The Power of Consensus: Unlocking Successful Digital Transformations

"In the realm of digital transformation, the significance of people surpasses that of technology." We have all come across numerous articles emphasizing the importance of individuals when it comes to digitally transforming organizations. Digital transformation encompasses various factors such as Business Process, Business Model, Domain, Technology, and Change Management. However, beneath this extensive jargon, there is an underlying aspect that every organization experiences.

Within the pillar of change management, the focus should strongly be on consensus. As a privileged leader, I have led & leading transformations at both the product and enterprise levels over the past two years. Through these experiences, I have learned the crucial nature of obtaining Consensus from all stakeholders involved.

"It's ok to yield time to gain significant advantages"

This means that if obtaining consensus takes a bit more time, it is necessary to pursue it for the larger value creation for the organization in the long term.

Allow me to outline key pointers that should be considered regarding consensus. These pointers have proven effective for me, and I believe they will be beneficial for a wider audience across the industry:

Embrace Inclusive Participation from the Outset

Recognize that transforming internal systems is not an easy game and cannot be accomplished overnight. For many large organizations, it can take years of continuous journey with no clear endpoint, as organizations need to stay agile to meet growing demands and adopt new technologies in the market. The starting point becomes a crucial milestone. Gather representatives from every important business function within your organization and establish the vision set by the leaders. Remember, there will be questions and opposing viewpoints, but it is important to align with the organization's vision set by its leaders.

Establish a Strategic Overview as the Starting Point

Attempting to detail every intricacy of such a significant transformation on day one is impractical. However, it is essential for everyone involved to understand the high-level objectives. Start by outlining the end-to-end value stream, including the systems and teams involved, as well as the high-level data flow.

Assemble an Effective and Aligned Team

Leading such a substantial change leaves no room for lethargic individuals. From the beginning, it is crucial to have people with the right intent at the table. A growth mindset is essential for the success of such large initiatives. This does not mean that those who oppose the transformation should be excluded from the team. In fact, they are often vital to the success of the journey, given that they share the same intent of ensuring organizational growth.

Foster Strong Collaborative Connections

No significant achievement can be accomplished by one person alone, especially in a transformative journey of this magnitude. It is important for the leader spearheading this change to build strong relationships with each stakeholder. This goes beyond ensuring everyone is on board; it is also about understanding their needs and priorities with a balanced perspective while charting the roadmap for digital transformation.

Align Performance Metrics for Success

What cannot be measured should not be pursued.

Your digital transformation journey should constantly deliver business value, whether it's an increase in revenue, a decrease in costs, an elimination of redundant tasks, or other relevant metrics.

While the above themes can help in building consensus across teams, it is important for the change driver to constantly understand the need for it. They must navigate through various internal frictions to reach the desired state of transformation. It will never be easy if the team driving the change is not convinced of its purpose.

This is the same team that will later drive user adoption and behavioral change, which are two crucial activities in any digital transformation's change management process.

Another reason why consensus is required is the fact that organizations operate with limited resources. While everyone desires rapid progress, it is important to acknowledge that reaching lofty goals overnight is not feasible. It becomes essential to prioritize tasks and focus on larger, more important priorities. Having a broad consensus in the driving team means that everyone acknowledges and is willing to deprioritize when necessary.

While I advocate the need for and importance of consensus, it is essential to address some major pitfalls and suggest ways to avoid them.

1.??????Consensus should not lead to mere groupthink. This would defeat the purpose of having a team set up for the transformative journey. It is crucial to foster an environment where vigorous debates are encouraged.

????????????"An easy consensus means thousands of unasked questions unanswered."

2.??????Actively seeking out individuals who oppose the common idea is critical. Dissent can be constructive if a healthy environment is created for discussing and addressing opposing viewpoints.

In this era of ever-advancing technology, it is imperative to recognize that people are at the core of all developments. Understanding that achieving consensus is halfway to winning the battle becomes a vital aspect of driving successful digital transformations.