Why changes to people and process in digital transformation may feel intangible but are actually the key to success

Over the years, we’ve dismantled many myths and misunderstandings in the world of digital strategy and transformation. For example, few still approach digital transformation as a “one and done” investment. 

One misconception that’s proving harder to shake is the idea that investing in digital transformation simply means investing in new technology. So often, organisations pay out for shiny new tech, only to find that it hasn’t solved all their problems. 

The reason is that they haven’t accompanied that tech upgrade with investment in people, skills, culture and mindset. Because new technology calls for a new approach. The old ways of working no longer fit. 

Whether it’s developing new skills, changing processes and communication, or reconsidering how we plan, prioritise and make decisions: unless we tackle these ‘intangible’ elements, the tangible stuff (your new software, platform or product) just won’t solve your problems. 

The trouble is that intangible change is hard to get our heads around. What do we get for our investment? How can we show where our money’s gone?

The mindset and expectations of intangible change

While there is an increasing amount of research and evidence into the link between happy staff and effective and efficient organisations, intangible investment asks you to look beyond KPIs and immediate deliverables. It asks you to recalibrate your expectations. These are some useful things to know: 

It takes time

Changes to people and process aren’t quick. You can’t expect one or two coaching sessions or an afternoon of team building activities to do the trick. Perhaps you’ve tried such quick-fix measures before and written them off as not having worked. But intangible change needs time to take effect. And that’s simply because you need to go at the pace of the people you work with. They need to feel heard. They need to be involved in making decisions. And that takes time.

It doesn’t have a fixed end point

While unpacking one challenge within your people or processes, you might uncover another that needs attention. It’s rare that a fixed number of team sessions or a one-off training programme will resolve everything. Chances are, a year down the line, approaches or attitudes will need reviewing and updating. In this complex and rapidly changing world, it’s important to continually reflect and learn to move forward. 

And this can feel scary. You want something to show in exchange for your time spent on ‘soft’ people work. You want a neat and tidy end point after which the work is completed. But this work has to be continuous and regular for your organisation to survive and move ahead.

It requires devolved focus and power

Your focus needs to move away from what you can do for your organisation to what you can deliver for your audience which then helps you bring about the change you want to see. This change towards audience focus is revolutionary and requires a major mindset shift. 

The job of people leading the change is to set the new direction and then hand over to teams. Everyone who can contribute to exceptional audience experience needs to be heard and involved in decision-making, regardless of their pay grade. This builds trust and accountability within teams. Because if people have an opportunity to shape decisions, they are more likely to feel accountable for delivering the outcomes.

It delivers cumulative results

The change needs to be championed at the top but it will spread from the bottom up. You may feel that change is very slow at first. But, like a muscle, as your team practices over time they will become more effective and efficient. And if a team is enjoying this non-hierarchical way of working, other teams will become curious and want to try the approach. Or people from your team will move to others and spread the love. 

It’s not easy to measure

It’s easier to make the case for tangible change, like new technology. But making the case for the intangible: how we build and work as teams, how we change mindsets, that’s still hard to explain. There’s no shiny object at the end. No new website. No new CRM. 

This is when we have to trust in qualitative data. When teams tell us they feel good about the new approach. When they demonstrate a clear understanding of their value to the team. When they have overcome fear of change and feel confident and capable in their role. 

Now you have clearer expectations of the goals, roles and requirements of intangible change, perhaps you’re wondering whether your teams need this kind of intangible support. 

To determine whether they’re operating efficiently for the digital age, ask yourself these questions:

Is your team adapted for digital transformation? A checklist

Is the team clear on and united in its purpose?

Or, when you ask 12 team members about their purpose do you get 12 different answers?

Is there complete alignment between the team and stakeholders on the roles and responsibilities of the team? 

Or does the wider organisation think your team is a group of experts delivering tactical solutions to problems as required, but the team sees itself as the strategist for the whole organisation with a stake in decision-making?

Does the team have clear communication with the rest of the organisation?

Or are they thick as thieves, with no open communication channels to the rest of the organisation, leading everyone to believe that they are blockers to other teams’ ambitions?

Does the team have the power to make decisions and take action quickly? 

Or is it hampered by lengthy, time-consuming sign-off processes or a long chain of command?

Is there trust between team members? 

Or do more senior members feel they have to handhold the juniors, even though they’re perfectly capable?

Can the team disagree constructively and resolve differences?

Or do the opinions of a few slip through unchallenged due to hierarchy, culture or status?

Are there outlets for every member to express themselves and feel heard?

Or are orders given top down without insights from the wider team?

Do end of project reviews ask how the team performed and what could be improved?

Or do they focus purely on outcomes and KPIs? 

What does success look like following intangible change?

The good news for your stakeholders, budget allocators and C-suite is that eventually, even intangible change becomes tangible. Just like in these examples. 

For Save the Children, changes to mindset, culture, team and process meant the marketing department could put out products that used to take six months in six weeks.

For another non-profit, manually sending out emails was costing enormous amounts of time and destroying team morale. After listening to what the team really wanted and needed to succeed, we switched most of the emails to automation. The change cut 60% of the time spent on sending emails, giving the team more time to improve the emails themselves and work on other projects. 

Working for a non-profit, a digital campaigner had to pass five layers of stakeholder sign-off just to send a single email. They became unmotivated and uninspired. Drawing on the lessons from Save the Children, a de-hierarchised approach would create a team of equals representing the five stakeholders. Then the campaigner could do their job more efficiently and effectively, improving their productivity, wellbeing and job satisfaction.