Digital Transformation is first and foremost an innovation program. It is not called the Fourth Industrial Revolution for nothing. It is an opportunity to break the shackles of “we have always done it this way” and outfox your competition. Digital Transformation should be a strategic and NOT a technology initiative in your business.
Change agents challenge the status quo, they ask what-if questions, they are not vested in the current paradigm. Change agents spend their time on research, on prototypes, in open, learning conversations and most of all, change agents spend their time thinking about what is wrong with the current paradigm, about the future and how we can evolve our current situations into a better future. It is all about the art-of-the-possible.
So, how do you best approach Digital Transformation endeavours in your business?
You start by establishing a strategic innovation committee. The members of this committee must include at least leaders representing all your lines of business, risk and compliance, finance, operations, marketing, strategy, an agile project specialist and most importantly, it needs to be chaired by a change agent.
Establish a code of conduct for your digital transformation program and get all participants to sign the code of conduct.
- Arrive prepared, apply your mind, do not be a passenger.
- Everybody has a voice. At some point, the whole world believed the earth was flat. A few people thought differently. So, one person seeing it differently to the rest does not automatically make the one person wrong.
- An opposing view is an inspiration to innovate, not a criticism.
- No defensive posturing.
- Digital Transformation programs are a team sport – it is something we are doing together – it is in all our best interests for this program to succeed – so – blame game is not productive.
- On time for meetings.
- Project meetings are an opportunity to collaborate for the benefit of the endeavour. People using laptops and other devices during a meeting and only paying attention when directly spoken to, detracts from this goal. So, no open laptops in meetings except.
- For the person taking minutes
- if specifically required for reporting or presentation purposes
- Understand, deeply, that failure is part of this process. Embrace it, learn from it.
Think big but act incrementally. Agile is the way to go.
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