IT change management and transformation are essential skills for IT managers who want to keep up with the evolving needs and expectations of their customers, stakeholders, and employees. In this article, we will explore how you can foster a culture of learning and adaptation in your IT teams, and why this is beneficial for your organization.
IT change management and transformation are the processes of planning, implementing, and evaluating changes in the IT systems, services, and practices of an organization. Change management aims to minimize the risks and disruptions of change, while transformation aims to achieve long-term strategic goals and innovation. Both require effective communication, collaboration, and leadership from IT managers and their teams.
PDCA time: Plan What immediate (small) change can be taken on to move away from issues/pain points and towards positive transformation? Do Take action noting how the change works. Check How did that work out for the individual and/or team? Do things need to be revised/amended or would you recommend others take on the same change? Act Add the plan to the overall strategy for transformation; if the plan didn't work out well, consider what didn't work and why. Along the way it's possible you may identify a totally different direction to take things which is a better roadmap than initially envisioned. If this is the case, PIVOT! Use the opportunity to shift your overall strategy towards the more effective path you're uncovering.
A culture of learning and adaptation is a mindset and a set of behaviors that foster an environment of growth and development for IT teams. This culture encourages them to be open to change, learn from feedback, and strive to improve their performance and outcomes. By embracing this culture, IT teams can benefit in a variety of ways, such as responding more quickly and efficiently to customer needs and market conditions, honing their creativity and problem-solving abilities, increasing their engagement and satisfaction, minimizing errors and rework, and aligning their work with the organization's vision and values.
Often companies are running with a tall (hierarchical) structure for team management. This was effective back in a time where faxes and interoffice yellow envelopes were the primary means of communication. Modern tools/modern mindset. A team works best when everyone has engagement and an ability to contribute equally. Creating a culture of engagement, ownership, and collaboration fosters positive growth and advancement with the organization. This goes beyond the tools for communication and really calls for leadership to view the organization structure as flat (everyone has the opportunity to contribute). Demonstrating how you truly value each team member by shifting the structure will help foster a more engaging environment for success.
Culture of learning and adaptation is beneficial as it can: 1) Improve problem-solving because when encouraged to learn and adapt, we're all better aware of new solutions and more equipped to solving problems. 2) Increases innovation : it can encourages employees to think outside-the-box and come up with new ideas for overyone to benefit from. 3) Employees who feel like they are learning and growing are likely to be more satisfied with their jobs which will lead to lower turnover and increased productivity.
In order to cultivate a culture of learning and adaptation within your IT teams, it is essential to first comprehend your current IT culture and recognize the spaces and chances for growth. To evaluate your IT culture, you can employ a variety of tools and techniques, such as surveys and interviews with IT staff and stakeholders, observation and feedback sessions with IT teams, analysis of IT performance metrics and indicators, and benchmarking and comparison with other IT organizations or best practices. By doing so, you can gain a better understanding of your IT culture and identify areas for improvement.
Talk it out. Too often we work behind digital tools and collaborative documents don't necessarily mean you're actually sharing. The best survey and structure will have inherent limitations built into the form. Put people in a box and you shouldn't be surprised the output is a contained response. Getting direct feedback from people 1:1 and in a group setting allows everyone to be effectively heard and a deeper understanding of the overall opportunities for improvement can be had.
Once you have a clear picture of your current IT culture and your desired state, you need to create a vision and a plan for IT change and transformation. Your vision should articulate the purpose, benefits, and values of the change and transformation, and inspire your IT teams to support and participate in it. Your plan should outline the scope, objectives, milestones, roles, and responsibilities of the change and transformation, and how you will measure and communicate the progress and results.
There's a tendency for people to look at reaching the mountaintop as the entire point of a journey. While having a defined goal is important - the journey itself is really the main story. Read a novel about some person's trials and tribulations and we're fairly certain they'll come out on top in the end, but people don't read a story for the ending - they want to know HOW the person got there. Start small and focus on KISS (Keep It Simple & SUSTAINABLE). Look at the full track and mark you milestones and metrics to get to each stage, but work in small steps where you can readily shift things and scrap the longer plan IF you find a better way as you move forward. Set a goal, but don't lock yourself and others to it. Be open to the pivot.
For successful IT change and transformation, it is essential to engage and empower your IT teams. This can be done by involving them in the planning and implementation of the change and transformation, equipping them with the necessary resources, training, and support. Additionally, it is important to empower your IT teams to make decisions, take risks, and learn from their mistakes. To further engage and empower your IT teams, you should create a shared vision and goals for the change and transformation, provide regular and transparent communication and feedback, encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing, recognize and reward their achievements and contributions, and create a safe and supportive environment for learning and experimentation.
IT has always been about governance, standardization, and risk minimization. However, experimentation and adaptability are key in a tech world that is ever evolving and ever changing. IT leaders can foster this curiosity within their own teams by encouraging team members to look for (more) innovative and scalable solutions, test out new technologies and report back findings, and become active in communities of peers.
I agree with this and would add we need to lean on our network. Social networks like LinkedIn are SO MUCH MORE than a selling tool. Whether your network is 10 people or 10,000+ you have direct access to experience. Reach out to other organizations and people who are trying to achieve the change and transformation you're looking for - learn from their successes and failures. Be open to input and offer your experience and mentorship to others if you've been down the path they're going. you have access to an excellent tool and resource, but it's only useful if you use it...
Fostering a culture of learning and adaptation in your IT teams is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring and improvement. To ensure the success of your IT change and transformation, it is essential to evaluate the impact and outcomes, identify the strengths and weaknesses of your IT culture, and solicit and act on the feedback and suggestions of your IT teams and stakeholders. Additionally, it is important to celebrate and share the successes and lessons learned. To sustain and improve your IT culture, you should set and review SMART goals and indicators, conduct regular and comprehensive audits and reviews, implement corrective and preventive actions and improvements, create a feedback loop and a learning cycle for your IT teams, and build a community of practice and a network of champions for your IT culture.
Sprints are great for forward momentum, but remember to set time aside specifically for reflection and review. People need more than 15 minutes to feel heard and to hear. An hour at the end of the month for an honest and engaging discussion can potentially save several hours of wasted effort in the month ahead.