Enaxis Consulting

We hear the term digital transformation used in many different contexts in our day-to-day conversations. Regardless of when or how it is used, one thing is clear, digital transformation could be the key to ensuring an organization’s survival over the next several years.

During the recent Enaxis Leadership Forum, attendees were asked what they believed to be the biggest barriers they faced to achieve benefits of digital transformation:

  • Business reorganization;
  • Change resistance from leadership;
  • Legacy operating models;
  • Cost and complexity of cyber threat management; and
  • Lack of digital skills in current workforce.

As we review these barriers, one thing is evident: these are the same barriers that organizations face for any type of transformation, not just digital. In the past, successful and forward-thinking companies have found ways to overcome these types of barriers to achieve their end goal—organizational transformation.

Business Reorganization

In today’s increasingly complex business environments, organizations are constantly undergoing reorganization to stay ahead of their competition. Companies must be able to run transformation efforts in parallel with in-flight reorganization efforts. Leaders must analyze their organizational structures and identify areas where digital transformation can supplement in-flight efforts.

Change Resistance from Leadership

No matter how great an idea is, if it does not have executive level support, there is very little chance it will have the desired impact. Digital transformation may require changes in organizational structures, processes, tools, and behaviors. Organizations often have strong internal resistance to these types of changes, and thus require a strong executive voice that can articular the vision and purpose of transformation.

Legacy Operating Models

Most organizations embrace the sentiment, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.”

This behavior could be justified a decade ago; however, any company that aspires to continue to be successful must embrace the idea of modernization. Companies currently transforming their operating models should ensure they are building in the right digital capabilities. Companies that have delayed major updates to their operating models should see digital transformation as an opportunity to get started today.

Cost and Complexity of Cyber Threat Management

Whether it’s securing personally identifiable information or proprietary information, cybersecurity is one of the hottest topics in the industry today. With most of today’s daily transaction volume being executed on infrastructure that we no longer manage, it is increasingly important that the right tools are in place to protect against all cyber threats.

Lack of Digital Skills in the Workforce

No matter what industry or line of business, one of the most critical success factors for any transformation is access to the right set of skills to drive quality results. Digital skills are currently a hot commodity, and the ability to grow them organically within an organization requires a significant investment of both money and time.