How to drive effective transformation: First Fundamental in the Toolkit

Over the past few weeks, I have been focusing my work, research, and interactions around the challenges faced by corporations that are trying to transform. I have reviewed numerous job descriptions, resumes, and posts from organizations that emphasize the concept of transformation. This has led me to question the specific words and metrics that these organizations use to describe transformation. What are the key indicators of transformation? How do customers perceive and measure transformation, and are these measures reflected within the company? I recently came across a job posting for a Chief Transformation Officer, which outlined 16 deliverables ranging from cultural change to mentorship and continuous improvement, among others. This prompted me to ponder how these objectives will be achieved.

For Part One in this series of a Transformation Toolkit, I will focus on a critical unit of transformation: The consumer Experience. Many organizations I have studied, do not have a standard system with language, tools and methods, to understand, analyze, clarify, and prioritize their consumers' desired progress and outcomes. To amplify the importance of a system and putting consumers' progress first, I am including quotes from people who have led great transformations.

• Bob Moesta of the rewired group, shares "The idea of a 'circumstance' is essential to defining a job. A 'job' can only be defined – and a new solution created -- relative to the specific context in which it arises. This is the reference point needed to establish value,"
• Steve Jobs once said, "You've got to start with the customer experience and work backwards to the technology. You can't start with the technology and try to figure out where you're going to try to sell it." This underscores the importance of customer experience (CX) as a pivotal factor that transcends technology and marketing. CX is essentially about how individuals feel in each moment of truth."
• John Laseter, formerly with Pixar, advises filmmakers to "slow down" and explore beyond their existing knowledge, which is a valuable reminder of the significance of thorough research. Ed Catmull, Pixar's founder, said "research trips help in challenging preconceived notions, avoiding clichés, and inspiring creativity is a reminder of the value of firsthand experiences in driving innovation."
• Carlos Paz Saldan's, when he was at P & G, said "we only got that by experiencing how they lived their lives" emphasizes the value of experiential learning.
• LEGO's CEO said, "If you want to understand how animals live, you don't go to the zoo, you go to the jungle," which underscores the importance of gaining direct experience and insight.
• Jeaneanne Rae of Peer Insight noted that focusing on the human condition provides a more fertile starting point for innovation in today's highly competitive landscape.

R. Buckminster Fuller said, "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete,". His statement highlights the need for actionable steps to bring about change within a corporation. Merely having a new mindset or slogan is insufficient; it is our actions that drive change within an organization. To further clarify what to do, Buckminster's quote suffices, "If you want to teach people a new way of thinking, don't bother trying to teach them. Instead, give them a tool, the use of which will lead to new ways of thinking.' Jobs Theory not only serves as a powerful guide for innovation, but also provides a framework for understanding customer behavior, differentiating in the market, and articulating a company's purpose with precision.

Questions for Leaders:

1. What is your organization's documented system for understanding, analyzing, clarifying, and prioritizing your consumers' and employees' desired progress and outcomes?
2. If you were to ask your top 100 leaders and 100 frontline employees to describe the language, tools and methods used to understand and measure "experience" how many different answers would you get?
3. What dashboard do you have within the organization that reflects measures that your employees and customers care about in their day-to-day lives? In other words, their benefit metrics or as I refer to them, their Love Metrics?
4. What do you expect of your leaders in terms of hours and documented insights as it relates to immersing in the context of their employees' lives and customers' lives? How many immersion hours do you require them to spend in those whom they serve context?
5. What training do you provide to your organization so that every employee knows their role in driving transformation through the consumers' eyes and how to do that?

Without a documented and standard method for understanding the progress that your employees and customers seek, it is almost impossible to transform their experiences in a way that will drive loyalty to, commitment to, and word-of-mouth about your organization. If you aren't pleased with your own answers to the questions above, please reach out!