Digital transformation: 3 priorities for CIOs facing a tough climb

Mount Hood in the U.S. Pacific Northwest is not just another tall mountain. The 11,000-foot stratovolcano is visible from Portland, Ore., and though dormant, could potentially erupt without warning. So you can imagine why my family wasn’t enthusiastic when I first suggested that we climb Mt. Hood. I knew, however, our endeavor would teach lasting life lessons.

For CIOs, leading digital transformation is not unlike my family’s expedition up Mount Hood.

In most digital transformation initiatives, 20 percent of the job is technology and 80 percent is the change management necessary to get there. You may find that ratio surprising, but after navigating both Fortune 500 and high-growth startups through the journey, I can tell you first-hand that setting goals on the “people” side is the pathway to success.

Elevating your organization and preparing for the future requires a new way of thinking. And at its core, digital transformation might also be defined in exactly that way: a new way of thinking.

Here are three goals CIOs should move to the top of their priority list when it comes to digital transformation.

When we began our climb, we could not see the top of the mountain. Clouds had descended, and our vision was blocked.

We all know that there is no straight line when it comes to digital transformation – but you must inspire others to believe with you. To do that, share the big vision. Align strategy and execution. Show others what the peak looks like, and don’t be afraid to admit defeat the first time around.

Looking far beyond today means preparing your mindset and that of your team. Take a pulse check early on. Create a benchmark or assessment of the current state: Where is your organization now, and where do you want them to be?

Imagine boiling the ocean in one day. That’s how digital transformation feels sometimes. The psychological impact becomes unbearable and overwhelming. By preparing and staying the course, however, digital transformation becomes an achievable feat with lasting outcomes.

In the case of our climb, preparing meant wearing the right clothes, packing the right things, communicating with each other, trusting one another, fuelling ourselves with energy bars, breaking down the path into smaller chunks, and learning about the road ahead. As a leader, I ventured to turn our performance up that mountain from mediocre to exceptional.

In digital transformation, this may mean upskilling the workforce and adopting new platforms.