Comfortable is the enemy of better

This week I’ve been thinking about transformation leaders transforming themselves.

In my role helping execs with digital transformation, I get to talk to lots of transformation leaders, CDOs and CIOs. During those conversations I’m usually looking for clues to categorise those leaders into two groups – the curious, who are interested in learning about how other transformation projects work; and the inward-looking who are pretty sure they have all the answers.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not making rash judgements based on how keen those leaders are to listen to me; I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea. I’m listening for knowledge from self-reflection, best practice, and lessons from outside their own organisations.

I’m listening for the consciously incompetent. They know what they need to be better at and they’re working on making that happen.

Why is this important?

Because curiosity and an interest in learning from others are signs of a growth mindset and I think they are critical success factors for leading transformation programmes.
 
Obviously, experience provides many benefits and is not to be sneezed at.

When I think about my own journey leading transformation programmes, I can clearly see experience helped me become better as my career progressed.

But the experiences I’ve really benefited from were more about learning WHAT I should do, rather than HOW I should do it. And this is because the HOW has changed dramatically over time, whilst the WHAT has been much more stable.

Listening to customers, managing stakeholders, having clarity of mission; all of these things are as important as they were ten years ago.

But HOW I do them has changed markedly during that time.

Now, for example, I much prefer a working proof of concept than investing months in detailed business requirements. I’m far more likely to engage stakeholders with a physical walk-through of my digital vision than provide a 30-page strategy document.

Keeping fresh with new approaches is essential for the successful delivery of transformation programmes. And there are other good reasons for investing in keeping yourself fresh:

• Talented people want to work with leaders who are trying new things and giving them opportunities to learn;
• You may find ways of solving problems that you weren’t able to before. You will definitely find ways to help you and your team be more effective;
• You’ll practice what you preach. Transformation projects are about helping your organisation be more effective. Demonstrating personal transformation makes you a powerful role model for your team.

 
It won’t always be easy and it’s certainly not comfortable. But comfort is the enemy of being better.
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Here’s a few ideas for getting yourself out of your comfort zone:

One: Have a plan.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the idea that what’s made me successful so far isn’t necessarily what I need for success going forward. Each year and with each new significant challenge, I ask myself what are the skills and experiences I need to work on for the coming months.

I then turn this self-reflection into a (short) list of things I’m consciously incompetent in, with a plan to increase my skills in that space.
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I give myself a regular report card to show progress. And when I feel I’ve mastered a particular competency then it’s dropped from the list and another added on.

Two: Ask other transformation leaders.

The golden days of offshore study trips are well and truly over, but there are still plenty of opportunities to speak with other transformation leaders both here and offshore.
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In my experience people generally love talking about the work they’re doing and sharing some of the lessons they’ve learned, so don't be afraid to approach other transformation leaders who you admire. Some tips:

• Ask a mutual acquaintance to introduce you
• Be specific about the area you’re interested in knowing about.
• Be respectful of their time and of confidentiality. 

Three: Invest some time in learning new things.

There is a plethora of information available about new technologies and new ways of working. Carve out a tiny piece of your week to read online posts, books, attend webinars or courses. Two of my favourite weekly newsletters are Memia and Benedict Evans.
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MOOCs are also an excellent way of growing depth of knowledge in a relatively short time and the benefit of a global pandemic is that more and more tertiary institutions are offering online courses.

Four: Have a “Say Yes” month.

​If you’re feeling a bit stale, then open yourself up for some new experiences and conversations. Saying yes to vendor events, webinars, and start-up meeting requests is a great way to get a boost of learning and new perspectives in one go. Yes, there will be some stuff you really should have turned down, but there will also be some surprising new ideas that you could benefit from. Having a “say yes” month might cause your PA some angst but it’s a great boost for your external learning.

Five: Ask your team about what’s hot.

Find the curious and enthusiastic learners in your team and ask them to share new ideas and developments with you and your wider team.  
 
Best of luck! See you next week when we’ll be wrapping up our section on Driving Digital Channel Strategy.

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