The Digital Leader

5Launch!

You are on the cusp of your digital transformation. You have selected and empowered your transformation team, articulated your priorities, and agreed on the pain point that will be the first “bite” you attack. Your leadership teams are on board and fully synchronized.

You are ready to press the accelerator pedal. The digital enabler will be an indispensable strategic partner and a catalyst for making innovation and collaboration the air the members of your business breathe. This is how you begin.

Finding Digital Enablers

An entire cottage industry has emerged of digital enablers that possess a golden toolbox—including software engineering expertise, skill in developing and deploying algorithms and AI enhancements, and experience in assembling comprehensive digital platforms that will revolutionize your business opportunities, value creation, and executive decision making. These practitioners can assess your company and its needs, prepare the bite‐size phases and sequencing, build turnkey systems, and teach your staff how to benefit from their advantages. But where to start?

Step one, build your list of candidates. This can require some care, since you can't open the Yellow Pages to “digital enablers” and identify options. Firms often identify themselves differently and may be well known to IT experts but have a lower profile outside the field. A small amount of effort, though, will pay off. Move swiftly.

• Turning to your IT department is one good place to begin. ...