Why you need a digital transformation mindset shift

Digital Transformation

The nature of conversations today tends to be less about technology and more about business outcomes. Most organisations are experiencing strong impetus and the need for transformation, whether it comes from an “aha moment”, a burning platform, or the proverbial slowly-boiling frog, make digital change a necessity rather than a nice-to-have.

While there is widespread recognition within businesses and leadership teams in Australia and New Zealand that digital transformation should be right at the top of the organisational agenda, there are challenges that come with turning this intention into reality, even when the spirit is willing.

This delta between saying and doing is clearly reflected in the results from Microsoft’s study from earlier this year about the progress of digital transformation in organisations across the Asia Pacific region. It found that, while nearly all business leaders agreed that every organisation needs to transform into a digital business to enable future growth, only one third of their organisations have a full strategy in place to actually make it happen.

One of the biggest challenges (and opportunities) for digital transformation doesn’t lie in nailing the mother of all technology roadmaps and getting the technical nuts and bolts in place; it lies in selling the vision, in understanding the organisation’s fundamental “why”, and in engaging people and bringing them on a journey of constant change.

In essence, a successful digital transformation relies on a sometimes radical change in mindset, and a rethinking of the fundamentals underpinning everything we do and why we do it.

While technology features in the digital transformation equation as one of the most crucial enablers, when it comes to the big picture, the technology itself is largely irrelevant: the digital transformation story is one of vision, leadership, and a complete focus on people-centred change, not to mention the need for the bravery to question the status quo and potentially challenge or dispense with long-held conventions.

These days change is constant; the digital journey has no finite endpoint. Consequently, the comfort zones of businesses need to shrink.

Simon Bright, Chief Operating Officer, Empired