The company develops a new identity
The transformation of a company is similar. In this process, too, drawing on existing resources such as experience, competencies, etc., the company system is so radically reshaped that the transformed organization is hardly recognizable to people who have had no contact with it for a long time, because in addition to its strategy, its culture and structure have also changed. In other words, after going through a transformation process, an organization not only has a new self-image and identity, but also new competencies, which is why some of its employees also need new skills and abilities.
So far so good! However, there are also differences between the metamorphosis of a butterfly and the transformation of a company. In the case of a butterfly, the transformation process is genetically determined: First egg, then caterpillar, then pupa, then butterfly. It runs automatically. This is not the case with the transformation of a company. Here, starting from a vision, it is much more important to develop or change the system of the company in a targeted manner through carefully planned interventions.
Transformation processes are complex change processes
This means that every transformation process is ultimately a complex, multidimensional change process, which in turn consists of a large number of change projects that influence each other. The change management competence of the people who bear responsibility for the transformation process must be correspondingly high. To use two terms from agile project management, they must proceed incrementally and iteratively. In other words, they have to check again and again in the course of the process,
- are we achieving the desired effects with our change initiatives, and
- are we as an organization moving toward the desired goal
and, if necessary, make a course correction or change to the design of the overall project. Accordingly, in addition to their analytical competence, their communicative competence should also be great in order to convey the need for course corrections to those affected or involved.
In transformation processes, the goal is often unclear
The task of planning and managing transformation projects is complex, but not only because of the many influencing factors and interactions that have to be taken into account.