Communicate at Every Level

Digital Transformation

1. People are at the heart of organisational change

   • "It's people, process, technology - in that order for a reason"

   • Engaging people is crucial for successful transformation

2. Leaders roles in change management

   • Create a clear, compelling vision

   • Communicate effectively to all stakeholders

   • Sell the vision to get buy-in

3. Overcoming resistance to change

   • Clarity and understanding are essential

   • Engage people in the process

   • Do change "with" the business, not "to" the business

4. The importance of collaboration

   • Involving stakeholders leads to better outcomes

   • People are more likely to support changes they helped create

5. Communication is key

   • Clear and consistent messaging throughout the organisation is a must

   • Engage all parts of the ecosystem - employees, customers, suppliers

The Human Side of Leading Change

1. The Emotional Aspect of Change

   • People build their own "empires" and areas of influence at work, which impacts eh quality of products delivered to customers

   • Change can lead to various levels of resistance

   • Understanding emotions is crucial for successful change management

2. Holistic View of Stakeholders

   • Consider all levels: from users to senior stakeholders

   • Remember that people have multiple roles and identities beyond their job title, so its’s good to appeal to them as a person, not a title

   • Engage with users you might never meet, as they're crucial to change success

3. Importance of Communication in Change

   • Avoid top-down dictation; involve people in the change process

   • Actively listen to feedback from all levels of the organisation

   • Communicate changes clearly and to the right people

4. Red and Green Flags in Change Programs

   • Early communication and engagement are crucial

   • Look for signs of active listening and feedback incorporation

   • Be wary of "empty listening" where feedback is collected but not acted upon

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Engage Your Audience

1. The Power of Direct Engagement

   • Tech leaders visiting stores or having direct contact with customers can give unique information that affect the end products

   • Asking for front-line staff opinions can lead to valuable insights

   • Follow-up visits to show implemented changes build trust and engagement with co-workers and users

2. Overcoming Skepticism

   • Many employees are skeptical about change due to past experiences. It’s a leaders job to allay those fears

   • Demonstrating that feedback leads to real action can transform attitudes

   • Making people feel valued is crucial for successful change implementation

3. The Human Element in Technology Changes

   • Technology alone doesn't drive change; people do

   • Effective communication and engagement are key to solving problems

   • Productivity often suffers when people aren't engaged

4. Embracing Diverse Perspectives

   • Engage with vocal critics to understand their concerns

   • Long-term employees may have valuable insights from past experiences

   • Consider all feedback, even if it doesn't align with initial plans

5. The Role of the Board

   • Boards set vision, guidelines, and direction

   • Boards focus on business viability, goals, and compliance

   • Their remit is to ensure the business meets shareholder needs and objectives

   • They don't need to know all the details, but should understand the big picture

   • There's potential for more board involvement with end-users in some industries

Boardroom Priorities

1. Board's Financial Focus

   • Boards prioritise increasing shareholder value

   • For private or publicly listed companies, focus aim for growth, value creation, and dividends

2. Board Involvement in Day-to-Day Operations

   • Varies based on company size

   • In large companies, boards are less involved due to time constraints

   • Startups and smaller companies see more direct board involvement

3. Importance of Visible Board Support

   • Crucial for boards to be visibly supportive during change initiatives

   • Can be achieved through company events, town halls, and conferences

4. Governance in Change Management

   • Boards shouldn't just allocate money and disengage

   • Need for continued involvement and oversight in change projects

5. Bridging the Gap Between Board and Operations

   • Sometimes requires intermediaries to represent board interests

   • Ensures alignment between board expectations and project delivery

The Board and Delivery Teams

1. Board Engagement in Digital Transformation

   • Boards are interested but often too busy for day-to-day involvement

   • Importance of having a board-level representative on program teams

   • Ensuring programs deliver what the board requires

2. Maintaining Board Connectedness

   • Need for effective communication channels between board and operations

   • Importance of "winning hearts and minds" at all levels of the organisation

   • Leaders must "walk the walk" to prove their commitment

3. Leadership by Example: Sam Walton's Approach

   • Walmart's founder regularly visited stores to stack shelves and speak with customers

   • Gained valuable insights into day-to-day operations

   • Helped bridge the gap between board-level decisions and frontline realities

4. Balancing Board Involvement

   • Boards shouldn't be bogged down with daily issues

   • Need to strike a balance between high-level oversight and operational understanding

Equip the Team

1. Case Study: The Power of Providing the Right Tools

   • A single laptop costing £4,500 shortened product launch lifecycle by two weeks. This action created significantly more value than the cost of a new laptop.

   • Demonstrates how small investments can have outsized impacts on productivity

2. Balancing Board Involvement and Delegation

   • Boards can't be involved in day-to-day operations, but need to create a culture of empowerment

   • Importance of employing and engaging people who can identify and address blockers

3. Empowering Decision-Making at All Levels

   • Example of Semco empowering production line workers to make decisions within a framework

   • Treating employees like adults and giving them autonomy can lead to better outcomes

Align the Team

1. Cross-Functional Perspective

   • Importance of having a broad view across different business verticals

   • Board needs voices that can understand and connect different parts of the business

2. Common Disconnect in Change Initiatives

   • Gap often exists between boardroom priorities and project team objectives

   • Communication breakdowns lead to misaligned expectations

3. Avoiding the "Throw it Over the Fence" Mentality

   • Danger in isolating technology teams from business operations

   • Need for continuous engagement between tech teams and other departments

4. Strategies for Alignment

   • Board representation on steering committees

   • Use of intermediaries to connect board vision with program execution

   • Embedding subject matter experts and business champions in change programs

Signs of a Failing Project

Governance and board involvement

• If the board isn't engaged after initiating a project, it's a red flag

• Need ongoing board oversight to ensure alignment with expectations

Mission and objectives

• Not clearly defining what the project is trying to achieve

• Being "busy" without a clear purpose or goal

Rushing into implementation without proper planning

• Skipping the discovery and strategic planning phases

• Not mapping the initiative to organizational objectives

Poor communication

• Lack of clarity in communicating the vision and goals

• Not engaging stakeholders across the organization

Disconnected from business outcomes

• Not tying the project to specific business outcomes and KPIs

• Inability to articulate how it will impact profitability, growth, etc.

Lack of user/customer engagement

• Not involving end users in the process

• Failing to understand actual user needs and pain points

Chasing trends without clear purpose

• Pursuing new technologies (like AI) without defined use cases

• Spending money on initiatives that don't deliver tangible value