At least three times in my career, while being hired to join the “digital transformation” team, I have heard the following analogy: “We want you and your team to be the virus that infects the rest of the organization.”

The analogy always sounds great. But the success of a virus is always determined by the strength of an organism’s anti-bodies. In companies, that level of resistance is determined by culture. Do employees embrace change and adapt to new strategies or processes? Or do they band together and destroy the invading virus?

Last month, I was invited to speak at HRTAC 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In my presentation I focused on two areas that ensure success.

First, the company must be able to articulate its Vision in a way that employees understand and, more importantly, see their own role in that vision. This is where brand storytelling comes in. A compelling vision is what provides each and every employee a strong sense of Purpose.

Second, the Leadership must back those words up with actions. Leaders must demonstrate that they, too, are willing to change, even when it means operating outside of their comfort zones. Importantly, leaders need to establish an environment where people are able to take intelligent risks without fear of repercussions.

The full presentation is available via Slideshare:

[slideshare id=96326288&doc=180423theroleofcultureindigitaltransformation-180508013540]