It’s possible for you to turn your adversaries into willing funders of your digital transformation
Reaching consensus is more than neutralizing detractors. It’s about winning their hearts and minds
Many visionaries and change agents aren’t getting the support from the board that they need to execute their worthwhile digital initiatives.
Boards don’t typically fund digital transformation initiatives to the degree that they should at the outset and that is because they don’t understand it. That’s because the visionaries haven’t done a good job of communicating to the board in a language that the board understands.
Don’t feel bad. JP Morgan’s own father was unwilling to support electricity because he thought it was a fad. Don’t be surprised if and when this happens to you. This is a cautionary tale. We’ve helped many visionaries build consensus and break the inertia.
Visionaries face inertia. It will come in the form of miscommunication, misunderstanding, misalignment, and resistance to change. If you’re a visionary at a mid-size or large corporation, you’ve seen it. You’ve bumped into Darth Vader – the empire builders; you know, the type that is always increasing their headcount and budget.
To our surprise, many of our customers over the years have told us that the greatest value wasn’t in the work that we had done to prepare roadmaps and recommendations. It was actually in our ability to drive consensus. We facilitate difficult meetings where strong personalities prevail. Where convincing of a unified digital transformation investment can benefit the entire organization.
LCG leverages best practices and specific methodologies to accelerate your organization's ability to reach consensus. Many of our engagements begin by leveraging design thinking and through the construct of LCG unique version of the digital balanced scorecard.
Involve a trusted guide to help navigate the politics and personalities and optimize for the needs of the entire organization, not the most vocal department. An independent partner like LCG can help you identify the stakeholders that need to be moved and craft the story and motivations to move them. Reaching consensus is more than neutralizing detractors. The definition of done is when the majority of the stakeholders are actively advocating for the attainment of the desired business outcomes.
Design thinking is a universal language that transcends the specialties of stakeholders across the organization, converting the necessary associates into advocates and ambassadors for digital change. LCG’s Digital Balanced Scorecard aligns the organization on how success will be measured at a multidisciplinary and interdepartmental level.
Gain alignment,
break inertia,
and build concensus.
LCG leverages best practices and specific methodologies to accelerate your organization's consensus building.
Keith Barber
Director of Digital Engagement at Tyson Foods
“Every recommendation we made internally is being funded and activated. I don’t normally see that at Tyson. There’s usually a lot of gauntlets other department throw in, but we didn’t have to deviate because it was a solid strategy built with their input. I’ve presented it to everyone in dozens of desk-side briefings and whether it was IT, legal, procurement, finance, sales, marketing, product management, or our rewards loyalty vendors and staff, it held strong.”