsoft at the hands of Satya Nadella. When he took over, the company was often characterised as a lumbering giant mired in internal rivalry and rigid hierarchy. Instead of simply unveiling new tools, Nadella approached refashioning Microsoft’s culture to emphasise a growth mindset over competition. The result is a revitalised workplace in which innovation can bloom.
The Carnage of Resistance
Yet, while Nadella’s success story shines out resplendent, the path of digital transformation may often be strewn with wreckage of resistance. The resistance—a little gremlin in the background—often emanates from fear: fear of the unknown, fear of change, fear of being replaced by an unfeeling algorithm.
The Heroes of Change Management
How, then, do organisations ensure a safe passage through this choppy waterscape? Step in the unsung heroes of the change management process. The leaders become the torchbearers of cultural readiness to lead their teams through the labyrinth of digital transformation. Inclusive decision making and a robust training program are among the best practices that can help debunk the transition.
The Human Side of Transformation
The reason why most regulated organisations are failing in their attempt at digital transformation is that most processes are not viewed through a customer-centric lens. It is in the silent forces of culture and change management that lie the keys to realising this true potential. It is not about leading the charge to change but creating a mindset where one embraces change. Digital transformation is not only about cost savings or speedier processes; there’s a deep cultural transformation involved, too.
A properly managed transformation program would engage employees on this journey. Any systems imposed on the staff without any form of contribution from them are usually synonymous with resistance and disapproval, making the management of change quite complex. Most effective transformation initiatives are internally accepted from day one, spreading organically throughout the organisation, department by department.
Just think about it…telling someone after ten years in the same position that they can now work faster and smarter may well not be quite the order they really want to hear. But asking your employees what kind of tools they need to make their jobs easier and inviting their ideas on how to make needed process improvements, changes them from participants to valued team players. By integrating them into the process of change management, this approach makes them significant in the success of the transformation.
