Chandler Stevens — April 30, 2018 — April 30, 2018
TheDigitalArtist / Pixabay
By now, it’s well-established that businesses either need to hop on the wave of digital disruption or risk getting swept under the current of today’s hypercompetitive business environment with tech-savvy workforces. Yet many still resist pursuing business and technology transformation goals, and on one hand, it’s easy to see why. Undergoing a digital transformation doesn’t mean putting a new face on old tactics. It’s a complete culture shift to one that’s not afraid to meet the challenge of digital evolution head-on.
But just because an opportunity can’t be implemented in one day doesn’t mean you can afford to let it pass you by. Well-executed digital improvements result in a more agile, competitive, and scalable company, with employees working in an environment that’s simultaneously more collaborative and more secure.
Confronting the Challenges
A digital transformation effort has the capacity to improve how a business operates for the benefit of everyone: business leaders, IT professionals, employees using function-related software, and, most importantly, customers. Such process improvements can then translate to a better bottom line. According to a 2017 study by Gartner, 56 percent of CEOs reported increased profits from their digital improvements.
Like any initiative, though, it comes with its own set of challenges.
For instance, although a digital transformation offers a business unprecedented access to key analytical data — a benefit, to be sure — unimpeded access can also cause problems. Most notably, leaders can get so caught up in the details that they ultimately lose sight of the main business problem they’re trying to solve.
In that same vein, they can easily slip down various rabbit holes of micromanagement. Different employees will aim to solve different problems, and without checks and balances in place, the group will begin moving in different, often conflicting, directions.
Along with undefined or misaligned goals, resistance to change is another problem we’ve seen at iCorps Technologies. The root of this problem goes beyond the law of human inertia, though. Employees may actively resist change if their leaders fail to explain the how and why behind a new process. It makes sense: If they don’t know the benefits of changing from pen and paper to tablets and smartphones, it’ll be all too easy for them to revert to their old ways.
Making Digital Transformation a Reality
With the right planning and prioritizing, it’s entirely possible to overcome these challenges. Following these steps will help your organization jump-start digital transformation:
1. Find and Maintain Your North Star
Just as a ship won’t reach its destination without a compass, your digital transformation won’t yield optimal returns without a well-defined mission. Before getting started, company leaders should convene to map out a structured path to transformation.
Even if individual goals change over time, your mission will act as a North Star, helping you focus on the bigger picture of solving company pain points and driving business growth. It’s important that goals are measurable so the whole organization can track progress, which also serves to align expectations and illuminate the purpose behind the transformation.
2. Create a Culture Steeped in Transparency
A successful digital transformation isn’t about replicating the same exact paper process on a tablet. It’s about looking at the information that needs to be captured and strategically thinking through the ways in which technology can streamline that process.
That’s a daunting task for any business, and if you hope to succeed in your endeavor, your efforts must begin and end with communication and openness — the most important parts of a high-functioning company culture. Keep channels of communication open, and be transparent with your employees to guard against resistance to change and cultivate an environment of trust.
3. Appoint Champions for Change
Companies often tap their chief digital officers and chief information officers to lead digital transformation efforts, and with their technological backgrounds, it makes sense. That said, technology-specific roles aren’t the only ones that can drive change across the entire company.
Some research indicates that your chief marketing officer — whose focus is on people and messaging — can also make an effective change agent. Regardless, make sure you pick someone with the competency and authority to see the project through.
A digital transformation is a journey, not a destination. To get started on the road to continuous improvement, set your sights on defining measurable goals, fostering trust through open communication, and appointing key individuals in your organization who can galvanize employees and drive companywide buy-in.
Digital & Social Articles on Business 2 Community
(36)
