EMPOWERED

CHAPTER 78Transformation in Action

Now that we've discussed what's involved in meaningful transformation, you might be wondering what a strong product organization looks like that has undergone this transformation.

To answer that, I am sharing below a story from SVPG partner Jon Moore, which is based on his experiences at the Guardian in London, which was one of the most impressive transformations I have witnessed.

In June 2007, the world of technology changed forever. Steve Jobs stood on stage and unveiled the iPhone—a device that was limited in functionality but rich in intuition. It was a time of revolutionary change for all businesses, and none more so than the UK's Guardian newspaper. Under the stewardship of then‐editor‐in‐chief Alan Rusbridger, it was arguably the most digitally ambitious newspaper in the world.

But it was also in crisis. For the first time in nearly 200 years, the Guardian's future was anything but guaranteed. Advertising was in freefall, and virtually all other revenue streams were in the process of being replaced by newer, better, digital‐first rivals.

As newspapers all over the world began the task of moving to online subscription models, the Guardian chose an alternative, ambitious but potentially perilous strategy: to remain free online. “Nothing good ever comes of putting up a wall” was the message delivered across the organization.

The decision was founded on a belief that the Guardian's progressive editorial content would wither and die behind ...