It is very common to find in planning conversations, typical of this stage of the year, the exchange about whether to address or accelerate, if it were underway, the digital transformation project in the organization.
In these dialogues, it is also common for a question to arise: Do we have the culture to face the digital transformation project or must we previously undertake a cultural transformation project that validates and facilitates it?
When this situation is presented as a dilemma, I usually refer to a concept of biological origin: mutualistic symbiosis which maintains that the two symbionts mutually benefit each other. In my opinion, This is the case between cultural transformation and digital transformation.
It’s a symbiotic processwhere one has to make the other better and vice versa.
Also, I try to emphasize the fact that transformation is a continuous scenario. Therefore, consciously or unconsciously, we find ourselves in an environment of change that requires our greatest capacity for resilience.
An encouraging indicator of the enabling culture for digital transformation It is awareness – realize – that we need to promote this process; But it is also key to recognize that digital transformation does not imply digitizing existing processes, but rather hack the management model so that the initiative is an opportunity to explore how we operate driven by a shared purpose.
Digital transformation is part of the journey; a medium; an enabler of the organization’s value proposition based on culture as a driver.
Culture is reflected in the behaviors that are a consequence of our mentality. When we approach a project of cultural transformation, we should start from a visible commitment to the purpose that triggers that movement. The organization’s leadership team must be an example of the change you want to see. Therefore, your conviction and commitment to the project requires being explicit, with milestones in the action plan that support the deployment of the initiative in the organization.
Another aspect that emerges intensely when getting ready for a digital transformation project is the presumption that we must all be knowledgeable in the management of different technologies. I have experienced, and not infrequently, the difficulty of some people with a “techie” profile in connecting with others in organizations.
Obviously, affinity with technology is a factor that can facilitate the process, but what is really key is having digital fluencya capacity displayed by people of open mind and eagerness to learn that promote environments where those who have the knowledge, creativity and proactivity to implement digitalization feel that they are advancing on fertile ground.
So Dilemma or Symbiosis?
The characteristic of a dilemma is that we must choose between two equally good or bad options. Tackle culture and digitalization as a symbiotic transformation pathallows us to be attentive to the awareness actions that we need to deploy so that people get involved and feel the win/win of the challenge.
Raul Lacaze He is a Partner at Backer & Partners, Master in Sociology and Coach specialized in Human Resources and Cultural and Digital Transformation.
by Raúl Lacaze
