Rewired

What makes some companies digital pioneers while others falter? It's not just technology — it's vision, people, and commitment.

1. Define Your Digital North Star

A successful digital transformation begins with setting a clear and shared vision, a guiding light—your organization's North Star. This vision should articulate not just the "what" but also the "how" and the "why." It moves beyond vague aspirations to measurable targets and timelines.

GreenTech, a hypothetical sustainable technology firm, illustrates this idea. Instead of simply stating their goal as "leading in digital sustainability," they make it actionable: "Increase sustainable energy output by 30% in five years while reducing costs by 15%." Such specificity rallies teams behind tangible outcomes. This approach is not only about ambition but also about finding balance—aim high but focus on what is practical in the short term.

A thoughtful digital transformation focuses on smaller, manageable domains to start with, like EcoBuild’s focus on optimizing its supply chain and site management. After delivering successes, the initiative can grow. Leadership plays a key role, shaping what’s achievable and linking strategies to key performance indicators that track real improvements. BankOnUs reimagined customer onboarding by targeting specific pain points like wait times and paperwork, creating dramatic efficiency gains and elevating customer satisfaction.

Examples

• GreenTech’s measurable vision for increasing energy production and cutting costs.
• EcoBuild’s improvement in supply chain efficiency that exceeded initial goals.
• BankOnUs transforming customer onboarding into a seamless 15-minute experience.

2. Harness the Power of People

Staff is the lifeblood of any organization’s digital evolution. Recognizing diverse aspirations and fostering talent is central to any meaningful transformation. Companies succeed by encouraging individuals to follow paths aligned with their own goals, eliminating the one-size-fits-all approach to career advancement.

Consider Zoe, a master software developer uninterested in management roles but passionate about excelling in her technical craft. When companies offer tailored growth paths, employees like Zoe can thrive on their own terms, bringing out their best. Beyond recognition, developing tailored learning journeys nourishes this passion. Courses, workshops, and skill-building programs ensure employees stay cutting-edge.

Sometimes, transformation also means helping people reskill entirely. Bootcamps and training can turn potential talents from unrelated fields into skilled professionals contributing to digital efforts. With a solid digital on-ramp, companies provide the foundational knowledge people need to transition smoothly into new roles, supported by intensive training.

Examples

• Zoe, the software developer, became an expert coder thanks to encouraging alternative career paths.
• Organizations partnering with Coursera or offering internal training programs for continuous learning.
• Bootcamps turning individuals from non-technical fields into digital professionals adept in their roles.

3. Scale Beyond Tools Into Sustainable Practices

Digital tools are only part of the puzzle; integrating them with daily routines and business practices determines the true success of a transformation. Scaling is about creating sustainable systems that enable consistent use and coordination across teams.

Global mining company Freeport-McMoRan incorporated AI into its operations alongside its workforce. Eight months of collaborative work aligning tech solutions with on-the-ground needs transformed production and efficiency. Leaders drove transformation further by emphasizing user adoption, where role-based training enabled diverse team members to embrace change.

Companies need not only rethink tools but also shift the core way they operate. For example, an insurance company adopting data analytics may find it valuable to revisit its pricing models or product offerings. Agile teams composed of change managers ensure these transitions unfold cohesively, facilitating seamless adoption of new systems.

Examples

• Freeport-McMoRan blending AI tools with existing roles for major efficiency gains.
• An airline aligning its ground operations, aircrew, and managers for smooth digital adoption.
• A new insurance model emerging after integrating data analysis systems.

4. Make Data a Core Asset

Data isn’t just a tool—it’s the raw material for decision-making that empowers businesses. Successful companies identify which data matters most and design processes to make it accessible and insightful for all departments.

An insurance company’s strategy highlights this principle. By focusing on specific data like weather events and asset conditions, they personalized property insurance solutions and distinguished themselves in a competitive space. Treat data as a product, tailored to department needs. For example, marketing, sales, and finance teams might access curated dashboards for unique yet complementary insights.

Underlying these capabilities is dynamic architecture. This infrastructure seamlessly supports both real-time intelligence for immediate needs and advanced analytics for long-term planning. Alongside this, governance ensures data is reliable, secure, and compliant. Cross-functional teams, including data scientists and domain experts, make this system operate as effectively as possible.

Examples

• An insurance company prioritizing catastrophe data for tailored products.
• Departments using curated data dashboards to inform their specific roles and decisions.
• A dynamic system blending immediate and predictive analytics for a forward-thinking strategy.

5. Align Leadership to Drive Change

Leadership plays an indispensable role in digital change. Senior management, from the CEO to heads of business functions, needs to not only support the transformation but actively lead it.

A CEO who publicly champions a digital vision inspires buy-in from across the company. Teams tasked with transforming operations, led by committed CTOs and CDOs, ensure practical execution at every stage. BankOnUs, for example, saw success because its leaders built clear KPIs directly linked to customer experiences and operated as visible advocates of the initiative.

Communication is another aspect of leadership. Narratives aligned with company values help employees understand why changes are happening and how they relate to shared goals.

Examples

• CEOs becoming ambassadors of the organization's digital priorities.
• CTOs or CDOs driving success stories like BankOnUs’s onboarding rehaul.
• Communications tailored to align changes with an organization's shared vision.

6. Balance Ambitions with Practical Steps

Too often, grand goals can overwhelm teams, but too-small objectives yield little impact. Transformations benefit from thoughtful prioritization, targeting key areas.

EcoBuild succeeded by narrowing its initial focus on supply chain optimization, proving the value of its digital investments. Similarly, prioritizing measurable results—like improving response times or cost reductions—creates a strong foundation to expand further.

Breaking transformation into phases fosters steady progress while keeping morale high through frequent wins. This iterative process also allows teams to recalibrate priorities as new opportunities emerge.

Examples

• EcoBuild focusing on two core areas before expanding to others.
• Businesses adjusting strategies after tracking measurable performance outcomes.
• Teams building momentum by breaking projects into smaller, iterative steps.

7. Adopt a Culture of Learning

Digital organizations thrive when employees embrace lifelong learning. Upskilling programs and continuous education ensure staff stays up-to-date with the latest technologies while fostering innovation.

Customized learning paths cater to diverse roles, from IT management courses to introductory workshops for beginners. Additionally, fostering collaborative environments where teams share knowledge accelerates learning and teamwork across divisions.

Organizations also benefit from peer mentoring programs, where more seasoned employees guide newer recruits in adapting to and excelling within the digital culture.

Examples

• Multi-year training programs tailored to skill levels and fields.
• Teams using Coursera courses or in-house training to meet evolving technology demands.
• Peer mentorship creating smoother transitions for new employees.

8. Foster Collaboration Across Teams

Innovations flourish when teams collaborate effectively. Breaking down silos ensures projects are better informed and unified across the organization.

Cross-functional groups that include data engineers, product designers, and operations staff prevent fragmentation by working cohesively. Using collaborative platforms and shared communication channels further streamlines these efforts.

Establishing consistent feedback loops provides guidance during each phase of transformation. When everyone contributes, from C-suite leaders to customer-facing teams, digital projects address real issues holistically.

Examples

• Teams uniting through shared platforms like Slack for real-time collaboration.
• Multidisciplinary teams steering a unified approach to business challenges.
• Iterative feedback sessions involving all relevant departments.

9. Understand Transformation is Iterative

Successful transformations evolve over time. Businesses must assess outcomes continually and adapt to emerging trends.

For instance, revisit how EcoBuild grew from isolated process improvements to more significant changes once initial projects succeeded. Continual evaluation ensures initiatives remain relevant, effective, and scalable.

By celebrating small successes and learning from challenges, teams maintain momentum and build confidence to tackle increasingly ambitious goals.

Examples

• EcoBuild growing its initiative after securing initial wins.
• Projects adjusting focus after observing real-world impacts on customers.
• Celebrating pilot-project wins to maintain morale before scaling broader efforts.

Takeaways

1. Begin digital transformations by defining measurable, achievable goals and securing leadership alignment.
2. Create personalized learning journeys and career paths so employees can thrive on their terms.
3. Treat data as an organizational product, investing in infrastructure and governance that makes it universally accessible.