Technology doesn't turn ideas into value - people do! The people side of innovation: What to learn about hidden barriers from a coach by Dagmar Boettger (guest)
Adapted from original version which was first published on Linkedin September 6, 2018
Is it possible to discuss the people-side of digital innovation for once?
With so much talk on technology, blockchain, industry 4.0 and digital transformation, I want to make sense of the non-tech side of innovation: people.
Digital innovation projects are needed, Yes! Digital transformation needs design thinking: Yes! Digital innovations mean APPs and new tech, yes I agree.
But why is innovating in the digital space so emotional?
Why is it that people get so frustrated when innovating digital business models?
Why do teams get so frightened about when returning with their ideas from design thinking workshops?
AND: Why are digital innovation projects still career killers in corporates?
Simply put, digital innovation projects are tough change management projects. They stir up fears of job losses, battle with people's unwillingness to change and they bring uncertainty and unpredictable outcomes.
A coaching case study: a typical challenge
One of my coaching clients was a team leader of innovation in a well-established energy supply company - indeed a traditional industry. His role was to support the digital transformation journey of his company. All the titles including his, his boss and team members sound impressive and they worked in the innovation lab where it is TECH - and INNOVATION-focused. Green lights for all those who want to work in this role: Well, he was unhappy and wanted to leave the company. Why?
There was chaos (or as my client called it: "headless chicken initiatives"),
There was competition and distrust in the innovation department where progress was a result of luck or hard work.
There was his own boss building fences and a very supportive CTO who wanted my client to make an impact and build new business, yet strategy and organisational realities were far from allowing the innovation team to make this impact.
He seemed "stuck in the muck" of corporate antibodies and disturbing rivalry, lost between C-suite members and middle management, unable to leverage the very good ideas to deliver growth. So much was going round in circles and the bravely spoken words on innovation cynically became empty phrases.
My approach: What do I tell my client?
Only after listening deeply to my client share the challenges he was facing in his role, both as a professional and as a human being, I was able to replay and reframe the overall challenge he was having with empathy. At the same time, I asked him simple yet probing questions to see whether he was ready to be courageous to make changes and whether I was the right coach to partner him. Having that initial conversation, we agreed that I was the coach for him, and allowed us to create our coaching contract: to support him to be a strong leader of transformation.
Our initial coaching sessions were about finding his own inner drive to act as an agent of change. He needed that time to pause, reflect and acknowledge his strengths so that he would know how better to leverage them. He realized that he was becoming an internal digital entrepreneur and connected quickly to gain opportunities, thus seeing himself as a surfer between the worlds: an old world of linear thinking and a new world of exponential change. Having that space to step back, he acknowledged how he was able to create quick wins and thereby realised how his colleagues were stuck in traditional mindsets and thereby stood in the way of change.
Forming a strong and powerful team was the next step forward. He could see the gap that needed to be closed and in the following sessions I pointed him towards managing progress and teaching his teams high performance management skills. Adapting this framework to his leadership style he was able to help them to conquer uncertainty, learn to accept "failures" and break silo-barriers to change. They learnt to communicate better and collaborate in trust. They even learnt to debate for the sake of the project. In a digital marathon, progress can be three steps ahead, two steps back. Re-loading energy and still iterating for a new attempt to drive excellence is a hard challenge a team leader of change and innovation. Here it is about keeping the trust and installing a sense of duty for the progress and the speed on results.
When meeting corporate barriers, my client now saw ways to outweigh them and align forces with internal partners. During some of our sessions, we developed tactics of connecting, thus seeing possible internal winners, hence engaging with new benefitting parties of the digitalisation marathon. Here, we tended to laugh about "kindergarten sand pit" rivalry and make the best of it. Changing perspectives and seeing the change from an intrapreneurial angle made it easier for my client to survive and continue. I loaded him up with information and materials on new thinking. If he had the budget, I would even be able to do a diagnostic of the organisational readiness, mindsets and barriers.
What still needs to be learnt?
We need to get to grips with the people-side of innovation and digital transformation: the usage of new technology can not be switched on like a hair-dryer. We need to integrate people, change the organisational framework accordingly and give way to this revolutionary new way. Agile teams need new leadership, and ways of collaborating, co-creating and support. A new framework for control has to be thought through.
So, if you have digital transformation projects going, take care of the project LEADERS, have some compassion for these transformers (without super-power), they can easily burn out in the fight for the future against all the old-way-mindset. Develop the organisational mindset to embrace change and make it work holistically, not just in the innovation center. And if you need neutral support from an outsider, I can help too. Of course.
To connect with Dagmar Boettger via linkedin.com
Dagmar Boettger, CPCC | Executive Coach | Coach-for-Innovator | Senior HR | Licensed Practitioner Innovation Yellow Belt
Dagmar worked in (Strat) HR Management and People Development for 20 years in Germany, France, Hong Kong and China, with Global MNC and SME. Her fields were Performance Management, Leadership Development and Change. Before starting her firm, she developed the competency model for her employer and shaped change architectures for 5 change management projects. Her focus now is to support companies translate the effects of exponential change. She helps shape better innovation capabilities and establish leadership of innovation. By building company readiness and innovation competencies in teams and (top) leaders, new growth becomes possible. She uses coaching to shift mindsets and strengthen leadership impact.
