How to successfully effect changes and drive initiatives in a global and matrix organization?
The key is your leadership ability to navigate, collaborate and influence cross various stakeholders and functions to create a win-win solution.
In my view, there are three key challenges, and opportunities as well.
As challenges and opportunities are the two sides of one coin. They cannot be separated.
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In my view there are three key challenges, and meanwhile, opportunities as well.
- Standardization vs Flexibility
- Efficiency & Effectiveness
- Digital transformation
Challenge #1 - Standardization vs Flexibility
Opportunity: 80/20, empowerment
As a global company, it is important to standardize, so that we can save resource cost, license cost, and have a standard database to provide visibility to global leaders sitting in the headquarter.
In real life, country situation differs hugely. The needs from a mature market is different from the emerging market.
Culture different, regulation different, customer habit different......each country has some very specific requirements, which cannot be met by global solution.
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In my experience, the 80/20 rules should be applied. 80% standard and 20% flexible.
Country should be empowered to make decision. The world is changing rapidly. If we need to wait from central team to make decision on every case, we are missing opportunities and losing the game.
Challenge #2 - Efficiency & Effectiveness
Opportunity: scale, ROTC, engagement
As a global company, we need to leverage and maximize our resource and investment as much as possible to re-use resource and reduce waste.
While country is empowered to make decision, it should also have a global view and keep in mind that we are one company.
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When local initiates anything, it is critical to engage the right stakeholders to ensure an overall assessment and sound judgement.
We need to consider the overall architect, ROTC (return on total cost/investment), and build a solution that is possible to scale.
Challenge #3 - Digital transformation
Opportunities: mindset change, agile way
Digital transformation is a never end journey and an infinite game. We are always on the way of continuous improvement.
In my digital transformation journey, I have both success and lessons learned.
In my experience, the below two factors are key to success digital transformation.
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Mindset change - Digital transformation is not about IT and tools, but about the change of mindset, culture, and way of work.
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Agile way - Start with a MVP to proof of concept. If we fail, we fail fast with minimum regret cost.
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Conclusion
In short, the three challenges are
- Standardization vs Flexibility
- Efficiency & Effectiveness
- How to drive a successful digital transformation
The winning mindset is
- 80/20 rule, and empowerment
- proper engagement, maximize resource and investment, build scale-able solution
- mindset change (IT vs business), agile way
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