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Welcome to part two of the Data transformation trilogy with Paul Bailo, a leading digital transformation executive.
In this installment we take a look at Change management, two words that will either unlock your transformation, or block it. Love it or hate it, change management is vital to any transformation, so why is it so polarizing?
Transformation and change are and perhaps always will be, the key topics defining the business conversation.
And for every headline that focuses on a new technology, or indeed a strategic roadmap, how often do people address the elephant in the room that is change management?
Leading executives will tell you about the significance of change management, but what does that mean? What makes change management more than just another trendy buzzword that gets trotted out when you need to try and quantify change? What is wrong with our approach to change management?
It’s all well and good saying change management is necessary and essential to transformation, but what are you doing to address it? What does change management look like for an organisation? As with any journey, there has to be a beginning, so what first steps do you need to take to act on the promise of change management, but also to fully embrace the change in the first place?
We all knot the importance of sponsorship. Get the backing of the board, and the teams around you, and change comes naturally.Leaving you to wonder; what were you even worried about?
Any leading executive will tell you that if you don’t have the sponsorship of those around you, you’ve failed before you’ve started. It makes sense of course,, if you don’t buy into an idea, are you just going to willingly go along with it?
This is where storytelling comes in, obtaining quick wins and achieving results and being able to establish a sense of credibility in what you’re doing.
But, change is different and people aren’t always wired to accept change immediately. You can be the best storyteller in the world, and have all the data in your hands to prove that change is good, but for some, that sponsorship just will not come your way….so the question then becomes; what happens now?
Missed part one? Watch The Data Transformation Trilogy Part 1: C-level talent and leadership; do you have it?
Change is needed – but change is overwhelming. An increase in data is an increase in knowledge. And an increase in knowledge is an increase in power…making change isn’t easy. Make the mistake, and the results could be catastrophic. Remain frozen in fear, and fall away into irrelevance. The only way to succeed is to try.
Change is hard and while isn’t always priority number one, change is necessary to evolve as a business.
So when you are about to embark on a change journey, and you cast your eye over your organization, your processes,, your strategic roadmap and both your existing and future technologies….consider how you’re going to get there. Consider the sponsorship you need, the wins and how you can cultivate the culture that’s required in order to embrace change.
It’s time we reconsidered our love hate relationship with change management….
