Articles

Once you have launched your transformation program, your greatest challenge will be keeping momentum to overcome the onslaught of inertia and competing priorities.  If your vision is big enough and business objectives real, then it is worth the effort it takes to keep things moving toward your goal.

Keep the Plates Spinning

There is a natural cycle that occurs after a transformation program launches. There is an immediate surge based on the excitement that things are going to change - that it is really different this time. For the first 4-6 months there is a wave of energy. It is crucial that some early wins are put up on the board during this time.

After this initial period, inertia will begin to set in. Your team will begin to get hit from different sides with the latest "new priority" and they can start to get distracted. You will also enter what is called "the trough of despair" when your team is putting forth a lot of effor trying to solve some bigger problems, but the wins are not coming quite as quickly. They will be at risk for becoming demoralized and disillusioned.

This is the Time to Double Down

It is at this moment that your team will need you the most. You need to encourage them, reward them and remind them how important the transformational program is to the organization. It is easy to get focused on the latest "fire" and forget the importance of the transformation you began with such fanfare. It is just as easy for you to get distracted. During this time you need to focus on a few key areas:

• Remember, Revalidate and Remind: Remind yourself and your team why you began this journey in the first place - if your vision was real, then your transformation is the most important thing on your plate
• Transformation is Thankless: The world rewards heroes in the moment, but visionaries only when that vision is realized. While the hard work is being done, it can seem that no one cares. Take the time to recognize and reward your team constantly. They need to know that this program is still worth the effort that they are putting into it
• Focus on Behaviors, Then Results: Your ACT and Metrics teams are critical as you move through this process. You need to begin by focusing on the behaviors you want to see changed and then, gradually, shift your team's focus to the measurable results those behaviors deliver. This will enable you to build early momentum, but also ensure that you achieve the results you desire
• The End is the Beginning: By definition, a transformation program has a beginning and an end. But the transformation of your organization is not a project - it is a journey. Your real goal is to create a dynamic, learning organization that remains in a constant state of transformation. Do not fall into the trap of getting so focused on the "official" objectives that you miss the real prize

Leading your organization through a transformational process may be one of the most difficult things you ever do, but it will also be the most rewarding. It takes real commitment and real leadership, but the result is an IT organization that is fundamentally changed for the better.

Are you ready to take your team to the future?