Digital transformation isn’t about evolving your business and company culture slowly – it’s about adapting, surviving, and thriving.

Digital transformation has been the focus of many businesses as we collectively move through the COVID-19 pandemic and adapt to new working styles. Most new technological adoptions at the workplace have been to increase productivity, manage accountability, and a better transition to effective remote work.

Despite digital transformation appearing as linear in this COVID-19 example, this pattern shouldn’t be thought of as the norm. As digital transformation and technology become more commonplace, digital transformation can be a “mass extinction” event for businesses. Leadership risks losing in the digital transformation age if they fail to adapt – ultimately, risking elimination.

What does digital transformation mean?

Digital transformation may look different for every company. This difference in appearance is what makes it challenging to create an all-encompassing definition. Simply put, digital transformation can be defined as the integration of digital technology into any area of business.

This digital transformation fundamentally affects how businesses operate and how their goods/services are delivered to customers.

Beyond the implementation of technology, digital integration requires changes in leadership, organizational structure, and company culture. It impacts the way that managers and employees ultimately function and complete their jobs. This results in the need for new processes and procedures that span the entire organization.

Interconnectivity between devices and data will ultimately help to drive better analytics. Digital transformation will also drive mergers and acquisitions as companies begin to see overlap that makes sense in more ways than just the goods or services that they provide customers.

Digital transformation is the biggest hurdle (and opportunity) that businesses and managers must face moving into 2023 and beyond.

Top 3 Trends in Digital Transformation for Businesses Today

1)    Cybersecurity and Data Governance

As hacking and other digital threats become more common, cybersecurity and proper data governance are top of mind for businesses of all sizes. Securing data and ensuring that you have the proper checks and balances in place to protect your customers and employees is critical.

Moving into 2023 and beyond, cybersecurity tools that are available to smaller businesses will become a major digital transformation trend. This will become an everyday piece for leadership to consider implementing just like HR and marketing practices.

2)    Cloud Computing

Computing in the cloud is also another trend in digital transformation which allows for greater power with remote work and efficiency of hardware. Cloud computing costs have also dropped significantly over the last two years which has made the cost barrier to entry much lower than previously thought.

The technology of cloud computing also offers security and speed that allows for businesses to pivot and adapt at a faster rate than previously thought.

3)    AI and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two terms that have been thrown around for the last decade with minimal weight for the average company. However, as this tech continues to improve every day, it is being implemented in various areas with different capabilities. Some of the current commercial uses of AI include financial services, healthcare and medicine, public safety, military, and manufacturing.

As the technology continues to evolve, look to AI and machine learning to become more regular in almost every workplace in various capacities. Consider getting ahead of the curve by researching if there are any current uses of these technologies within your current organization.

Reasons why Digital Transformation Matters for your Company Culture

• Improve customer experience
• Automate business processes internally and externally
• Focus employee attention on things that matter
• Increase efficiency
• Encourage mergers, partnerships, and acquisitions
• Gather more data for better decisions and business cases
• There could be major drawbacks to not embracing digital transformation

As stated above, digital transformation is both an opportunity and a threat for businesses today. Corporate leadership and managers would benefit from considering how digital transformation and tech are going to impact their unique business spaces ahead of time. Anticipate trends and begin research or implementation early to ensure that your business is maximizing a great opportunity to survive and thrive.

We would love to hear your comments.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.

Disruption in the workplace can come from anywhere. Be it a global pandemic, an office renovation project, or a software roll-out… here’s how to lead your team through disruptions.

Managers and leadership across the globe have been dealing with “unprecedented times” for the last two years. COVID-19 has been a significant disruption in just about every aspect of our lives. While the pandemic’s disruption has come on a mega-scale, workplace disruptions are nothing new for managers or leadership. Now, more than ever, it’s incredibly important to have the competencies to navigate managerial decision-making.

At the helm of many of the decision-making opportunities in a workplace is the CEO. However, that’s not the only manager who should have relevant skills and competencies in managing disruptions.

The more trained and engaged that managers are in disruption mitigation, the healthier that an overall workplace environment can be.

In these uncertain times, how can leadership optimize better decision-making?

Here’s where to start.

Address Mental Leadership Challenges During Disruption

• Internalized Cognitive Biases – Where managers consciously (or unconsciously) apply biases to their current situation, despite each situation is unique to previous disruptions.
• Aversion to Change Management – Change is hard. Embracing and managing a team of employees through change is even harder. Managers who struggle with change management competencies will have a challenging time moving through disruptions.
• Hesitancy to Directly Communicate – Direct communication with staff, leadership, and stakeholders is incredibly important to maintaining some semblance of normalcy through a disruption. Lack of, hesitancy, or complete failure of communication is a great way to lose buy-in from those that you’ll need it from most during a disruptive time.
• Failure to Create Contingency Plans – Considering all avenues of outcomes is important to expertly pivot and react to disruption in the workplace. Be prepared for situations beyond the one that you’re dealing with. For example, plan appropriately if an office renovation will take longer than initially planned. How will you accommodate displaced employees whose regular work schedules have been disrupted?

3 Routes to Better Decision-Making during Disruptions

1)         Focus on Building the Right Decision-Making Team

Making the right decisions in leadership means having the correct team and voices included in those decisions. After a potential (or impending) disruption is identified, the first step should be to consider which perspectives should be involved when making the decisions around the disruption plan.

2)         Gather Data and Metrics to Build your Case

Making the right decisions means making informed decisions. The more information, resources, and research that you gather around the disruption (and resulting decision) makes it airtight. If there are rumblings or questions around the result of the decision-making process, having the right information to rely on can be a major lifesaver as a manager.

3)         Recognize if you need External Guidance

Not sure if you have the internal team for optimized decision-making around your impending disruption? Consider a consultant or tap into your professional network to see if anyone else has relevant experience with a similar disruption. External guidance can bring in a fresh perspective with less bias than those who are experiencing the disruption in real-time.

Please share with your colleagues & staff.

Gary Brunson
gary@myclearfocus.com

Debra Rider
debra@myclearfocus.com

574.361.2674

Sustainable Growth & Profit Consultant, Coach, Mentor and Counselor/Therapist for Business Owners and Professionals.