ChangeThis

How to Reverse the Dismal Failure Rate of Digital Transformations

By Tony Saldanha

"Most digital transformations fail for two reasons: 1) their transformation strategy lacks clarity and 2) they don't choose the right processes for disciplined execution. In short, they fail at the where of digital transformation and the how. The roots of the first part of the problem—the where—lie in the hyped-up, fuzzy interpretations of the term 'digital transformation. ' Every new IT tool, from new communications software to the next release of an SAP upgrade, is called digital transformation. Technology providers use "herd marketing" techniques to move executives to urgent action. Strong board members, CEOs and executives understandably jump at the opportunity to lead change. This necessary and decisive push by them ironically leads to a 'Ready-Fire-Fire' approach instead of 'Ready-Aim-Fire. ' The roots of the second part of the problem—the how—lie in fundamental misunderstandings of the appropriate methodology. Typically, IT projects rely on process improvement methodologies.

ChangeThis

It Is Your Right To Be Heard: Why Women's Voices Get Silenced and How to Set Them Free

By Veronica Rueckert

"The voice is an amazing gift, both a privilege and a responsibility. Using it takes courage, especially if you're a woman. We're given only a finite amount of time to figure out what it's for, to grow into ourselves enough that we can speak up when the time comes. Yet a woman's right to speak in public is a right that hasn't been fully granted."

ChangeThis

Rethinking Execution: The 'Salsa Scale' of Embedment

"Many organizations run good projects and develop good strategies, with lots of Gant charts, stakeholder engagement and communication plans; they deliver a solid technical output. They probably even have a 'Change Management Plan' that includes briefings and information sharing, but then the Project team is done: The technical solution has been provided, and this output is passed over the fence to Operational Teams. Whatever happens next is not their concern; they have delivered a good 'answer,' even though most Operational Teams never asked the question. Herein lies the problem with execution, and the need to rethink embedment."

ChangeThis

The New Era of Innovation

By Chris Duffey

"100 percent of jobs, 100 percent of industries, and 100 percent of professions will be affected by Artificial Intelligence in the next five to ten years, By 2020, companies using AI will take 1. 2 trillion from competitors who don't. Every day, we see or hear another mind-boggling statement about the impact Artificial Intelligence will have on the future. As consequential as these statements are, the truth is that nobody can predict just how profound this emerging technology will be. For example, just look at Amazon. No one could have foreseen that what started out as an online store could have grown to be one of the world's most powerful and valuable companies in the history of the earth, or more specifically, how the "Amazon Effect" would grow a supporting ecosystem comprised of manufactures, logics, and even suppliers like the cardboard box industry—all of which have greatly benefited from Amazon shipments. What we can be certain of is because of new emerging technology like AI, the rate of change will only increase.

ChangeThis

Become the Leader You Would Follow

By Scott Jeffrey Miller

"Leadership isn't always rewarding. It can feel like a bottomless pit of problem solving and adult-sitting. Leadership is exhausting, repetitive, and requires a constant stretch of your emotional and intellectual skills. It demands an 'always on' mentality, as you're expected to have all the right answers and make all the right decisions, often on the fly. But it doesn't mean leadership isn't important; on the contrary, often the things we struggle with yield the biggest return. It's okay if you admit that leadership can be hard and unenjoyable, because the benefits of being successful at it can be life-changing."

ChangeThis

Want to Be a Great Leader? Hit the Pause Button

"Today's leaders are being asked to both do more AND think more. Is that even possible? I'm a fan of multi-tasking but this seems unreasonable. Expecting leaders to succeed in the context of a constant act-more, think-more, produce-more world is self-defeating, at best. At worst, it could be disastrous for our projects, for our teams, and for our health. So, how do we keep pace and, at the same time, get better as leaders. We do so by questioning—even defying—conventional wisdom."

ChangeThis

5 Things We Think We Know about Strategy—and Why We're Wrong

By Edward Morrison, Scott Hutcheson, Elizabeth Nilsen

"Strategic planning has always been an ineffective tool to lead an organization. Don't believe us? That's the finding of the consulting firm McKinsey, which posits that up to 70 percent of strategic plans fail. The venerable institution of strategic planning is long overdue for at least a major overhaul, if not outright replacement."

ChangeThis

The Future of Sales is Radically Transparent—Are you Ready?

By Todd Caponi

"Buyers are driven by an innate desire to predict the experience they will have in making a purchase. Combine that with the proliferation of feedback and reviews on everything we buy, watch and experience, along with the feelings of trust created by authenticy, honesty and transparency. Sellers must now embrace this evolution."

ChangeThis

How to Turn Complexity Into Advantage

By David Komlos, David Benjamin

"With all the fuss about unprecedented and accelerating complexity, you'll probably be surprised to hear that today's standout leaders are solving their organization's defining challenges—including the seemingly intractable ones—and achieving their biggest goals at least ten-times faster and with a fraction of the effort than their peers."

ChangeThis

How to Green Your Company

"Traditionally, responsibility means looking out for the bottom line, and reporting financial performance to your shareholders if you are a publicly traded company. In today's world, responsibility is taking on a whole new meaning, including looking out for your employees and the natural environment."