The human factor: the key to a sustainable digital transformation

Working differently

Whether we’re talking about AI, augmented reality or cloud computing, companies often implement new technologies and processes, but the benefits can be negated because employees stick to their old working methods to some extent. “People tend to stick to the status quo, which feels safer”, explains Karlien. “They have to step out of their comfort zone to learn new skills, and this creates resistance. Nevertheless, good cooperation between people and technology is essential for the success of a digital transformation. People need to understand that technology is not a competitor that will take away their jobs, but a different way of working – albeit one that certainly changes their jobs.” Organisations that ignore the human factor run the risk of their digital transformation becoming less effective or even failing.

Four leadership roles

Digital at Heart consists of six parts. The focus is on the proven Digital Leadership Model – or 4V model – that was developed by co-author Stijn Viaene and his team and has been validated and refined in practice over the years. This model, with its four leadership roles (Vigilant, Voyager, Visionary and Vested), is explained in the first part, which is also a powerful plea for a more people-oriented approach.

In each of the following sections, one of the four leadership roles is discussed in greater depth. Each section opens with a description of the activities that are characteristic of the role and the skills required. “It goes without saying that different skills are useful for different roles, but we have stuck to three or four typical ones”, says Karlien. “Examples include stimulating curiosity for Vigilant, or storytelling for Visionary leadership.” 

How to lead a human-centric digital transformation

Digital transformations often fail because the focus on technology and processes is too great. It’s the people in your organisation who must ensure that the new technology is used effectively. In this video, Professors Karlien Vanderheyden and Stijn Viaene, and researcher Ignace Decroix talk about their new book Digital at Heart. Discover how to get people motivated and involved to make your digital transformation succeed.

Putting it into practice

“To make everything as concrete as possible, we have explained each skill using a case study in which a person or organisation encounters a problem,” she continues. Then we give a thorough theoretical background on the what, why and how of the skill in question, alternated with light-hearted facts and figures. For example, the book dives deeper into why vulnerability is important, how to put together teams that are diverse enough to stimulate innovation yet still show enough cohesion to ensure smooth collaboration, why it is difficult to get feedback or criticism, how your body reacts when this happens, how to get better at receiving feedback and how to give supportive feedback yourself. Finally, in order to put the theory into practice even more, we also apply it to the case study.

Questionnaires and exercises invite you to reflect on the case study, your own organisation and yourself. “Each part concludes with an Energy Scan that helps you identify the tasks and skills you most identify with, supplemented with a checklist that allows you to discover the tasks and skills where your organisation already scores highly”, she concludes.

Watch out for anti-patterns!

The sixth and final part calls for cooperation between the four roles and emphasises the importance of a growth mindset as well as the dangers of a fixed mindset. For each role, targeted questions help you to recognise so-called anti-patterns in yourself and others. This means dysfunctional behaviour that needs to be modified in order for people to succeed in a certain role, such as avoiding difficult conversations in a Voyager role or sticking too closely to original schedules and plans as a Vested leader. The risks of this problematic behaviour are also explained. This part concludes with the lessons learned by the protagonists of the various case studies. At the end of the book, there is also an extensive reference list for those who wish to consult the original sources or find out more.

Core messages

In short, the book is packed with practical tips, useful insights and surprising facts. It’s almost impossible to highlight the most important lessons – choosing feels like losing. If Karlien had to mention just three, which would stand out for her?

• Everyone can play a role. It is a big misunderstanding to think that digital leadership is the prerogative of only a few people in an organisation. “We regard leadership as behaviour, regardless of hierarchical position or responsibilities”, she says. “Anyone who wants to can therefore be a catalyst and contribute to the digital transformation – at all levels.”
• Take on a role that suits you. You don’t need to be good at all four roles – which is impossible, by the way. Find out which role or roles best suit your strengths and interests. The descriptions in the book will help you. “Ask yourself: which roles energise me the most? Are you an enthusiastic storyteller who is most interested in conveying a vision, or are you someone who likes to coordinate and implement everything?” Karlien asks. “Then look to see which of your colleagues can take on the other roles.” 
• Work on cooperation. “When you take on this kind of leadership role, you can’t just do your own thing”, emphasises Karlien. The various roles must work together and coordinate their activities constantly. For example, the Visionary may have to adapt the vision to the technology that is ultimately chosen at the Voyager’s initiative. However, every role is also the result of close cooperation between a group of people spread across the organisation.

Fruitful cooperation

The best rule of thumb is to do what you instruct others to do: Practise what you preach. In fact, Digital at Heart itself stems from close cooperation between the three authors – Karlien Vanderheyden, Ignace Decroix and Stijn Viaene – who were able to draw on their complementary expertise and many years of experience in research, training and advice for and with companies. As a result, the book offers a unique wealth of information and robust theory from psychology, sociology and business studies, made tangible with case studies inspired by practice.

Who is it for?

Digital at Heart gives readers a different view of the relationship between people and technology and offers tools to make the much-needed digital transformations succeed. So the book is aimed at anyone who is involved in digital transformations in some way. The practical approach inspires you to get started right away, while the theoretical explanations and anecdotes stimulate the mind. So much so, in fact, that even people who aren’t involved in digital transformations will enjoy the book. Keen to discover the five dimensions of curiosity, what Hick’s law has to do with how we make decisions, and why the Zeigarnik effect explains both the effectiveness of cliffhangers and the mental noise of multitasking? Perhaps you’d like to find out what sawubona means? Or what happens in your brain and to your heartbeat when you hear a story? There’s only one way to find out: read this book!

Interested in reading more?

Digital at Heart - How to Lead a Human-Centric Digital Transformation is published by LannooCampus and available in good bookstores. You can also order the book from Amazon.

About the authors

Karlien Vanderheyden is an Associate Professor and Partner at Vlerick Business School. She is also the Director of the Research Centre for People in the Smart Digitised Supply Chain. Ignace Decroix is a Doctoral Researcher at Vlerick Business School and Ghent University. Stijn Viaene is a Full Professor and Partner at Vlerick Business School and Full Professor at KU Leuven.