LOST IN TRANSFORMATION?
Digital transformation means different things to different organisations, depending on the degree of change. But in all cases, it will involve your staff - and should involve your staff at all levels. The latest McKinsey report tells us that managers and frontline staff play an important role in any business transformation. And while it is relatively easy for the C-suite to understand the why, what, where and how of digital transformation, by the time it gets to front-line staff, the message can become confusing.
LOST IN TRANSLATION
Digital transformation means different things to different organisations, depending on the degree of change. But in all cases, it will involve your staff - and should involve your staff at all levels. The latest McKinsey report tells us that managers and frontline staff play an important role in any business transformation. And while it is relatively easy for the C-suite to understand the why, what, where and how of digital transformation, by the time it gets to front-line staff, the message can become confusing.
IT CAN BE DONE
Within 10 years, Air New Zealand went from posting the largest corporate loss in its country’s history to being one of the world’s best airlines. They shifted their culture with a new slogan, and re-focussed their business around data-driven decision making. But their biggest change was ‘people-first’ - creating a culture of treating internal customers just like their external customers.
STEP ONE
‘Sell’ the change to everyone in the organisation (not just the C-suite) and keep selling! Be the change you want to see in the world.
This is an old proverb, but a very important one for everyone at C-level in the organisation. The C-suite need to model the changes they want to see from all their staff. Remember - people will take extraordinary measures for causes they believe in, so make the change meaningful and relatable for everyone.
step one
‘Sell’ the change to everyone in the organisation (not just the C-suite) and keep selling! Be the change you want to see in the world.
This is an old proverb, but a very important one for everyone at C-level in the organisation. The C-suite need to model the changes they want to see from all their staff. Remember - people will take extraordinary measures for causes they believe in, so make the change meaningful and relatable for everyone.
step two
Start shifting the mind-set
Digital transformation usually brings so radical a change to the business that it requires new ways of thinking about work. For example: are your staff set up for lean, agile and more flexible ways of working?
STEP TWO
Start shifting the mind-set
Digital transformation usually brings so radical a change to the business that it requires new ways of thinking about work. For example: are your staff set up for lean, agile and more flexible ways of working?
There are differences between analogue culture and digital culture - here are just a few:
ANALOG culture
- Customers are the end-point of business
- Data shows past performance
- A product or service must be fully complete before released
- Risk adverse
- Hierarchical organisations, slowing down how we work
DIGITAL CULTURE
- Customers are involved in all aspects of your business
- All business decisions now are data-driven
- Minimum viable products and constant interim releases
- Fail faster, move on with feedback
- Flatter organisations, ‘pop-up’ cross functional teams to get things done quickly
step tHREE
Begin at the top, but consider every role in the organisation.
Everyone in the organisation should know the answer to these questions:
- What do you want ME to do differently?
- Why should I work differently - what is in it for me, and the company?
- What change can I expect to see - daily, weekly, monthly?
- How will I know if the change is working well?
- Where can I go for help?
- What will happen if I - or we - don’t make this change?
STEP THREE
Begin at the top, but consider every role in the organisation.
Everyone in the organisations should know the answers to these questions:
- What do you want ME to do differently?
- Why should I work differently - what is in it for me, and the company?
- What change can I expect to see - daily, weekly, monthly?
- How will I know if the change is working well?
- Where can I go for help?
- What will happen if I - or we - don't make any change?
step four
Identify and close skill gaps
Your staff are best placed to transform your business, but only if they have access to the right tools and support. Ask yourself these questions:
- What new skills will the business need, and how will I support staff in getting there?
- Are my current forms of training and support adequate to develop the new skills?
- How will I support managers to develop their own staff?
STEP FOUR
Identify and close skill gaps
Your staff are best placed to transform your business, but only if they have access to the right tools and support. Ask yourself these questions:
- What new skills will the business need, and how will I support staff in getting there?
- Are my current forms of training and support adequate to develop the new skills?
- How will I support managers to develop their own staff?
step five
Rethink processes and get everyone enthused about being a lean, mean operating machine!
New technology is important, but if it is pasted on top of old, unwieldy processes, it is a recipe for chaos. Ask yourself these questions:
- What process changes are likely to impact my staff – for the better, and the worse?
- How will I involve staff in process change?
- Where am I most likely to get resistance – from roles or groups of people?
- Can I help transition the changes?
STEP FIVE
Rethink processes and get everyone enthused about being a lean, mean operating machine!
New technology is important, but if it is pasted on top of old, unwieldy processes, it is a recipe for chaos. Ask yourself these questions:
- What process changes are likely to impact my staff – for the better, and the worse?
- How will I involve staff in process change?
- Where am I most likely to get resistance – from roles or groups of people?
- Can I help transition the changes?