Speed, resilience, agility, and innovation are hallmarks of the digital era. More than ever, the ability of an organization to execute change programs efficiently and successfully is a competitive necessity.
Change program execution has a checkered past. We continue to hear about change program failure rates in the 70% range. How much of these statistics is marketing hype? It doesn’t matter. What does matter is your organization’s capability to execute change programs consistently well.
Your organization’s future depends on it given the accelerated rate of change induced by the digital era. You simply cannot afford to fail.
Program failures are not the result of technology, it’s the culture of the organization that gets in the way. The root cause is people working together ineffectively, or lacking the time, tools, energy or resources to do the job.
To build an agile, faster, more resilient culture, the senior leadership’s tone-at-the-top and behavior must be fully supportive; it must animate and energize program teams; and, it must provide efficient governance mechanisms that speed both decision-making and the resolution of open issues.
Executives, leaders and individuals must hold themselves, and one another, accountable for the success of the entire program by delivering on their commitments, and supporting every aspect of a change program, not just their area of responsibility.
There are three areas of focus to seed, nurture, and sustain vibrant program cultures.
· Program Efficiency
· Program Collaboration
· Program Energy
Program Efficiency addresses how well a change program is resourced, governed, and staffed with the right skills and knowledge.
Program Collaboration addresses how well leadership at all levels spanning stakeholder groups cooperate to achieve program purpose.
Program Energy addresses the extent to which people are engaged and energized by the program.
All three shape program behavior affecting speed and risk of failure.
All three need to be considered in program planning and attended to throughout the life cycle of a program.
All three shape vibrant program cultures as a source of competitive necessity.
You simply cannot afford to fail in the digital era. Your organization’s future depends on it.
