Life Conversations: Signs Your Company Needs To Transform

What is stopping you from changing, but your own demons? - Ashish

There are many unique signs your business may be depicting that clearly tells you that the business approach as it currently exists is not working out. From internal signs like stagnating products/services, non-motivated workforce, and/or poor financial results, to external forces like competition outpacing you, these signs are common to spot. They often become the triggers to lead an organization-wide transformation initiative.

What are some other signs that you may be missing that are conditions when business transformation becomes a must-do, not a nice to have? In my two decades plus of leading business transformation, I have learned there are some common signs across all companies that if present, your company is ripe for change.

1. Memory and history are anchors to progress.

2. This is how it is always done is the prevailing attitude. Orthodoxy reigns and no one can explain its origin.

3. People treat ‘action’ as a choice, not as a rule.

4. Conventional wisdom is not based on deep thinking.

5. Emulating or chasing the competition is the only creativity in the organization.

6. Cautious management culture focused on not making mistakes and hence comfortable with only incremental steps.

7. Recalcitrant executives tolerating mediocre performance.

8. Context and real-world insights are missing.

9. Solutions are considered as a point solution, rather than weaved into an eco-system where the network effect creates more significant value.

10. Initiative gridlock with poor prioritization and no courage to kill bad efforts.

Final thought, the person who is the face of business transformation needs to approach change from people, culture, process, and technology integration and not as a point solution.