Our final Digital Symposium of the year is just around the corner. Join us on December 9 as technology leaders across industries share their insights on talent strategy and upskilling, creating new pathways to innovation, and the trends and priorities guiding CIOs’ efforts in the year ahead.
CIOs and other technology leaders, register here to reserve your spot today. We look forward to seeing you!
(Click here for highlights from our last Digital Symposium, and stay tuned to our YouTube channel for videos of our panel discussions.)
12:00 – 12:05
Welcome and Introductions
Welcome and introduction to the Metis Strategy team.
Peter High, President, Metis Strategy
12:05 – 12:20
Fireside Chat: Jim McKelvey, Square
Jim McKelvey, Co-Founder, Square; Founder, Invisibly; Author, The Innovation Stack
12:20 – 12:40
Panel: Scaling AI to Deliver New Customer Experiences
Amir Arooni, Chief Information Officer, Discover Financial
Dean Del Vecchio, CIO and Chief of Operations, Guardian Life
Moderated by Michael Bertha, Vice President and Central Office Lead, Metis Strategy
12:40 – 12:55
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Taso Du Val, Toptal
Taso Du Val, Co-Founder & CEO, Toptal
12:55 – 1:15
Panel: Fostering Agility Across the Enterprise
Warren Kudman, Chief Information Officer, Turner Construction
Michael Ruttledge, CIO and Head of Technology Services, Citizens Financial
Moderated by Alex Kraus, Vice President and East Coast Office Lead, Metis Strategy
1:15 – 1:35
Panel: Rethinking Talent Strategy for the Next Normal
Casey Santos, Chief Information Officer, Asurion
Sri Donthi, Chief Technology Officer, Advance Auto Parts
Moderated by Steven Norton, Co-Head Executive Networks, Research, and Media, Metis Strategy
1:35 – 1:50
Digital Spotlight: Anand Birje, HCL Technologies
Anand Birje, Senior Corporate VP & Head of Digital Business, HCL Technologies
1:50 – 2:10
Panel: Digital Platforms as Strategic Growth Drivers
Shri Santhanam, EVP & Global Head of Analytics and AI, Experian
Anjana Harve, Global Chief Information Officer, Fresenius Medical Care
Moderated by Chris Davis, Vice President and West Coast Office Lead, Metis Strategy
2:10 – 2:25
Fireside Chat: Mike McNamara, Target
Mike McNamara, Chief Information Officer, Target
Click here for highlights from our last Digital Symposium, or view the panel discussions on YouTube.
December’s speaker lineup is below, and the full agenda will be released shortly. CIOs and other technology leaders, register here to reserve your spot today. We look forward to seeing you!
Speakers include:
Join best-in-class technology leaders to learn how today’s top companies are driving digital transformations and maintaining an innovative edge amid a time of unprecedented change and uncertainty.
Our agenda is below. CIOs and other technology leaders, register here to reserve your spot today, and stay tuned for more updates.
Noon
Welcome
12:10 – 12:25
Fireside Chat: Barbara Lavernos, Deputy CEO, L’Oréal
Barbara shares lessons from the company’s remarkable transformation, which has fused science and technology to create cutting-edge beauty products and design new digital journeys for customers.
Barbara Lavernos, Deputy CEO for Research, Innovation, and Technology, L’Oréal
12:25 – 12:45
Panel: Digital Acceleration and Innovation in Times of Uncertainty
By all accounts, the global pandemic has further accelerated the already rapid pace of digital transformation and increased the urgency for more robust business capabilities across all aspects of organizational operating models and business ecosystems. In this context, many organizations have found ways to strengthen business capabilities for the benefit of all stakeholders. The global CIOs of Corteva Agriscience and Johnson & Johnson will share how their teams have found unique ways to innovate, achieve higher levels of agility, and build sustainable resilience in the face of ongoing uncertainty.
Debra King, SVP, Chief Information Officer and Chief Transformation Officer, Corteva Agriscience
Jim Swanson, EVP & Enterprise CIO, Johnson & Johnson
12:45 – 1:00
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Mickey Boodaei, Transmit Security
Just weeks ago, Transmit Security raised $543 million in Series A funding and had a pre-money valuation of $2.2 billion, marking the largest Series A in the history of cybersecurity and one of the highest valuations for a bootstrapped company. In this fireside chat, Transmit Founder and CEO Mickey Boodaei the evolution of identity and authentication as the world moves toward a post-password future.
Mickey Boodaei, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Transmit Security
Moderated by Peter High, President, Metis Strategy
1:00 – 1:20
Panel: How Fifth Third Bancorp Drives a Culture of Innovation
Fifth Third Bancorp is among the largest money managers in the Midwest, with $483 billion in assets under management as of June 30. Greg Carmichael, the company’s President, Chairman, and CEO, joined the company in 2003 as Chief Information Officer. In this discussion, he shares lessons learned on his path to the CEO role and chats with the company’s current CIO about the company’s investments in FinTech and its continued push to build world-class digital capabilities for its customers.
Greg Carmichael, Chief Executive Officer, Fifth Third Bank
Jude Schramm, Chief Information Officer, Fifth Third Bank
1:20 – 1:35
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Ed Jennings, Quickbase
The CEO of Quickbase describes how automation, low-code and no-code platforms are enabling organizational agility and the role of Citizen Automation in the future of work.
Ed Jennings, Chief Executive Officer, Quickbase
1:35 – 1:55
Panel: IT-Led Breakthroughs and the Digital Shift in Insurance
Technology leaders from two major insurance companies will discuss the role of IT in defining and enabling the future of work, IT-led digital breakthroughs, and the foundational changes that digital capabilities are bringing to the insurance industry.
Lisa Davis, SVP & Chief Information Officer, Blue Shield of California
Mike Shadler, SVP & Chief Information Officer, Pacific Life
Moderated by Chris Davis, Vice President & West Coast Lead, Metis Strategy
1:55 – 2:15
Panel: A People-Focused Approach to Transformation
Organizations increasingly acknowledge that creating an outstanding customer experience requires enabling an equally outstanding employee experience. In this session, technology leaders will discuss how digital efforts focused on people are driving engagement and enabling the development of new capabilities.
Mike Giresi, Chief Digital Technology Officer, Molex LLC
Tim Dickson, Chief Information Officer, Generac
2:15 – 2:30
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Bernadette Nixon, Algolia
Algolia processes more than 1.5 trillion searches per year across more than 10,000 business customers. In this session, CEO Bernadette Nixon discusses what’s next for search and the growing role that APIs play in delivering seamless customer experiences.
Bernadette Nixon, Chief Executive Officer, Algolia
2:30 – 2:50
Panel: Combining AI and IoT to drive digital processes
Companies today rely on a rapidly evolving combination of artificial intelligence and Internet of Things applications as they modernize their operations for the digital age. In this discussion, technology leaders share their insights on successfully scaling and monitoring these digital processes to drive efficiency and product innovation.
Vagesh Dave, GVP & Chief Information Officer, McDermott International
Danielle Brown, SVP & Chief Information Officer, Whirlpool
Moderated by Michael Bertha, Managing Director and Central Office Lead, Metis Strategy
The third Metis Strategy Digital Symposium of 2021 is in the books. A special thanks goes to the global CIOs, CEOs and entrepreneurs who offered their perspectives on the future of work and innovation and shared their organizations’ plans for returning to the office and an emerging “new normal.”
Below are a few takeaways from the event. Check out our YouTube channel in the coming weeks to view recordings of individual panel discussions.
Digital acceleration focuses on employee and customer experience. The pandemic unleashed a wave of digital acceleration as organizations navigated a rapid shift in how we live and work. As parts of the world begin to reopen, CIOs say they expect that acceleration to continue as organizations seek to create tools that deliver value to customers quickly across both physical and digital channels.
Hotels, for example, are upgrading Wi-Fi to create a better experience for guests who may blend work and pleasure while staying at a property. Updated apps will allow guests to schedule housekeeping at times that fit their preferences, providing more flexibility to guests while driving changes to internal operations. At B2B companies, digital experiences such as virtual coaching and real estate tours are likely to continue even as more people return to offices. Technology leaders noted continued investments in technology platforms that will allow their organizations to adapt to changing circumstances quickly.
Hybrid work models get their first big test. As a “new normal” comes into focus, one thing executives agree on is that the future of work will be hybrid. When asked what an anticipated future-of-work operating model would look like, 92% of attendees indicated it would be some form of hybrid work. Indeed, 60% said they have communicated future-of-work plans to employees, while nearly 30% said they plan to do so in the next few months.
While the future may be hybrid, a return to the office will not be uniform across industries and developing a playbook has been more of an art than a science. Leaders noted that while they have established plans around the future of work, they expect those plans to adapt as they test new ways of working and learn what works well (and what does not). Nevertheless, they say a mix of in-person and remote working will create opportunities to attract new talent and foster new forms of innovation.
Platform investment aids sustainable, scalable innovation. Many executives noted faster decision making as one of the pandemic’s silver linings. A challenge for IT leaders now is figuring out how to maintain a spirit of speed and innovation while providing the tools and governance needed to deliver growth. As one executive put it: delivering “business value at startup speed.”
CIOs said enterprise-wide technology platforms increasingly play a role in doing just that. At Pizza Hut, for example, platforms have become the foundation upon which new innovations can be delivered. That approach allows for sufficient governance of new initiatives while allowing new solutions to scale quickly, improve productivity, and reduce costs.
IT increasingly key to enabling enterprise strategy. Vanguard CEO Tim Buckley (himself the company’s former CIO) and current CIO John Marcante discussed how the company’s rotation programs helped develop them as leaders. These programs allow leaders to “drink deeply” in technology while giving them a broader view of the business, a perspective that ultimately helped them understand technology’s role in achieving business objectives. While metrics like productivity and uptime are important, Marcante said, technology leaders’ influence shows itself in how they apply technology to enterprise strategy and create more flexibility for the business.
For CIOs hoping to ascend to the CEO role, or even to be more valuable in their current position, Buckley advised executives to not only know their own role deeply, but to also learn and understand the challenges facing colleagues across the business. “Being good at your job is table stakes,” Buckley said. “If you want to be a change agent, you have to understand other peoples’ [jobs]…”
Low-code/no-code continues to democratize IT: The pandemic spurred an uptick in adoption of low-code and no-code tools to build work apps, with Forrester estimating that the market has grown by 23% between 2019 and 2021. Quickbase CEO Ed Jennings said that has caused some IT departments to warm to the idea of citizen developers, employees outside IT who create business applications for themselves or others. Jennings said low-code/no-code applications may be part of the solution as companies continue to face talent shortages, particularly among technical staff. Indeed, 56% of executives polled at the event noted that finding candidates with the proper skillset is the biggest obstacle to hiring. If the barriers to creating useful business applications dissolve, Jennings said, IT increasingly becomes the responsibility of the entire organization. Many executives we have spoken with say they continue to experiment with the technology.
Stay tuned for more information on our next Digital Symposium, which will take place September 22.
As leaders continue to position their organizations for a new normal, they are re-tooling their operations for hybrid working models, automating a growing number of processes, and creating data-driven digital experiences for customers and employees. As the pace of change accelerates, understanding technology and its potential to deliver value is a mandate not only for technology leaders but also for their peers in the C-suite. For CIOs, this presents an unprecedented opportunity to be a catalyst for transformational change across all levels and functions of an organization.
On June 24, we are excited and honored to welcome an outstanding lineup of CIOs, Chief Executive Officers, and other C-suite leaders to share their perspectives on the evolving nature of work, the critical role that technology plays in enabling future growth, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. We will also hear from prominent CIOs-turned-CEOs who will reflect on their journeys and share practical advice for building strong relationships between chief executives and technology leaders.
If you are a CIO, CDO, CTO or other senior technology leader, register here to reserve your spot. We look forward to welcomging you!
Noon – 12:05
Welcome and introduction to Metis Strategy team.
12:05 – 12:25
Panel: The Future of Hospitality
The pandemic upended the way the world travels. In this session, technology leaders from travel companies IHG and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts share their thoughts on the future of work and the ways in which the hospitality industry will evolve in the years to come.
Dan Blanchard, Chief Technology Officer, InterContinental Hotels Group
Scott Strickland, Chief Information Officer, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts
Moderated by Alex Kraus, Vice President and East Coast Lead, Metis Strategy
12:25 – 12:40
12:40 – 1:00
Panel: Scaling Sustainable Innovation
As digital initiatives continue to accelerate, technology leaders must create the structures that enable scalable and sustainable innovation. This session will explore how CIOs can align vision, skill sets, and culture to foster an innovation capability that is primed to deliver results.
Nick Colisto, Chief Information Officer, Avery Dennison
Helen Vaid, Chief Customer Officer, Pizza Hut
Moderated by Chris Davis, Vice President and West Coast Lead, Metis Strategy
1:00 – 1:30
Panel: How Vanguard Leads and Innovates in Trying Times
Tim Buckley, Chairman and CEO of financial giant Vanguard, served as the company’s Chief Information Officer, Managing Director for Retail Investors, Chief Investment Officer and President before taking on the top job. In this session, Tim will reflect on his pathway from CIO to CEO and speak with current Chief Information Officer John Marcante about the ways in which technology is driving growth and innovation across the organization.
Tim Buckley, Chief Executive Officer, Vanguard
John Marcante, Chief Information Officer, Vanguard
1:30 – 1:45
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Rakesh Loonkar, Transmit Security
In this session, Rakesh will describe how companies are evolving their identity management and authentication practices for a post-password era.
Rakesh Loonkar, Co-Founder and President, Transmit Security
1:45 – 2:05
Panel: Defining and Architecting a New Normal
Leaders from American Airlines and real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield reflect on recent evolutions across their respective industries and describe how to build for growth during a time of continued change Technology leaders at some of the world’s largest airlines and commercial real estate firms.
Maya Leibman, Chief Information Officer, American Airlines
Adam Stanley, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer, Cushman & Wakefield
2:05 – 2:25
Panel: Rapid Innovation Amid Increasing Uncertainty
In this session, technology leaders from Moderna and Nationwide will describe how their firms managed a massive digital acceleration amid the pandemic and how the growing importance of data across all aspects of their organizations’ operations.
Marcello Damiani, Chief Digital and Operational Excellence Officer, Moderna
Jim Fowler, Chief Technology Officer, Nationwide
What separates the companies that have succeeded for decades from those that have faded? Successful companies built nimbleness into their DNA.
As established firms face tougher competition from digital natives and an ever-increasing pace of change, fostering that nimbleness is critical. To do so, companies must modernize practices related to people, process, technology, ecosystems, and strategy. This conference will highlight the stories of companies who have done all of the above best, including Capital One, FedEx, Novant Health, and The Washington Post.
The full agenda is below. If you are a technology executive interested in attending, please email steven.norton@metisstrategy.com. We look forward to welcoming you!
Noon – 12:15
Welcome: Getting to Nimble
Metis Strategy President Peter High will share introductory remarks and outline the concept of nimbleness as it relates to digital transformation.
12:15 – 12:30
The Importance of Adaptability featuring General Stanley McChrystal
Drawing on his experience as a general in the United States Army and leader of the Joint Special Operations Command, Gen. McChrystal will discuss how a common purpose, trust, and individual empowerment can help organizations break down traditional silos and move with the speed and agility of their most nimble competitors.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, retired four-star general, US Army, and leader of Joint Special Operations Command
12:30 – 12:50
People: The Key to Success
Talented and motivated people are crucial to any successful transformation effort. This panel will explore how two leading companies have driven foundational change in IT by rethinking roles, recruiting strategies, and retention efforts.
Rob Alexander, Chief Information Officer, Capital One
Kimberly Johnson, Chief Operating Officer, Fannie Mae
Moderated by Peter High, Metis Strategy
12:50 – 1:05
Entrepreneur Spotlight: The Future of Authentication
This conversation will explore the ways in which companies are moving beyond passwords and re-thinking identity and access management in the post-pandemic world.
Rakesh Loonkar, co-Founder and President, Transmit Security
1:05 – 1:25
Process: An Opportunity to Define your Company’s Future
For many companies, processes are inadequately mapped out and have not been updated to reflect changing times. In this session, we will discuss how process modernization efforts can engage a diverse array of contributors across organizations and literally define the future of work.
Shamim Mohammad, Chief Information and Technology Officer, CarMax
Melanie Kalmar, CIO and Chief Digital Officer, Dow
1:25 – 1:40
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Overcoming Increasingly Nimble Adversaries
As companies grow nimbler, so do the actors who may wish to exploit them. In this entrepreneur spotlight, George will discuss his career in the cybersecurity industry and explore the biggest cybersecurity threats facing enterprises today.
George Kurtz, President, CEO, and co-Founder, CrowdStrike
1:40 – 2:00
Strategy: Harnessing Strategic Alignment to Drive Growth
Without a clear strategy, the advances made by cultivating your people, process, technology, and ecosystem will be difficult to realize. In this session, we will explore how technology leaders can drive strategic alignment across the enterprise.
Shailesh Prakash, CIO and Chief Product Officer, The Washington Post Company
Chintan Mehta, CIO and Head of Digital Technology and Innovation, Wells Fargo
2:00 – 2:20
Technology: Building the Foundation for a Nimble Enterprise
Sprawling technical debt and outdated legacy systems often signal a company that hasn’t built nimbleness into its DNA. This conversation will focus on leaders who addressed technical debt head-on and embraced new technologies and platforms that deliver speed and flexibility.
Rob Carter, Chief Information Officer, FedEx
Steve Randich, Chief Information Officer, FINRA
2:20 – 2:35
Entrepreneur Spotlight: The Rise of Zero Trust
In this discussion, Jay will discuss the rise of Zero Trust architecture and share his perspective on the changing security landscape as we prepare for a world of cloud, IoT, and 5G.
Jay Chaudhry, CEO, Chairman, and Founder, Zscaler
2:35 – 2:55
Ecosystems: Sources of Insight and Innovation
The network you cultivate has the power to shape both the direction of your organization and your evolution as a leader. This panel will explore best practices for cultivating strong and lasting relationships with peers, customers, recruiters, venture capitalists, and other partners.
Angela Yochem, Chief Transformation and Digital Officer, Novant Health
George Llado, CIO, Alexion Pharmaceuticals
2:55 – 3:00
Closing Remarks
Peter High, Metis Strategy
On January 26 at Noon EST, global technology executives, entrepreneurs, investors, and CEOs will gather virtually to discuss topics that are top-of-mind for CIOs in 2021. Our conversations will explore how firms can maintain digital momentum and develop innovative cultures amid a new world of work, scale their data and analytics efforts to deliver meaningful business growth, and create a more diverse, inclusive, and equitable technology industry.
Please see the agenda below. To learn more or request an invitation, please email steven.norton@metisstrategy.com. We look forward to seeing you there!
Noon ET
Welcome and introductions
12:10 pm – 12:30 p.m. ET
Rethinking Employee Experience for a New World of Work
As companies continue to move toward “hybrid” working models that blend in-office and distributed work, they are simultaneously re-examining what it means to deliver an outstanding employee experience. This discussion will explore how technology leaders are enabling employees to do their best work no matter their physical location.
Rick Rioboli, CIO, Comcast
Richard Cox, CIO, Cox Enterprises
12:30 pm – 12:50 p.m. ET
Digital Customer Experience and Innovation
The global pandemic is widely recognized as a digital accelerator and a major factor shaping the future of work. The combination of novel digital capabilities and innovative ways to collaborate will shape employee and customer experiences for the foreseeable future. In this panel discussion, CIOs from Stanley Black & Decker and Verizon will share how they have turned pandemic-induced challenges into opportunities to make lasting improvements that benefit employees and customers alike.
Shankar Arumugavelu, Global CIO, Verizon
Rhonda Gass, VP and Chief Information Officer, Stanley Black & Decker
12:50 p.m. – 1:05 p.m. ET
Entrepreneur Spotlight: Ashok Reddy, Digital.ai
In this fireside chat, Ashok will discuss his journey from firms such as Broadcom, CA Technologies, IBM and Honeywell to his current role at Digital.ai. He’ll also share thoughts on how connecting software development and delivery to strategic business outcomes can help companies achieve their digital transformation goals.
Ashok Reddy, CEO, Digital.ai
1:05 p.m. – 1:25 p.m. ET
Creating a Diverse and Equitable Workforce
Diversity, inclusion, and equity efforts rose to the top of many CIO agendas in 2020. In this panel, we will discuss strategies for developing diverse talent pipelines, creating inclusive and equitable organizations, and becoming an agent for positive organizational change. We will also discuss TechPACT, an initiative that aims to increase underrepresented communities in technology and “create a world where anyone with a passion for technology will have the opportunity to succeed.”
Janet Sherlock, CIO, Ralph Lauren
Earl Newsome, Americas CIO, Linde
Moderated by Steven Norton, Co-Head of Research, Media, and Executive Networks, Metis Strategy
1:25 p.m. – 1:45 p.m. ET
How Data and AI are Transforming Health Care
After a year of massive change in the health care space, leaders will discuss how advanced analytics and other technologies will enable greater transformation in the year ahead.
Ramkumar Rayapureddy, Global CIO, Viatris
Mark Hill, Chief Digital Information Officer, CSL Behring
1:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m. ET
Behind the Scenes: Data-Driven Operations
We’ve all heard the saying that “data is the new oil,” but what does that mean in practice? This panel will explore how technology executives are embedding data and analytics across their organizations to enable a culture of innovation, unlock new efficiencies, and deliver differentiated products and services.
Shaleen Devgun, CIO, Schneider National
Atif Rafiq, President of Customers, Commercial & Growth, MGM Resorts International
2:05 p.m. – 2:25 p.m.
Technology and Innovation in Financial Services
Megan Crespi of Comerica and Catherine Zhou of HSBC discuss the technology trends shaping the finance industry in the year ahead.
Megan Crespi, Chief Operations & Technology Officer, Comerica Bank
Catherine Zhou, Global Head of Venture, Digital Innovation and Partnerships, HSBC
2:25 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
Security in Unprecedented Times
Peter and Shawn will discuss the implications of the SolarWinds attack on large companies, as well as the threats and trends that are shaping today’s cybersecurity landscape.
Shawn Henry, President, CrowdStrike Services and CSO, former FBI Executive Assistant Director
2:40 p.m. – 2:55 p.m. ET
Fireside chat with Daniela Rus, director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Daniela will share her thoughts on the evolution of AI in the enterprise and shine a light on some of the latest research coming out of MIT, including an initiative to build self-driving cars and enable mobility on demand.
Daniela Rus, director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
Organizational agility — the ability to continuously improve, iterate, and adapt to fast-changing technology developments and customer expectations — has long set apart corporate leaders from laggards. The pace of change and innovation has never been faster and technology developments and digitalization set the pace as much as they demonstrate the impact of change for businesses and individuals alike.
If the pace of change, (and need to keep up to remain competitive) wasn’t already fast enough, the current environment, shaped by a global health crisis and the related economic uncertainty, is recognized as a (digital) change accelerator extraordinaire. A number of data points emerge that confirm the extraordinary pace and magnitude of change that is occurring. In a survey by Fortune, for example, 77% of CEOs say that their company’s “digital transformation was accelerated during the crisis.” And of the 100 CIOs, CTOs, and CDOs who attended the Metis Strategy Digital Symposium this summer, 72% said that the pace of their organization’s digital transformation accelerated since the pandemic started.
The crisis is expected to further shape the competitive landscape and likely widen the gap between organizations on the path to a successful future and those fighting for survival in a post-Covid “new normal” world.
Of the factors that will determine success or failure, two feature prominently on essentially all executives’ agendas: digital readiness and organizational agility. Both of these are tied to an organization’s organizational change management capabilities.
It may appear logical that organizations and their business and technology leaders would focus relentlessly on making sure that organizational change management (OCM) capabilities are mature and ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice, especially since change initiatives will remain an integral part of business operations and are widely expected to increase. However, despite the widely recognized need for more organizational agility, OCM is still an underdeveloped, underutilized, and underappreciated competence, even in organizations that are otherwise recognized as being high-performing and successful in their core competencies.
Most companies have some change management capabilities within their organizations, but often these efforts start too late or are haphazard in their implementation. This can lead to frustration among employees and customers and may ultimately lead to higher cost and/or risk. Digital transformation, for example, requires a great deal of change, and 70 percent of digital transformation efforts do not fulfill the promises made. Sometimes, change management may be viewed as a “soft” topic that is difficult to explore and even harder to influence in the pursuit of “hard” business results.
This presents a significant opportunity to improve operational performance and shape more favorable business outcomes by applying well-established change management approaches differently and adopting a more strategic and data-driven approach to change leadership.
Bestselling author, thought leader, and Harvard Business School professor John Kotter and his 8-Step Process for Leading Change are widely regarded as the authority on change management and leadership. The 8-Step Process, which ranges from “Create a Sense of Urgency” to “Institute Change,” provides a useful framework for a number of change initiatives. Metis Strategy has used it as a starting point for the change efforts we are involved in and built upon it to address individual situations.
As robust and proven as Kotter’s 8-Step process is, it doesn’t guarantee success; it’s thoughtful execution and careful tailoring to the unique organizational context will make the difference.
In order to build upon the power of Kotter’s framework and to address the issues we have encountered in our OCM and organizational agility work with technology and business leaders across industries, we have identified five “Moments of Truth” in change management. These work in concert with Kotter’s eight steps and make the approach more powerful and more likely to produce the desired business outcomes. We will explore each Moment of Truth below:
The delineation between continuous evolution, which ideally is part of business-as-usual, and a significant change event is gray. Where the line is crossed will depend on how much change is “normal” within an organizational context. As soon as an action or development falls out of the norm, leaders should communicate that change is taking place even if the extent and impact of any such change is still not entirely known. Doing so will allow organizations to begin managing that change and reduce the potential costs and risks associated with not addressing it early enough.
After significant change is identified but before Kotter’s “burning platform” has been identified or the sense of urgency created, firms should determine the outcomes that the change process is expected to deliver. Companies should list desired outcomes of the change initiative, as well as consequences that may occur if the change is left to occur without significant oversight. Think of this as the risk/return calculus or scenarios analysis of change. If the outcomes of freely occurring change pose a risk of being costly or distracting to the organization, active management may be necessary.
If active management is necessary, firms should assess their change readiness and put an explicit plan in place. These plans can be brief, corresponding to the magnitude and implications of the change and the desired business outcomes. At this point, the needs for change management (such as risk avoidance or mitigation), as well as related opportunities (such as faster realization of benefits) will begin to emerge. These will help make the case for – as well as increase the likelihood of – successful change management. At this stage, leaders should also gather and gain alignment among relevant stakeholders, as well as have initial conversations about change management activities and success metrics.
A high-level change readiness assessment will help firms understand the costs and benefits of OCM efforts in its fundamental terms. It will also provide an opportunity for companies to solicit perspectives and perceptions from teams or employees affected by the change. People respond to change – or even the prospect of change — in different ways, and it’s important to acknowledge the different types of perspectives and reactions that play a role in change management. This may include enthusiasts, skeptics, those who are complacent, and others.
Most importantly, leaders should identify key change agents and potential change inhibitors, as both of these groups should be engaged with care and diligence. The former can serve as advocates and accelerators of change, while the latter may need to be proactively engaged to limit the emergence of negative sentiments or inaccurate information that will be difficult to remedy after the fact. Ideally, a broad set of perspectives from all relevant levels and functional areas will be represented as the change management work kicks off in earnest. Now that the need for change management has been identified and the fundamentals are in place – with the opportunity to iteratively enhance or scale them as efforts progress – companies are ready to identify the burning platform and create the sense of urgency that will launch the change efforts in a more public and open manner.
As organizations prepare to share their change management plans widely (in the transition between Kotter’s “Create a Vision for Change” and “Communicate the Vision” steps), it is important to assess the organizational context that is relevant for the change at hand. Many change efforts often fall short because they fail to consider organizational realities, such as the circumstances of an organization’s operations or the perceptions and feelings of its employees.
At this point in the change management process, the desire for and commitment to the change efforts should be clear. This may cause employees’ natural fears and anxieties to flare up. Unless the change management plan, specifically the communication and engagement efforts, reflect specific thoughts and concerns, there’s a risk that the change efforts will meet resistance from a growing number of people affected by the change.
In order to manage this critical juncture effectively, empathy and transparency become important tools in the change leader’s toolkit. Employees are looking for leaders and colleagues to listen and to understand. They want to be heard and see their concerns and expectations addressed. The more clearly and specifically senior leaders can relate to employees of all functions and demographics, the more likely it is that their message will resonate.
A practice that I have seen work well to express empathy and ensure that team members feel heard and understood is cross-functional communication at the executive level. For example, if the chief marketing officer can explain the move towards DevOps and a microservices architecture, the CIO references the newest design standards, or the Chief Data Officer shares the vision for the customer engagement campaign, employees will take note and recognize the shared commitment to the change objective.
In our experience, honesty and plain-spokenness go a long way. Simple language and basic concepts coupled with real-world examples will be more effective than a well-drafted and well-polished presentation.
A key recommendation relative to this step is to embrace the ideas of “servant leadership” and the role of clearing obstacles in the way of change, no matter what they are. Empowering employees, delegating responsibilities, and providing space for creativity will instill and strengthen trust that is likely to yield benefits well beyond an individual change effort.
As you begin to implement your change management initiatives and realize a few “quick wins,” change leaders will transition to ensuring the sustainability and institutionalization of change, as Kotter outlines in the last two steps of his 8-Step Change Process. This is the time to not only scale the change management initiatives, but also to document and scale lessons learned so that they can be applied to other change management efforts, even those that are not the focus of the original project.
The opportunity to scale, repeat, and improve what has already worked is both difficult and valuable. If the change efforts can be broken down into individual components, the organization has the opportunity to iterate on each component in pursuit of different change objectives and business outcomes. If, for example, the original change effort focused on developing a Scrum product team, the organization could consider taking the dedicated or capability team concept to other parts of the business; explore whether other parts of the organizations are ripe for a project to product operating model shift; improve demand and capacity planning practices; or apply minimum-viable-product (MVP) principles to general operations.
The scalability and repeatability of change will be both a source and an indicator of change management maturity and the culture of change at an organization. In many cases, the success of change can be attributed to heroic efforts of individuals or teams or is the result of extensive deployment of resources to effect the change. While changes achieved under these circumstances are still commendable and, and many will be deemed successful, they may not be repeatable or scalable, either because motivation or resources cannot be replicated, or other contributing factors are no longer at play (e.g., a crisis or emergency, a regulatory deadline).
Like all business capabilities, an organization’s change management competencies should not be static. They should be subject to continuous review and iterative improvement. As you learn which change management activities work and which ones don’t, you will develop the type of change management capabilities that best meet your organization’s needs. To the extent possible, it can be useful to create a data-driven after-action review. Identify and document the insights, and work with change management and functional leaders to turn the lessons learned into concrete improvements.
A well-written OCM playbook will enable an organization to leverage the advantages of similar or even repeatable change management efforts while also building capabilities that can successfully manage new or uncertain challenges. While there are universal OCM “best practices,” what is right for your organization will largely be driven by the prevailing organizational culture.
In addition to these five Moments of Truth in Change Management, two critical ingredients to OCM and Organizational Agility must be called out. First is recognizing that organizational culture will not only make or break any particular change effort. It will also determine the sustainability and repeatability of change.
Secondly, data and analytics in change management is becoming an increasingly powerful tool to enhance the effectiveness of an organization’s change management capabilities and counter the false yet common perception that change management is “soft.” These powerful tools at change leaders’ disposal should be used throughout the change effort and beyond.
A data-driven approach to change management includes:
These two critical success factors of culture and data and intrinsically linked. An organizational culture that embraces changes and develops a data-driven mindset is a rare but powerful combination that all organizations and leaders should aspire to attain.
Throughout this article, we have emphasized the symbiotic relationship between organizational agility, organizational culture, and change management capabilities. In this setup, culture and agility will likely continue to shape change management capabilities more than the other way around. Ultimately, the general maturity of the organizational change management capability, as well as the success of each individual change management effort, should be judged by the organization’s universally accepted measures of business outcomes, business impact, and business value.
We are so thankful to all who took their time to participate in the 2020 Metis Strategy Digital Symposium. During this period of heightened uncertainty, it was especially encouraging to hear perspectives from global CIOs, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and investors about not only about how they are navigating the current challenges, but also how they are seizing the tremendous opportunities that have arisen.
Here are a few takeaways from the event:
The digital acceleration goes beyond the #WFH pivot. The pandemic forced many companies into to speed up their digital initiatives as they pivoted to remote work, bolstered cybersecurity measures, and began to automate a broader range of business processes.
In a poll of roughly 100 global CIOs who attended the Symposium, 42% said their digital initiatives have accelerated significantly, while 30% said they saw some acceleration. We have heard many CIOs say that digital projects that would have taken years under normal circumstances were completed in a matter of weeks, if not faster.
That acceleration appears poised to continue. CIOs noted that their firms have an increased appetite for transformation as they think about how technology can prepare them to emerge from the pandemic in a position of strength, armed with the digital tools that allow them to seize future opportunities.
This transformation requires more than automating tasks or cutting costs, however. Teams are now thinking about the broader changes across people, process, and technology that will make these transformation efforts stick.
People come first. Speakers noted that it is critical for leaders to openly acknowledge the human element of the crisis and the fact that people at every level of the organization are facing new challenges. Leaders continue to focus on ensuring their teams’ safety while working to create a sense of belonging.
It is critical for leaders to be visible and lead their teams with empathy, speakers noted. Overcommunicating – even to the point of sounding like a broken record – is essential, particularly while managing a largely remote workforce.
As the crisis wears on, many CIOs are also thinking about how to keep their teams motivated and productive, remove obstacles, and unleash their ability to innovate. That includes providing employees with the technologies they need to work productively and creating opportunities to gain skills that will help them thrive in the new normal.
Let customer needs guide new initiatives. A common refrain during our sessions was the need to focus relentlessly on the customer. This is particularly true in IT, where technology sometimes is deployed for its own sake rather than solving a particular customer need. CIOs noted that when they allowed customer needs to be a beacon for new initiatives, payoffs were often more immediate. They reiterated that a solution doesn’t need to be sexy to be effective, as long as it solves a key customer issue.
A customer obsession at the enterprise level, particularly with strong buy-in from the CEO and the rest of the C-suite, can also help break down organizational silos and provide a common cause for teams to rally around. CIOs noted that driving this customer-centric mindset requires a culture shift and new governance structures, but that the work is paying off.
Get the basics right. The quick and massive shift to remote work amid the pandemic changed the way many CIOs think about business continuity and scenario planning. It also created a heightened focus on security and spurred new discussions around the technology needed for employees to do their jobs effectively.
These discussions have driven home the need for companies to have a solid foundation in order for new digital initiatives to thrive. As companies plot their paths forward, many CIOs are seizing the opportunity to make sure the basics are as good as they can be. That includes reassessing enterprise architecture and evaluating systems and partner ecosystems.
Adaptability is a new core competency. Many CIOs noted the remarkable speed and adaptability shown by their teams as they pivoted to work from home and quickly shifted business processes to adapt to the new business landscape. Facing an uncertain future, the ability for organizations to quickly assess changing market needs and shift gears accordingly is becoming a must-have skill.
CIOs noted that in many cases their teams are more productive and moving faster than they ever thought possible. A key question now is how to maintain that momentum in a sustainable manner and ensure teams are chasing the initiatives that help the company meet its strategic goals. To that end, extreme focus and ruthless prioritization are critical, as is broad alignment across the enterprise.
As one CIO noted, it is important that technology leaders gain alignment with the rest of the organization rather than chasing new revenue opportunities for revenue’s sake. A shift to product-centered operating models is helping to drive that alignment, dissolve organizational barriers, and increase agility.
Look for the silver linings. While executives expect it will be many months before a return to some version of normalcy, speakers underscored a number of silver linings, including a renewed focus on strategic imperatives, an openness to new ways of working, and an increased appetite among corporate leadership to drive growth through digital.
While it is difficult to know with certainty what the weeks and months ahead will bring, there is nevertheless a strong push to identify and seize new opportunities.
The 2019 Metis Strategy Summit is in the books. At this year’s event, a distinguished group of global technology leaders, executive recruiters, venture capital investors, and others met in Dallas to share their perspectives on the key strategic and technological trends shaping business today.
Among this year’s speakers and agenda items:
For a full list of 2019 speakers and agenda topics, click here.
Special thanks to Xerox, Numerify, and CloudGenix for their generous support for the 2019 Metis Strategy Summit.
\To learn more or discuss potential partnership opportunities, please contact steven.norton@metisstrategy.com.
