Digital Transformation is not a project!
Thoughts about change, projects and a better way to deal with something new … People Development
You can’t get around digital transformation anymore. So far so good. Now the strategists think of how to react, what to do and where to go. It seems a natural reaction to start a „Digital Transformation Project“. Projects are a known method, structured, including return on investment (#roi) and Key performance indicators (#kpi), milestones, having an assigned core team to drive it and ideally a good sponsor.
But this is not the way to do a transformation into something, most people don’t have a clue about, in an unpredictable world (called VUCA). A world where the successful players are experimenting, driving agility to its limits, betting on vague ideas and taking substantial risks, to win the next level. … And they usually do that in weeks or month / while our typical project are ready to roll out after 3 years… maybe?
Digital Transformation MUST NOT be a project!
- It is an absolute C-Level task … you can not delegate it
- Everyone needs to be involved … not just some stakeholders
- Experiment and fluently learn…you can not set clear, long term targets
- Experience the new options and build on them …ROI becomes visible afterwards… there is no formula for upfront
- Engage for an ongoing process …it will not be over soon (or in 3 years)
- It is necessary for all functions to self-re-invent … don’t rely on the available functions (they will self protect from change)
- If you stick to the original plan – you miss the magic left and right
- The influence from „everywhere“ is just to big and vital
