C-Suite Blind Spot – 2021 Digital Transformation Effectiveness

Blind Spot

Based on available research and corporate activity there is no question the pandemic has sped up the corporate digital transformation. The Twilio, Dell Technologies, IBM and Cloudinary research all confirm that senior executives’ acceptance of this need has accelerated the corporate digital transformation by as much as 6 years.

While the transformation is necessary, are corporations conducting deep dives into their strategies and tactics? Can a six-year acceleration implemented in mere months driven by survival, hybrid structures and radical changes in customer interaction ensure effectiveness? The 2020 Agents of Transformation Report by Appdynamics (Cicso) highlighted some of these concerns:

· 59% of IT professionals admit they are fighting fires and introducing short-term fixes to technology problems

· 76% of technologist express concern about the longer-term impact of digital transformation initiatives they have had to rush through during Covid-19

Have corporations outside the IT powerhouses fully accepted the complexity, disruptive nature, and strategic importance of their digital transformation? How do corporations ensure their efforts are timely, effective, and suited to the specific long-term needs, customer interaction and success of their specific organization?

Illumination

In a more predictable and less disruptive past, corporations developed strategies in more of a static fashion, based on advantage, position and scale. The result, markets were molded, and transactions took place. Their enterprise IT systems were more supportive and operationally focused. Customers purchases were processed, and data was stored for future use.

Flash forward to 2020; while some might consider the challenges of the hybrid work environment as the major focus of digital transformation, it is more complex than simply managing a remote workforce.

Today and in the future, internal and external social and environmental factors affecting corporations are also more complex and are continually changing and evolving. No longer is data simply stored for future use. Consider the introduction of AI, real time data, privacy, cybersecurity, corporate silos, data lakes, a hybrid workforce, and the stakes are even higher. Most importantly consider that most non-IT centered corporations such as airlines, insurance companies, banks, manufacturing, and many others are operating with older legacy systems. This intensifies the effort to develop the best and most appropriate digital strategy.

When developing, implementing or refining your digital transformation strategy, executives may want to consider the following:

· Do not evolve for the sake of evolution

· Start with your customer interaction and the associated needs

· Conduct a sober determination of your enterprise structure and capabilities

· Develop clear goals and objectives

· Involve the entire enterprise – end to end – do not let silos dedicate

· Ensure corporate wide collaboration

· Invest what you need

Many of my accomplishments have been win or lose situations. For me, second place was not an option. My key to success was to assemble a diverse team of specialized individuals who were experts in their fields. Together, we were able to develop strategies that helped me to identity, address and eliminate my “blind spots”. When winning or losing are the only two choices, choose to win.