When we view the world today, what is the common trend we not only see but can feel? Things are changing, and changing in a big way. Some use the term “collapsing” which begs the following two (2) questions; “What are we changing or evolving to?” and ““Why the change?”
I think the clearest way to describe what is going on is that for past decades, transactional leaders have led the way to build the foundation of our businesses, establishing the way people think and do. While business creation was going on during this period of time, the world was much more predictable, static, and the primary methodology was waterfall or a series of processes. To streamline efficiencies and beat the competition, decisions were made based on this way of thinking.
Today, we live in a totally different world. The rate and speed at which changes need to occur and decisions made is no longer predictable or static. Today’s world is all about how “dynamic” can you be. The primary methodologies are mindsets based on using an Agile framework, incorporating LEAN to be the catalyst of change, or fuel for reorganizing in accordance to DevOps or DevSecOps ways of thinking and doing. Intelligence Catalyst uses the phrase “dynamic ways of thinking and doing.” The hierarchical organizational structure or silo’s which support and sustain transactional-based leaders needs to be dismantled and removed. Today’s leaders need to be transformational and embedded throughout the organization. In addition, the organization’s leadership structure needs to evolve from a person or a few people, to a network of likeminded transformational leaders working in unison towards a common vision.
From this insight into today’s world, let us now focus on digital transformations or simply transformations. You have heard me echo many times over the state of DevOps report’s findings that we have been failing for over a decade and continue to fail with our digital transformations. This is why the need for change to how we think and approach our transformations is far behind us. The good news, is that through the increasing volume, and frequency of disruption, Intelligence Catalyst has found a pattern for success. That pattern being that “self-realization” is at the heart of every transformation’s success.
A common Intelligence Catalyst saying is that; “People are what make up an organization. At the center of the organization’s transformation is it people. What is in the heart and mind of each individual determines the outcome of the organization’s transformation.” This is why “self-realization” is the key to success.
Each individual at some point in time during the transformation is going to have to look in the mirror and decide for themselves; 1) what about them needs to change, 2) how much are they willing to change, and ultimately 3) how committed are they to change. (More on this aspect in the supporting article “The 2C’s Required for YOUR Agile, DevOps, DevSecOps Adoption & Transformation to Succeed”).
At a minimum, each person is going to have to evaluate and decide what transactional traditional serial tendencies need to be evolved to be transformational and dynamic? From how I think and do today, what do I need to do to be dynamic enough for me, my team, and organization to succeed? Once the individual goes through this soul searching and personal mental growth, the same approach now needs to be done by the team, and then the organization. The team has to be able to have a safe forum, what leaders call a “psychologically safe” forum, to have an honest conversation where people may have differing or opposing opinions. Once the team settles on a common understanding, the same now needs to occur across the organization.
One of the biggest challenges you and your organization will face is all the noise, hype, and pressure placed on you, your team, and organization by vendors, service providers, and those wanting to sell you their transformation products, services, and solutions. Their tag line or mantra is; ”… all you have to do is follow our model and you will be able to transform.”
One of the most difficult challenges you and your organization will face are the internal resources, or current “trusted resources,” and politics which got you or your organization to where it is at today. These resources and politics ultimately do NOT want to change or take on change responsibilities. There are many leaders of power, resources with significant influence, and many other varieties of people, who for whatever reason, will not put themselves in a position of being responsible or accountable for change. They will do whatever it takes, regardless of the cost, what is best for the team or customer, what is best for the transformation, so that they can have indemnity or not be held accountable or responsible. This way of thinking and behavior places the transformation and ability to think and do dynamically at risk.
What Intelligence Catalyst has witnessed and experienced is that the most successful transformations are when the people at all levels of the organization, came together as one, and worked together towards a common vision, starting with the smallest product or service, and “self-realized” their way, leading themselves each step of the way.
What we found to be the “key to success” for digital transformations is for the people themselves to unify around their “self-realizations.” By being vulnerable to one another, communicating and collaborating in regard to their own personal change, and what they see the team has to do to change, the pace and magnitude of change was manageable and more readily accepted. Those that were unsure, did not have confidence, or afraid, now had safety and support in numbers. One of most significant by-products of success which created more future success was the building of “Trust” between the teammates.
This is why Intelligence Catalyst has created and works with you using our real time on-demand experiential guiding approach. One of our goals is to maximize your immersion into understanding what it takes and how to transform so that you can achieve that “self-realization moment” as early as possible. We want you and your colleagues to have the ah-ha moment as soon as possible, so that you can then recognize what and how you have to modify the various frameworks, methods, processes and tools so they work for your organization’s situation.
Realize that external resources coming in with their products, services or solutions do not know your situation as well as you do. They do not have experience with who and what you are as a person, with your exact situation. This is why you and your teammates can do an equal if not better job at successfully transforming by simply trusting in yourself by applying what you learn as you go. Saying that, we recommend that you have someone to guide you. This again is why Intelligence Catalyst takes on the sherpa or guiding role and using an analogy, gets in the water with you as you learn to swim. Helping teach, mentor, guide, and if needed, we can lead by example showing you the way forward for the next time when you are in the lead.
By following this simple process of trying, learning, and applying what you learned, and having a guide providing insights along the way, the change becomes manageable and not so uncomfortable. You, your team, and organization implement changes at a pace, volume, and magnitude equivalent to your rate of self-realization. When you learn by failing fast, as your guide, we help you pick yourself up, evaluate to learn from what just happened, and get back at it. The value-add is that you will be far more likely to not over extend, over commit, or take on more change than what is needed, or viable at that point in time regarding yourself and the reality at hand.
Hope this article has been insightful and helps you realize that you do have the ability to succeed in your digital transformation. The key to unlocking your success is your very own “self-realization.”
If you are interested in continuing the conversation, would like some help or assistance, please reach out to me or one of my team mates at Intelligence Catalyst. To schedule some time, please visit our Contact Us page and fill out the form, or visit my bio page under Meet The Team and “book a call with John”. Thank you for your time, hope this was helpful, and look forward to hearing from you 😊