CIOs: Break Through Culture Barriers to Enable Digital Transformation

Although 64% of CIOs perceive culture as a barrier to achieve their digital ambitions, 25% perceive culture as an enabler, according to Gartner research.

Change is the new normal.

The right culture is one of the most important requirements to achieve digital transformation. Gartner predicts that by 2021, CIOs will be as responsible for culture change as chief HR officers.

Attributes that may be culture barriers for some are, in fact, enablers for others. These attributes include the leader’s tone at the top, management style and level of employee engagement.

CIOs can use the following tactics to turn those attributes from barriers into enablers for achieving digital culture change:

• Change the conversation away from culture as a barrier toward culture as an enabler. Just the way in which culture is discussed will start to change it
• Be more specific about the desired culture change. Culture is the mindset and practices that shape behavior. Manage employees toward those new mindsets and practices.
• Design a roadmap for culture change to address long-term goals.