Do digital transformation well: the 6 team members you need

In every successful business, there comes a time when changes are necessary. This might mean taking on new technology, shuffling staff roles and responsibilities or altering long-ingrained systems and processes in order for the business to transform. Whatever the goal, the biggest hurdle companies face lies within: the internal culture needs to be right for positive transformation to thrive.

Here’s our guide to characters in the world of work: who you need to have around and who to watch out for when you embark on your digital transformation project.

Dreamers

Fuelled by a passion for change (and a compulsion for the spotlight), Dreamers use their charm and influence to inspire others, articulating their vision so well that those around them can practically “see” the end goal. They understand the intricacies of how innovation is enabled and actively try to create these environments.

What they want: a better world for those around them in the business.

Why you need them: they’re passionate, persistent, natural leaders who are great at getting buy-in. They believe in themselves so strongly that they can rally others to follow them.

Watch out for: their enthusiasm can be infectious and influential, but they can be hard to reign in and can get people excited without substance. Unmanaged, they can become significant detractors as they blue-sky beyond addressing daily realities, but with appropriate guidance can become one of the business’s best assets.

Rainmakers

That rare type who can make transformation or other business goals actually happen against all adversity, Rainmakers are people-people and great listeners. Calm and in control, they are very influential but use compromise and consensus, diplomatically delegating and communicating with colleagues and outsiders to achieve results.

What they want: less division between business and personal worlds – Rainmakers are socially minded and thrive on connecting people in seemingly unrelated fields.

Why you need them: they have the ability to get any situation under control and spread a sense of calm wherever they go.

Watch out for: Rainmakers need to involve others in decisions and document how they get results so that others can learn from them and improve business culture further.

Prag-titioners

Amalgams of pragmatists and practitioners, prag-titioners are detail-oriented but use this trait to achieve results rather than pick holes in projects. They segment broad strategies into smaller projects and dedicate themselves to completing them.

What they want: a degree of routine makes Prag-titioners feel safe. They are not huge fans of surprises.

Why you need them: Prag-titioners have high levels of concentration and attention to detail and are great at creating and implementing processes and systems.

Watch out for: dedicated to thoroughly completing each step of a process, they have the tendency to move too slowly and lose sight of the end-goal. Setting internal deadlines and “check-ins” with project managers can ensure they maintain a comfortable pace.

Tinkerers

The mad scientists of the business world, Tinkerers love using technology or systems to enable business growth and change. Usually perfectionists, they are subscribers to the vision but sometimes get caught in the periphery. They’re the sort that can get distracted by one of those niggling things that you need to get right before you move on to the next thing.

What they want: their ideal day goes something like test, iterate, eat, repeat. They are happy to talk endlessly about the problem they are addressing and you can gain a lot of new perspectives by spending time with them.

Why you need them: they’re agile and eager to try technological innovations, willing to experiment and test new ways of doing things.

Watch out for: their work ethic is generally unimpeachable as they love what they do. The important thing is to keep them to task and to time.

Keepers of the Coin

In positions of financial power, Keepers of the Coin monitor cash-related issues on a day-to-day basis. They can significantly accelerate organisational transformation if the benefits, processes, risks and threats are clearly explained to them.

What they want: facts and figures make sense to Keepers of the Coin. They like things to be in black and white and are not so keen on shades of grey.

Why you need them: they are neutral, agnostic and rational – the voice of reason.

Watch out for: Keepers of the Coin are sticklers for crossing “t”s and dotting “i”s – and for good reason. But by actively involving them in non-financial discussions and making them feel more like valued employees instead of human ATMs, they will be more motivated to think outside the square come number-crunching time.

Renegades

Not necessarily on board for altruistic reasons, Renegades can be difficult to motivate as they are not highly engaged or involved in the cause or mission of the business (perhaps they only view their current role as a stepping stone to something better somewhere else). They may seem aloof and distant.

What they want: as much as they can get from their role, in terms of experience.

Why you need them: Renegades are objective and are unfazed by office politics and business complexities.

Watch out for: if people-managed correctly, Renegades can provide significant information and insights from an outside observer’s perspective – and champion the business and its employees even after they have left it.

Transformation is our bread and butter. So now that you’ve got the right people on board, we’d love to help you take your organisation to the next level. Get in touch today to find out more.