deloitte.wsj.com
Open in
urlscan Pro
99.86.4.84
Public Scan
Submitted URL: http://mail.hackerrank.com/NDg3LVdBWS0wNDkAAAGK2Du2QR5MlwQKmqoV3G8_wz17TVyRS-8c_dQTsbwxgTRQld_G-y6g8n_cRlUnx8AvkR3aDSU=
Effective URL: https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/digital-transformation-success-starts-with-leadership-at-the-top-f5da21a5?utm_source=em...
Submission: On April 01 via api from IE — Scanned from DE
Effective URL: https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/digital-transformation-success-starts-with-leadership-at-the-top-f5da21a5?utm_source=em...
Submission: On April 01 via api from IE — Scanned from DE
Form analysis
1 forms found in the DOM#
<form action="#" class="style--search-form-hI0pb2JfplZrewKUN--51 " role="search"><input id="searchInput" class="style--wsj-search-input-GNMy8Q5kg9IYwJKXYfIMm " placeholder="Enter News, Quotes, Companies or Videos" type="search"
aria-label="Search the Wall Street Journal" tabindex="-1"><button class="style--search-submit-2EFgMYmHzRT8YBR7BYrV6G " aria-label="Submit Button" value="Search" type="submit" tabindex="-1" disabled="">Search <svg width="24" height="24"
viewBox="0 0 24 24">
<defs>
<path id="search-medium_svg__a" d="M10.5 2a7.5 7.5 0 015.645 12.438l5.365 5.365-.707.707-5.365-5.365A7.5 7.5 0 1110.5 2zm0 1a6.5 6.5 0 100 13 6.5 6.5 0 000-13z"></path>
</defs>
<use fill="currentColor" fill-rule="evenodd" xlink:href="#search-medium_svg__a"></use>
</svg></button></form>
Text Content
Skip to Main ContentSkip to SearchSkip to... Select * Listen to Article * Most Popular News Dow Jones, a News Corp companyAbout WSJ * News Corp is a global, diversified media and information services company focused on creating and distributing authoritative and engaging content and other products and services. * Dow Jones * Barron's * BigCharts * Dow Jones Businesses * Dow Jones Newswires * Factiva * Financial News * Mansion Global * MarketWatch * Newsmart * NewsPlus * Risk & Compliance * WSJ Live * WSJ Pro * WSJ Video * WSJ.com * News Corp * Avail * Business Spectator * HarperCollins Publishers * Housing * Makaan * New York Post * REA * realtor.com * Storyful * The Australian * The Sun * The Times * DJIA33274.15 points with a1.26%▲ S&P 5004109.31 points with a1.44%▲ Nasdaq12221.91 points with a1.74%▲ U.S. 10 Yr-3/32 Yieldwith a3.471%▼ Crude Oil75.70 points with a1.79%▲ Euro1.0842 points with a0.57%▼ The Wall Street Journal SubscribeSign In English Edition * English * 中文 (Chinese) * 日本語 (Japanese) Print Edition Video Audio Latest Headlines More Other Products from WSJ * Buy Side from WSJ * WSJ+ * WSJ Shop * WSJwine SubscribeSign In * Home * World REGIONS * Africa * Asia * Canada * China * Europe * Latin America * Middle East SECTIONS * Economy MORE * World Video * U.S. SECTIONS * Economy * Law * Politics MORE * U.S. Video * What's News Podcast * Politics MORE * Politics Video COLUMNS * Washington Wire * Economy WSJ PRO * Bankruptcy * Central Banking * Private Equity * Venture Capital MORE * Economic Forecasting Survey * Economy Video SECTIONS * Capital Account * Business SECTIONS * Management * Journal Reports * The Future of Everything * Obituaries * Tech/WSJ.D INDUSTRIES * Aerospace & Defense * Autos & Transportation * Commercial Real Estate * Consumer Products * Energy * Entrepreneurship * Financial Services * Food & Services * Health Care * Hospitality * Law * Manufacturing * Media & Marketing * Natural Resources * Retail C-SUITE * CFO Journal * CIO Journal * CMO Today * Logistics Report * Risk & Compliance * The Workplace Report COLUMNS * Heard on the Street WSJ PRO * Bankruptcy * Central Banking * Cybersecurity * Private Equity * Sustainable Business * Venture Capital MORE * Business Video * Business Podcast * Space & Science * Tech SECTIONS * CIO Journal * The Future of Everything * Personal Tech COLUMNS * Christopher Mims * Joanna Stern * Julie Jargon * Nicole Nguyen MORE * Tech Video * Tech Podcast * Markets SECTIONS * Bonds * Commercial Real Estate * Commodities & Futures * Stocks * Personal Finance * WSJ Money * Streetwise * Intelligent Investor COLUMNS * Heard on the Street * Greg Ip * Jason Zweig * Laura Saunders * James Mackintosh MARKET DATA * Market Data Home * U.S. Stocks * Currencies * Companies * Commodities * Bonds & Rates * Mutual Funds & ETFs MORE * CFO Journal * Markets Video * Your Money Briefing Podcast * Secrets of Wealthy Women Podcast Search Quotes and Companies * Opinion COLUMNISTS * Gerard Baker * Sadanand Dhume * James Freeman * William A. Galston * Daniel Henninger * Holman W. Jenkins * Andy Kessler * William McGurn * Walter Russell Mead * Peggy Noonan * Mary Anastasia O'Grady * Jason Riley * Joseph Sternberg * Kimberley A. Strassel * Allysia Finley MORE * Editorials * Commentary * Future View * Houses of Worship * Cross Country * Letters to the Editor * The Weekend Interview * Potomac Watch Podcast * Foreign Edition Podcast * Free Expression Podcast * Opinion Video * Notable & Quotable * Books & Arts REVIEWS * Film * Television * Theater * Masterpiece Series * Music * Dance * Opera * Exhibition * Cultural Commentary * Art SECTIONS * Arts * Books MORE * WSJ Puzzles * What To Watch * Real Estate SECTIONS * Commercial Real Estate MORE * Real Estate Video * Life & Work SECTIONS * Cars * Careers * Food & Drink * Home & Design * Ideas * Personal Finance * Recipes * Travel * Wellness COLUMNS * Your Health * Work & Life * Carry On * Bonds * Turning Points * On Wine * On The Clock MORE * WSJ Puzzles * Space & Science * Style SECTIONS * Lifestyle * Fashion * Film * Television * Music * Art & Auctions COLUMNS * My Monday Morning * Off Brand * On Trend * Sports SECTIONS * MLB * NBA * NFL * Golf * Tennis * Soccer COLUMNS * Jason Gay Search * Home * World REGIONS * Africa * Asia * Canada * China * Europe * Latin America * Middle East SECTIONS * Economy MORE * World Video * U.S. SECTIONS * Economy * Law * Politics MORE * U.S. Video * What's News Podcast * Politics MORE * Politics Video COLUMNS * Washington Wire * Economy WSJ PRO * Bankruptcy * Central Banking * Private Equity * Venture Capital MORE * Economic Forecasting Survey * Economy Video SECTIONS * Capital Account * Business SECTIONS * Management * Journal Reports * The Future of Everything * Obituaries * Tech/WSJ.D INDUSTRIES * Aerospace & Defense * Autos & Transportation * Commercial Real Estate * Consumer Products * Energy * Entrepreneurship * Financial Services * Food & Services * Health Care * Hospitality * Law * Manufacturing * Media & Marketing * Natural Resources * Retail C-SUITE * CFO Journal * CIO Journal * CMO Today * Logistics Report * Risk & Compliance * The Workplace Report COLUMNS * Heard on the Street WSJ PRO * Bankruptcy * Central Banking * Cybersecurity * Private Equity * Sustainable Business * Venture Capital MORE * Business Video * Business Podcast * Space & Science * Tech SECTIONS * CIO Journal * The Future of Everything * Personal Tech COLUMNS * Christopher Mims * Joanna Stern * Julie Jargon * Nicole Nguyen MORE * Tech Video * Tech Podcast * Markets SECTIONS * Bonds * Commercial Real Estate * Commodities & Futures * Stocks * Personal Finance * WSJ Money * Streetwise * Intelligent Investor COLUMNS * Heard on the Street * Greg Ip * Jason Zweig * Laura Saunders * James Mackintosh MARKET DATA * Market Data Home * U.S. Stocks * Currencies * Companies * Commodities * Bonds & Rates * Mutual Funds & ETFs MORE * CFO Journal * Markets Video * Your Money Briefing Podcast * Secrets of Wealthy Women Podcast Search Quotes and Companies * Opinion COLUMNISTS * Gerard Baker * Sadanand Dhume * James Freeman * William A. Galston * Daniel Henninger * Holman W. Jenkins * Andy Kessler * William McGurn * Walter Russell Mead * Peggy Noonan * Mary Anastasia O'Grady * Jason Riley * Joseph Sternberg * Kimberley A. Strassel * Allysia Finley MORE * Editorials * Commentary * Future View * Houses of Worship * Cross Country * Letters to the Editor * The Weekend Interview * Potomac Watch Podcast * Foreign Edition Podcast * Free Expression Podcast * Opinion Video * Notable & Quotable * Books & Arts REVIEWS * Film * Television * Theater * Masterpiece Series * Music * Dance * Opera * Exhibition * Cultural Commentary * Art SECTIONS * Arts * Books MORE * WSJ Puzzles * What To Watch * Real Estate SECTIONS * Commercial Real Estate MORE * Real Estate Video * Life & Work SECTIONS * Cars * Careers * Food & Drink * Home & Design * Ideas * Personal Finance * Recipes * Travel * Wellness COLUMNS * Your Health * Work & Life * Carry On * Bonds * Turning Points * On Wine * On The Clock MORE * WSJ Puzzles * Space & Science * Style SECTIONS * Lifestyle * Fashion * Film * Television * Music * Art & Auctions COLUMNS * My Monday Morning * Off Brand * On Trend * Sports SECTIONS * MLB * NBA * NFL * Golf * Tennis * Soccer COLUMNS * Jason Gay Search Search CIO JOURNAL Content by The Wall Street Journal news department was not involved in producing this sponsor content. https://deloitte.wsj.com/articles/digital-transformation-success-starts-with-leadership-at-the-top-f5da21a5 Share * LinkedIn * Facebook * Twitter * Copy Link * DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION * C-SUITE INSIGHTS * LEADERSHIP DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION SUCCESS STARTS WITH LEADERSHIP AT THE TOP THE MORE EXTENSIVE AN ORGANIZATION’S DIGITAL AMBITION, THE MORE IMPORTANT THE ROLE OF LEADERS CAN BE IN REMOVING BARRIERS AND ALIGNING INCENTIVES Print Text Your browser does not support the audio tag. Listen to article Length (8 minutes) 00:00 / 07:59 1x This article is in your queue. Open Queue Savvy leaders likely understand that digital transformations come in all shapes and sizes, necessitating leadership approaches that are tailored accordingly. Leading an organization through digital transformation can involve a delicate mix of critical capabilities and instincts in areas such as understanding risks and opportunities, determining whether and how to act, setting the transformation ambition, and closing any gaps in the organization’s transformation readiness. Deloitte research into how more than 20 global CEOs effectively led digital transformation helps identify some critical yet nuanced actions leaders can take depending on their organizations’ digital aspirations, current state of readiness, and required magnitude of change. Leaders can contemplate some powerful truths as they embark on their digital journey. Leaders Matter, No Matter the Transformation Transformation ambitions can range from moderate to radical, but most digital initiatives require at least some level of engagement from the organization’s leader. The need for leadership engagement is often greatest when digital ambitions relate to a customer-facing process or high-priority growth strategy, or when aspirations are foundational for more ambitious future transformation plans. The leader’s role in maintaining direction over any digital ambition and articulating strategy can involve three core elements. Break through roadblocks. Leaders can help clear a path to success and empower their people to break through siloes and the status quo. “My role was to simply not let the organization back up, to continue to pump the vision of where we needed to be,” says J. Eric Pike, CEO of Pike Enterprises, a North Carolina-based infrastructure solutions provider. “And if anyone presented a roadblock, I told them to go under, over, through, around—any way to make it happen.” Highlight the bigger picture. Digitization is often seen as a series of small initiatives and investments, but digitization programs can include ambitious goals that are important to the organization’s larger strategic context of value creation, competitiveness, and growth. Leaders likely have an important role to play in helping the organization remain focused on these bigger picture goals. Assign ownership and monitor. Without dedicated focus, people’s day-to-day jobs tend to take priority, potentially leaving the digitization effort struggling to make progress. Marc Huffman, CEO of BlackLine, a global software company, emphasizes the importance of assigning people to prioritize digitization. “Digital transformation is a full-time job,” he says. “You must assign focus, funding, and clear ownership to key leaders. Through them, you can inspire and guide your team to rethink how their day-to-day jobs get done through the lens of digital transformation.” Big Ambitions Require Big Involvement As the digital vision gets more ambitious, leadership involvement should also increase, especially if the organization is not ready for change. Bold visions may be bigger than the organization’s readiness, so leaders may need to have an active, hands-on role in developing incremental strategy milestones and driving change. If digital ambitions are high but readiness for transformation is low, leaders can consider five key elements to drive change. Tell a compelling story. Leaders can create an integrated vision beyond just technology and deliver it with powerful and consistent messaging that can help bring people along on the journey. To help others see the opportunity, it may be important to craft a compelling story, anchored by core values, to describe how the organization can evolve with purpose. Align incentives with digital transformation. Compensation and rewards can be important factors in driving behavior. Incentives can be financial, but they can also be personal, such as a desire to make a mark on an organization or a fear of failure. Address weaknesses exposed by the digital journey. Long-term gains may come with short-term pains. Digitization and digital transformation can expose internal weaknesses for leaders to acknowledge and tackle. It may be impossible to completely eliminate the risk of short-term disruption, but investment in digital transformation can be a powerful signal of the potential for long-term gain. “Don’t get into too much detail,” says Giny Boer, CEO of C&A, one of Europe’s leading fashion retailers. “But when people talk to you and you don’t get a proper answer to the question: ‘How well is it really going?’ stay close to those key strategic areas. If something is unclear, it’s time to dig in.” Create optionality for the future. Disruptive innovations could continue to emerge and evolve, making it difficult to set a strategic direction for eternity. A digital strategy should provide multiple possible directions for future development while building a culture and structure that can capitalize on available options. Plan for succession. Digital journeys can be ongoing, often outlasting the tenure of individual leaders. Leaders can push the limits of what they can achieve but also look for champions of the vision to continue the work, allowing the vision to become lasting. Even Leading Organizations Need Leadership Organizations that are ready for digital transformation may not need the leader to be deeply involved in day-to-day transformation activities, but they may still have a distinct need for leadership on strategy, innovation, and growth. CEOs and other C-suite leaders can work with C-suite tech leaders to identify next opportunities for innovation, growth, and disruption. They can continually evaluate whether the business model should shift and how digital technology can help broader strategy, for instance by enhancing the existing business, responding to a competitive threat, maximizing an M&A opportunity, disrupting an existing industry or ecosystem, or achieving some other strategic goal. Even digital natives and traditional innovators may become digital followers if they become complacent. An innovative, evergreen culture can be nurtured continually. CEOs can also continually assess the market for opportunities. “One of our values is jumping at 60,” says Hardy TS Kagimoto, CEO of Healios, a regenerative medicine startup in Japan. “If we feel like we know 60% [of the details about an opportunity] and the probability of success is strong enough, I take the risk to jump in. That is how we get to know the cutting-edge tech and what is real or not.” CEOs can scan the horizon for technologies that are five to 10 years away from becoming mainstream while still balancing the need to respond to current disruptive technologies through short-term sprints. “Our core works very well, so I spend my time gazing at the periphery,” says Vincent Roche, CEO of Analog Devices, an American semiconductor company. “We hired field marshals who can grasp what customers are struggling with—curious leaders keeping an eye on the periphery and building a nuanced vision for how we are moving ahead and how our customers are evolving, and for figuring out the software and ecosystems.” Digital transformation is likely an imperative for virtually every business today. There may be many ways to pursue it and many ways leaders can play a role. One constant may be the importance of direct leadership involvement. Digital initiatives can be simply too important to delegate and ignore. To learn more, read the full report. —by Tim Smith, principal and Tech Strategy & Business Transformation leader, Deloitte Consulting LLP; and Brenna Sniderman, managing director, and Diana Kearns-Manolatos, senior manager, both with the Center for Integrated Research, Deloitte Services LP Copyright ©2022 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 PUBLISHED ON: March 24, 2023 3:00 pm ET This article is part of an ongoing series of interviews with executives. The executives’ participation in this article are solely for educational purposes based on their knowledge of the subject and the views expressed by them are solely their own. This article should not be deemed or construed to be for the purpose of soliciting business for any of the companies mentioned, nor does Deloitte advocate or endorse the services or products provided by these companies. This publication contains general information only and Deloitte is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should it be used as a basis for any decision or action that may affect your business. Before making any decision or taking any action that may affect your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. Deloitte shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by any person who relies on this publication. About Deloitte Deloitte refers to one or more of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee (“DTTL”), its network of member firms, and their related entities. DTTL and each of its member firms are legally separate and independent entities. DTTL (also referred to as “Deloitte Global”) does not provide services to clients. In the United States, Deloitte refers to one or more of the US member firms of DTTL, their related entities that operate using the “Deloitte” name in the United States and their respective affiliates. Certain services may not be available to attest clients under the rules and regulations of public accounting. Please see www.deloitte.com/about to learn more about our global network of member firms. Copyright © 2023 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. WHAT TO READ NEXT… WITH DIGITAL IDS, THE TSA HUMANIZES DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION TRANSUNION U.S. MARKETS CIO: 5 TRENDS FOR IT LEADERS THIS YEAR UNDP CONQUERING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE ‘TO LEAVE NO ONE BEHIND’ SECURITAS CIO: TRANSFORMING THE TALENT EXPERIENCE WITH DIGITAL ENGAGEMENT SEARCH DELOITTE ARTICLES VIDEO INSIGHTS * TECH TRENDS 2022: AN OVERVIEW Deloitte’s 13th annual “Tech Trends” report examines how pioneering enterprises are automating, abstracting, and outsourcing their business processes to increasingly powerful technology tools. In doing so, they are arming their employees with superpowers to tackle innovative projects that deliver competitive differentiation. * TMT PREDICTIONS 2021: THE COVID-19 CATALYST Driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic and societal impacts, the coming year will bring intensifying growth in video, virtual, and cloud technologies as well as in media segments such as sports, according to Deloitte Global’s latest Technology, Media, & Telecommunications (TMT) Predictions report, which highlights how worldwide trends in TMT may affect businesses and consumers worldwide in 2021. * ETHICAL TECHNOLOGY AND TRUST Every aspect of the organization that’s disrupted by technology represents an opportunity to gain or lose trust. That’s why leading companies are managing trust as a 360-degree challenge across technology, processes, and people. Organizations that tackle tech trust as a business-critical issue can also build brand trust, as well as competitive advantage in the marketplace. EXECUTIVE PERSPECTIVES Deloitte’s Executive Perspectives dives deeper into critical business issues to deliver timely and actionable content to help support decision-making and build careers. Through research, interviews, case studies, technology perspectives and analyses, and more, Executive Perspectives for CIOs informs essential conversations in global, technology-led organizations. Learn more about Deloitte's executive programs. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP WSJ | CIO JOURNAL The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. PREVIEW SUBSCRIBE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * The Wall Street Journal * English Edition * English * 中文 (Chinese) * 日本語 (Japanese) * * Subscribe Now * Sign In * Back to Top « WSJ Membership * WSJ+ Membership Benefits * Subscription Options * Why Subscribe? * Corporate Subscriptions * WSJ Higher Education Program * WSJ High School Program * Public Library Program * WSJ Live * Commercial Partnerships Customer Service * Customer Center * Contact Us * Cancel My Subscription Tools & Features * Newsletters & Alerts * Guides * Topics * My News * RSS Feeds * Video Center * Watchlist * Podcasts * Visual Stories Ads * Advertise * Commercial Real Estate Ads * Place a Classified Ad * Sell Your Business * Sell Your Home * Recruitment & Career Ads * Coupons * Digital Self Service More * About Us * Content Partnerships * Corrections * Jobs at WSJ * News Archive * Register for Free * Reprints & Licensing * Buy Issues * WSJ Shop * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * YouTube * Podcasts * Snapchat * Google Play * App Store Dow Jones Products * Barron's * BigCharts * Dow Jones Newswires * Factiva * Financial News * Mansion Global * MarketWatch * Risk & Compliance * Buy Side from WSJ * WSJ Pro * WSJ Video * WSJ Wine * Privacy Notice * Cookie Notice * Manage Cookies * Copyright Policy * Data Policy * Subscriber Agreement & Terms of Use * Your Ad Choices * Accessibility * Copyright ©2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.