This has never been truer than in the digital age we find ourselves in today. The introduction of each new application or digital tool in your organization creates a change; whether it's large or small, important or insignificant will vary, but one thing is certain, is it also creates an opportunity to instill a culture of change management.
To fully realize the benefits of such an initiative, it is important to utilize a framework to effectively manage the change. Many change management programs follow John Kotter's "8-Stage Process for Leading Change":
Whether leveraging Kotter’s approach or another change management methodology, it's important to recognize these stages in order to successfully implement a digital transformation roadmap. Overlooking or underestimating the effort to successfully navigate the change can not only risk realizing the full potential of the new capability, but can also jeopardize any proof of concept or full roll-out.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Is there a need (external or internal) to introduce an increased digital capability within our organization?
- Have the key stakeholders and the broader organization “bought-in” to the need for changing the status-quo in their ways of working?
- Are there individuals for or against this change, and if so, have their needs and concerns been identified?
- Has the digital vision been defined, and how does it fit into the organization's overall goals and strategy?
- Are individuals in the organization empowered to bring about change in the context of increased digital maturity?
- What can be leveraged as quick wins to build momentum, helping to embed a culture of change around digitalization?
It's easy to identify technical obstacles for a new digital application: Clients often list data integrity and system interfaces as their greatest challenges. One reason initiatives may fail is because organizations allow the change to manage them, rather than proactively ensuring they have the effective change management programs in place to manage the change.
Benefits
Greater Organizational Buy-In
Build a group of change agents across all organizational levels who have a vested interest in the company’s success and growth
Unlocking Future Wins
In a culture that embraces change, there is a greater likelihood to see related and new initiatives succeed
Increased Workplace Satisfaction
Encouraging your employees to ask questions, raise concerns, and challenge the status-quo in a constructive manner will reduce stress
Proactive Elimination of Roadblocks
Identifying possible obstacles early in the process and addressing them prior to negative impact on the timeline or results of the digital transformation
Further Information
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