The New Book “The Change Agent CIO” Introduction Chapter VII Avoid Pitfalls to Run Dynamic Digital IT ~ Future of CIO

Thursday, October 4, 2018

The New Book “The Change Agent CIO” Introduction Chapter VII Avoid Pitfalls to Run Dynamic Digital IT

11:23 PM Pearl Zhu No comments

By identifying roadblocks and identifying pitfalls on the way, organizations can ride above the learning curve to manage changes and lead digital transformation effortlessly.

The world is becoming more complex but smaller every day, as the consequence, every successful business has to sooner or later step into the uncharted water and blurred business territories. It brings both significant opportunities and unprecedented risks. IT needs to avoid the pitfalls on the way, move up the maturity level, in pursuit of effectiveness and performance by having governance in place with a long-term focus to get digital ready.

Underestimate change curves: Change is not always going smoothly; there are bumps and curves on the way. The change curve is a model of the states that people who are to change will go through, the curve is applicable to everyone, including those who planned and conceived the vision. The real problem is to understand the curve and how it relates to change because going through the downs of the change curve has a negative impact on productivity and performance. Individually, there are both psychological curves and knowledge/methodological curves for changes. The smooth change happens through the efforts of people who care and are willing to leap o a new dimension of possibilities. At the group or the organizational level, the roadblocks to changes include, but not limited to lack of directions, internal politics, culture, misaligned processes/systems, functional silos, wrong group thinking, etc. It’s helpful to know that any change within an organization is a process always involving trust and relationships, It needs to break down old habits and outdated thought process, create an organization in which change is the norm and happens the whole time thereby delivering faster and increasing market share.

Relying on technology only to solve problems: Organizations rely more and more on information technology. However, keep in mind, information and technology are the means to end, not the end. Today’s businesses become over complex, the comprehensive solutions to so many complex problems require interdisciplinary insight, multi-dimensional thought processes, effective communication and decision-making, optimal processes, efficient technology, cultural flexibility, and integral business capabilities. To both drive changes seamlessly and sustain their effect, organizations have to stretch out in every business dimension for driving change and digitalization. The strategy management and change management should go hand in hand so that the companies can act promptly according to situations with the rapid change business dynamic, both reap some quick wins and achieve the long-term business benefit.