A featured contribution from Leadership Perspectives: a curated forum reserved for leaders nominated by our subscribers and vetted by the Construction Tech Review Advisory Board.
Head of Technology Operations at Moto Hospitality
Career in IT Senior Leadership
Factors That Influenced Your Decision to Pursue a Career in IT Management
I fell into tech after university. I had not planned to make a career in tech, and it was only ever meant to be a short-term role until I found my proper job. My educational background is in the arts and fashion retail buying, so it really was a curve ball. I studied on the job to gain technical qualifications and practical knowledge, which accelerated my career trajectory. I have had the opportunity to work in large-scale FTSE companies in many sectors and occupy roles nationally and globally, managing teams of up to 300 people. Although I had not planned to work in tech, I loved it. Post-pandemic, as a mother of two young children, I wanted to work in a role closer to home and have a balanced work life to home life. My move to Moto Hospitality gave me the opportunity to continue to enjoy the career I love, have the bonus of excellent family-friendly policies and be present for key events in my children’s lives.
Best Practices Crucial for Executing a Successful Digital Transformation Strategy
Transformation involves so much it is difficult to pinpoint just a few; I would say my top five key tips for a successful transformation are:
Identify the Key Streams and Success Factors
Once you know your key streams, you can then determine what you need for each and the success factors for each.
For example, I would know I have succeeded if, by x, I meet y. If you know your success factors and what they look like, the recruitment or alignment of the correct people will fall in line with what type of people you need.
Identify the Role Types You Need
By role types, I do not just mean educational and business experience but what type of personality will be effective for the type of transformation you are doing. Do you need someone with the ability to think on their feet, manage lots of spinning plates, a detail-oriented process person, and someone who is culturally diverse? Is your team great at idea generating but not finishing a task, so do you need a person who is a starter completer? Often, in key projects or transformations, these may be your critical factors in success. Once you have the people in place- the success factors and objectives can be aligned to the roles.
Communication
Transformation is challenging. It involves change. Everyone’s ability to adapt to change is different. To bring people on the journey and to keep assessing things are moving as they should, you need to remember to continue communication throughout. Identify if each milestone is being hit for each success factor for each stream regularly; everyone is aligned and has communicated effectively and regularly with the correct audiences collectively and individually. This is the hardest aspect to get right. Open forums with expectations managed and accountability for regular communication will assist in positive transformation.
Reward and Review
Throughout the process, reward and review your people. Are they still able to align with the success factors, and are they meeting the objectives? If they are not, why and what do you need to do to support, review or re-align? If they are, how can you recognise and reward the efforts to ensure the process continues to be a positive one? How can you as a leader continue to motivate with intrinsic motivation?
Emotional Intelligence and Kindness
Probably the most important of these five tips is being empathetic, kind and having high levels of emotional intelligence. Transformation is challenging, it is difficult, and it can be draining. If done right, it can be motivating, positive and career-defining for not only you but everyone around you. People will always be, in my opinion, the most important part of transformation. If I have a happy, engaged team, I am most likely to have a happy, engaged transformation.
Take the opportunities even if it pushes you outside of your comfort zone.
Don’t get comfortable. Review regularly and consistently and ask if the transformation is still working and if we need to flex or change. This can be difficult, but it is often about reminding ourselves of the long-term goals and impact if security considerations are not reviewed in detail.
Key Performance Indicators to Measure the Success and Progress of It Transformation Initiatives
I would align these measures with your goals. As advised, what does success look like at the end of the transformation, and what are the milestones to success? If these are met, then that is a tangible way to measure success.
Effectively Communicating the Benefits of IT Transformation
Often, with change, there can be resistance, and change takes time to adapt. Everyone's comfort levels to change vary. Communication and showcasing progress and mistakes with integrity and honesty to bring everyone on the journey, I have felt, has always been the best way to reduce resistance. Find your champions of change and ask them to also spread positive messages and reassure those who are unsure.
Advice for Young Professionals Interested in Pursuing a Career in Technology Consulting
Take the opportunities even if it pushes you outside of your comfort zone.
