What Factors keep Business from Championing transformational change?

"A leader is one who sees more than others see, who sees farther than others see, and who sees before others see."  - Leroy Eime

Organizations large or small are faced with more radical digital or management transformation now, however, change management (the overarching term includes both transformation and change) has very high failure rate overall, what factors keep business from championing transformational changes, or what are key success factors in driving transformation?

• Transformation needs to be led by transformational leaders. Find those who thrive on change... That's a good start. Understanding each executive's authentic capability is where organizations need to start -- the team of transformational leaders should utilize four functions of organizational change: Vision, Culture, Systems, and Operations. With the right leaders are in place at the right time in a business life cycle or condition, the transformation is natural and easy. 

• Transformation requires a commitment to a goal: That isn’t just an extension of continuous improvement of the current business. So thinking outside the current constraints and comfort zones requires a different vision and the courage to pursue it. The first best factor to the “transformational change” and its further “championing” has been the endless self-exploration and self-transformation in the material, emotional, intellectual and spiritual dimensions that need to co-evolve together.  

• Transformation involves risks: The case for transformational change must overcome "the good enough mindset" (such as performance that keeps me in the top 20%). Transformational change by definition involves risks. Why should you take the risk of being in the top 1% if being in the next 19% keeps life good? In addition, does the organization have the ability and interest in leveraging and engaging the current resources while staying focused on future corporate and individual potential? 

• Transformation takes a holistic approach. Too often transformational change is acted on the basis of improving one part of an organization at the expense of other parts of the organization. The main reason is that up to this point in time most leaders have been silo managers and don't really have the business skills or personality traits to lead transformation and change. 

• There are some additional factors to cause failure:
  a) Lack of vision; b) Fear of the unknown; fear of failure! c) Competency at all levels; d) Comfort with the status quo; e) Timing f) "Perceived" cost of transformation; g) Complacency - Leaders often miss the big picture and become complacent! h) Blind to a need or a path; i) Unwilling to make the effort

The new generation of transformational leaders will be persons who have cross-domain business and personality traits. That is, this kind of leader is able to carry a compelling conversation across domains and speak the language of those persons within each silo which is no small task.

Posted in: Change Management,Digitalization,Future of Leadership,Lessons from Failures