Success factors
What successful transformation programs get right
Here’s a shocking number: Only 12 % of major change programs produce lasting results.*
That means roughly 9 out of 10 times, companies pour time, money, and energy into slides and workshops – only to end up with… nothing.
How can that be?
The reasons are almost always the same
How to break free
10 critical traps companies fall into during digital transformation
The digital landscape is constantly shifting, yet many companies find themselves stuck in place despite new strategies, tools, and ambitious projects. Their transformation efforts stall not from lack of investment but from underlying patterns that undermine progress from within. Here are ten thinking traps that companies repeatedly fall into—and how to overcome them:
Digital transformation
Bite-sized transformation: Evolving organizations one step at a time
The word "transformation" has lost its spark. It appears again and again on executive slide decks and in political speeches, leaving many feeling frustrated. With the world facing multiple crises, grand promises of transformation often fall flat. They seem too big to swallow.
From practice
Leading from afar
I work in leadership positions but I’m almost never in the office. Some say this sounds impossible. I think it’s the perfect match.
In many of my roles as an interim leader, I’m not in the same city as the company I’m working with, and despite engagements that typically last six months or more, I choose not to relocate. Instead, I work remotely. This approach often raises eyebrows during contract negotiations, with concerns like, “You should be in the office at least twice a month for a few days.”
Podcast recommendation
Understanding why systems fail in just over an hour
The Book I Wish Every Policymaker Would Read
I highly recommend listening to this episode of The Ezra Klein Show, featuring a conversation with Jennifer Pahlka, author of "Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better".
The episode kicks off with a powerful quote from the book. It serves as a perfect reminder to resist jumping to conclusions and instead take the time to delve deeper into the underlying issues: “When systems or organizations don’t work as you think they should, it is generally not because the people in them are stupid or evil. It is because they are operating according to structures and incentives that aren’t obvious from the outside.”
Enjoy!
Productivity
Who do you trust to delete your notes app?
I’ve officially retired from the world of pen and paper three or so years ago. Before that I juggled notebooks and sticky notes, but as much as I love the tactile satisfaction of writing by hand, it just never worked for me. My to-dos would vanish into the ether, random thoughts would be lost to the ages.