Stating the obvious – digitalisation and digital transformation are the new buzzwords, and everyone from the CEO downwards is talking about it, whilst the conversation is right – the vernacular may be hampering businesses from moving forward.
In my previous article, we discussed the perpetual question of “who owns digital?” Whilst organisations may be waiting for their “Luke I am your father” moment, the truth is that – EVERYONE owns digital.
Until the “Who owns digital” question has been resolved in your organisation, calling it digital transformation can place it firmly in no man’s land (or with the one person with digital in their title). Calling it business transformation on the other hand, makes the entire ExCo accountable, at least in name only.
Let’s cast our minds back, to when historically digital was wedged into organisations as either a function of marketing or IT, with the responsibility residing at operational levels. Some 20 years on this is still the case for many organisations.
The accountable exec(s), whilst being a specialist in their field, may not necessarily have a digital mindset, leaving them to revert to their teams for strategic input. This in turn could lead to a function focused, operational approach to digital strategy.
However your business is structured, every department, every process and every product is being impacted by digitalisation, digitisation or digital transformation (or whatever it is called in your organisation) – so leaders can no longer look to their marketing or technology functions to own digital and drive this change.
Making the entire C-Suite accountable by calling it business transformation may elevate the approach from function focused to business changing.
Let’s summarise
- Calling it digital transformation – can put it in “no man’s land”
- Calling it business transformation – automatically elevates it to everyone’s business
- Elevate digital from being function owned and operationally focused by making the ExCo jointly accountable for digitalisation.
OK, so how do we make the ExCo have a digital mindset? In our next opinion piece we discuss hiring a CDO.
Disclaimer: These are opinion pieces, they reflect the thoughts of the author and in no way whatsoever reflect any organisation the author is or has been affiliated to.