A few thoughts on digital transformation inspired by conversations at EWiT Global Conference 2023.
Last week I had the privilege of speaking at the Global Extraordinary Women in Tech Conference in Redwood City, and I am still struck by what an inspirational, energizing, and supportive experience it was. I loved seeing SE Health speaking alongside brand-name companies across different verticals including NVIDIA, Oracle, LinkedIn, Cisco, SEPHORA, eBay, Sony PlayStation, and so many more. As a woman supporting teams in significant digital transformation, here are 3 things I heard and how they are relevant to my context. Note they are not necessarily specific to any one gender or group.
1. Disagreement can be a powerful force for innovation – key for transformation. We sometimes see people who are part of a minority feel more compelled to agree rather than disagree, to ensure they continue to be included. There are many situations where it’s not easy to disagree and everyone is responsible for bringing their own judgment to the situation, but if everyone can try to build a safe environment for different opinions to surface, then that safety can contribute to better innovation.
2. Top 5 things I am working on. In a large transforming organization and/or one that is working mostly remotely, it can be easy to lose track of what problems other people are working on. If you are not someone who is prone to proactively broadcasting what you’re up to constantly, an already quiet voice can get lost. Using simple mechanisms like asking everyone to share the top 5 things they are working on with the rest of the organization can create more connections and opportunities to prioritize or collaborate.
3. Feedback loops are critical in transformation, and feedback is definitely an art. It’s not always easy to give or receive well. I think it’s interesting to remind ourselves that we have options when it comes to feedback. One way to think about it is similar to how I think about clothing (which is a lot). You can choose to keep it, donate it, share it, or return it. To continue with the clothing metaphor, it’s a good idea to “Marie Kondo” your closet of feedback every once in a while too and see what is still valuable (and brings you joy).
