How many companies know the difference between change and transformation?
How many companies really invest in real transformation?
If you walked into 10 organisations tomorrow that claim to have digital transformation underway and ask to see the evidence of their innovation process, how their operating model is being re-engineered and what their new business model looks like, you'll discover that some of what's claimed to be transformation is rather fake.
Rob Llewellyn is addressing this interesting question in his article “ The outcome of fake transformations” https://robllewellyn.com/the-outcome-of-fake-transformation/?__s=zksm9zsx5qtzsp5bup6i
The problem for many companies is that when they're caught up in the day-to-day challenges with their eye on the next quarter's profits, it's easy for leaders to lose sight of what could happen to their business model in the longer term, if they fail to truly transform.
Rob Llewelly addresses some dangerous downsides of being seduced into the transformation illusion, while being caught up with “digital sugar coating and fake transformation”. Three of them include:
1. Many companies become so busy and preoccupied with creating fast caterpillars, that they stand still in the transformation stakes and increasingly vulnerable to the disruption that they can't see coming..
2. Secondly companies devote their limited time, effort and resources to creating fast caterpillars, because key “change” initiatives have become their priority. They have no time or resources to do anything else, other than create their fast caterpillars and maintain business as-usual.
3. And third, companies are lulled into a false sense of security, because they have fallen prey to the digital transformation illusion. They might be doing extremely well creating with multiple digital solutions, but there's often no vision of a butterfly in sight.
"Remember that change fixes the past, while transformation creates a new future”
And many people listening will have already heard George Westerman's quote about; “When digital transformation is done right, it’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, but when done wrong, all you have is a really fast caterpillar.”” Agree?
How are things done in your companies?
Are your organisation creating fast caterpillers or turning caterpillars into butterflies?
