Aarons Chris - The digital helix: transforming your organizations DNA to thrive in the digital age

Praise for The Digital Helix

You cant successfully manage transformations without effectively managing expectations. By ruthlessly confronting how digital innovation explicitly disrupt enterprise expectations, Gale and Aarons focus executive attention exactly where it belongs: the challenge of aligning greater expectations with greater value.

Michael Schrage, research fellow at MIT Sloan Schools Initiative on the Digital Economy

In my role at Forbes Media, I have the good fortune and honor to meet personally with, write about and to conduct research among many hundreds of corporate leaders and entrepreneurs around the globe. Each is to a greater or lesser degree leveraging Welchs dictum and the parallels between those experiences and what I learned from reading The Digital Helix are striking.

Bruce Rogers, chief insights officer at Forbes

Dont let the title fool you; this goes way beyond digital. Gale and Aarons have given us a refreshing perspective about the importance of simplicity, clarity, and culture in any transformation, along with a poignant reminder that we must never lose sight of our most critical assetthe very people we serve.

Colette LaForce, named one of the Top 50 Women in Technology, a Fierce 15 CMO, and CMO Leader of the Year

Those who can take an adaptive stance, both as individuals and organizations, are best positioned to realize their full potential during uncertain times. Through research and insights, Gale and Aarons provide the approach and tools for executives to lead by example in order to thrive in the digital age.

Vanessa Colella, head of Citi Ventures and Chief Innovation Officer, Citi

It isnt enough to evolve your existing business processes. Gale and Aarons understand that businesses need real transformation. In The Digital Helix, they provide information and tools to help you understand what successful transformations look like.

Kelly Faley, Vice President, Digital Marketing, Sharp HealthCare

This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher and author are not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.

Published by Greenleaf Book Group Press
Austin, Texas
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Copyright 2017 Michael Gale and Chris Aarons

All rights reserved.

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Design and composition by Greenleaf Book Group and Sheila Parr
Cover design by Greenleaf Book Group and Sheila Parr
Backside jacket artwork by Zach Layton

Cataloging-in-Publication data is available.

Print ISBN: 978-1-62634-464-8

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62634-465-5

Part of the Tree Neutral program, which offsets the number of trees consumed in the production and printing of this book by taking proactive steps, such as planting trees in direct proportion to the number of trees used: www.treeneutral.com

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

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First Edition

To Lara, Wendi, Sam and Jack, and the kids, thank you for the support, energy, reviews, and love.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

This is the very last page we wrote for the book, but we think it is the first one you should read.

You have probably heard, read, or talked a lot about the idea of digital transformation, both inside and outside of your organization. Like other business and management ideas and terms, digital transformation may feel transient or hip, and you may think it will morph or converge into the general landscape of terms. While the phrase might have different meanings and connotations to you right now, you should recognize that digitally transforming is different from just adopting a digital view or adding digital technologies. This trend is now the foundation of how we change our thinking and behavior at the organizational and individual level. This begs the questions, Why should we care about digital transformation, and why now?

Answering these questions is critical to digital success. Thriving with digital transformation is about discovering, building, and even recreating the best DNA version of your organization. This requires a robust discussion about where you are and where you can go. It is about seeing how new ideas and processes can work together in a manner that might sound contradictory to many tried and tested historical approaches. It is about harnessing the immense promise and potential of technology by changing how your organization thinks and functions at all levels. It is also about giving customers and digital citizens what they want, even before they know they want it. Ultimately, it is about enabling individuals and organizations to reach their fullest potentials, now and in the future, by behaving and organizing in different ways.

We have all seen and experienced a significant amount of change in business in just the past decade or so. With Web 1.0, we were given the promise of access and speed to existing businesses or even new business models. With Web 2.0, we saw the ability to connect organizational elements together and deliver more. But digital transformation is different. Whether it is Web 3.0, 4.0, or even 5.0, digital transformation enables you to be ready for these changes and many others as they come. It is the engine and the underpinnings that enable us to realize our full potential while providing exponential benefits and value to adjust and win in markets and worlds yet to be defined. Your only barrier is creating the right organizational DNA to unleash and maximize its capabilities.

Digital is here and transforming the world around us in new and faster ways than before. Therefore, we must recognize and embrace these changing moments or we will be overcome and left behind in this new world. The question is, Are you and your organization set up and equipped to thrive and reach your full potential or possibly even overachieve in the digital age?

This book is designed to give you the insights, frameworks, and stories to identify where you are and where you need to go. We have also included the tools to architect, design, and build the DNA needed to thrive with digital transformation, no matter where you are today. Enjoy the journey.

FOREWORD

THE END IS NEAR

I f you remember nothing else from this book, remember this: The end is near. Now that I have your attention, let me explain. The full quote comes not from some deluded prophet of the impending apocalypse but, rather, from none other than the