Have you heard the one about digital transformation?
The scenario….In your latest ExCo meeting, your CEO announces “digitalisation and digital transformation are now firmly on the strategic road-map”. Lively discussion ensues, everyone agrees it is a good idea, long overdue; blue sky thinking, Uber, Airbnb and Kodak are mentioned (ching, ching ching, meeting bingo gold).
The chatter dies down and the CEO asks “OK so who is going to lead this thing?” The CTO and CMO exchange glances, sink into their chairs and avoid eye contact.
In the spirit of democracy (and self-preservation) the CTO points out that as the name suggests, digital transformation impacts all areas of the business. To break the stalemate the CEO appoints a task force consisting of the CTO, the CMO, with the CEO as the chair. He expects a road-map to be presented by the next ExCo meeting.
The CTO and CMO hastily type up an email to their senior team and ask them to jointly come up with a road-map. Their teams are in the middle of planning a major release and a major campaign….so they task their senior team to come up with a road-map.
They organise a workshop with their peers from around the business and pull together a road-map which is presented to the CEO, but it lacks strategic thinking and is operationally focused. The CEO is infuriated – and the proverbial starts rolling down the hill. Sound familiar?
So what now?
Whilst the above is a tongue in cheek analogy – if you remove the transformation element for the moment – at the centre of the issue is the persistent question – “who in the business owns digital?” The very unhelpful answer is EVERYONE.
Digital is now omnipotent, it has seeped into the DNA of every part of your business – and to state the obvious, digital transformation is not something that is going to happen – it is already happening. It is organically changing your entire business eco-sphere, from your suppliers to your consumers; but until such time that in your next ExCo meeting all your execs are accountable – don’t expect to be the next game changer.
Summary
- Transformation is happening with or without you – you can either drive it or be a passenger without a destination
- The entire ExCo is accountable for business transformation
- Hire a Chief Digital Officer – and empower them to change/lead the business
Our next blog will be on changing the dialogue from digital transformation to business transformation.