Leading Government Digital Transformation—5 Guiding Principles

In my work with government leaders, I’ve yet to meet one who doesn’t agree with the need for digital transformation—in theory. Digitization is the only realistic way to do more with the same budget and staff. It’s a graceful way to retire government applications that are decades-old and expensive to maintain. And it helps meet people’s expectations that requesting government services should be as convenient as ordering a ride or a pizza.

Where government leaders struggle is the “how” of digitization. I’ll leave the technology discussion for another time—because as important as technology is, it takes a back seat to the real instruments of transformation—people. To drive your people to somewhere great, you first need to get them on the bus.?

Motivating by push and by pull

Leading government transformation isn’t easy. It requires a significant cultural shift. Suddenly, people who have been with the agency for years—maybe decades—need to think differently about change (good, not bad). About the speed of innovation (weeks, not years). About failing (fast, not tortuously slow).

Leaders can change their teams’ behaviors in two ways—push and pull. The push in the case of digital transformation is mandates like the 21st Century Digital Experience Act . Effective leaders augment push with pull—inspiring their teams with a vision of what the organization can accomplish through digitization. That’s what Levis did when they pivoted away from their perfectionist mindset to a tech-first mindset anchored around agile ways of working, and transformed their workforce by upskilling and creating an innovative and responsive culture around data savviness.

Here are five lessons government leaders can learn from their private-sector peers, who are several years ahead in their digital transformation journeys.

1 – Start small

The only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. For a quick win, start with a bite-sized transformation project. An example might be a self-service app for community engagement—e.g., to find clean water during disasters, apply for housing, or report emergencies or infrastructure in need of repair. Our public sector team can help you select a project that you can complete in weeks to see real value. Schedule a no-cost 1-day discovery session through our Open Innovation Labs .

2 – Model outcomes before investing too much time

My technical background is in modeling and simulation, and I can say with confidence that you can model anything. Business processes, financial processes, information systems. Once you’ve selected a digitization project, create a model or prototype. Then test it to make sure it meets the objectives. If not, you’ve saved time and money. Try another prototype. That’s how NASA solved the issue of operating, maintaining, and repairing systems when physical access was not possible, as they did with the Apollo 13 rescue mission. Today, they are using artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyze digital simulations to explore next-generation vehicles and aircraft.

3 – Solicit ongoing feedback from your other government leaders

Regularly update your peers (in your agency and others) on your progress and ask about their progress. Welcome feedback and expect to compromise. Building a successful digital enterprise requires changes in technology to be adopted in an iterative manner—using a “think big, act small” interactive approach—making steady and self-correcting progress toward the objective. Transformation isn’t linear—I’ve rarely seen an organization precisely follow the path they mapped out at the beginning. As you collaborate, be open-minded, open-hearted, and communicative. I like to keep in mind that it’s a good compromise when neither party gets everything they want, but both parties get something they want.

4 – Learn from C-level executives in the public sector

Leaders frequently move between the private and public sectors. You might even have done this yourself. Seek out private-sector executives who have successfully led transformation. Studying their stories can help you replicate their successes—and dodge their errors.?I’ve made some valued connections with business leaders through the Association for Corporate Growth , and also take inspiration from the biographies of business people. One of my favorites is Sandra Kurtzing , Silicon Valley’s first female CEO of a public company.?

5 – Celebrate small victories

Built your first citizen-engagement app? Found a new way to crowd-source data for emergency response? Increased community satisfaction scores? Celebrate! Publicize your wins throughout your organization in blogs and posts. Transformation is about people, and people like knowing that they’re doing their jobs well. Inspire them by shining a spotlight on how their efforts are helping the people your agency serves.

Please introduce yourself

For more ideas on leading digital transformation, I invite you to attend the following events. I hope you’ll find me and introduce yourself!?

Red Hat at AWS Summit , Washington D.C., Public Sector on April 23

Red Hat Summit (virtual), May 10-11, 2022

Clara Conti is currently working as VP & General Manager - Red Hat Public Sector . She is a corporate restructuring guru and founder of multiple business startups. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter .