Digital transformation is hard. You can have the best software and even excellent execution of the implementation. Yet, if the people don’t accept the new way of working, it will just be another sunk cost. For this reason, leaders who will ensure that the necessary mindset change takes place must be chosen thoughtfully. Focusing on soft skills is the key to finding the people who will succeed in the difficult task. Soft skills are the hallmark of leaders in digital transformation.
The Human Touch: How Soft Skills Empower Leaders for Success
The best solution will fail if people believe it will benefit them. They can be reminded, threatened, or punished, but with a hard-handed approach, the best you will get is a minimum of engagement. People will work differently, but the mindset will not have changed, so the expected benefit will not come. For this reason, it is essential to have the right leaders throughout the organization to ensure people get on board.
These leaders should be present in different specialist areas and hierarchical levels. This is especially important because most people will be much more open to change if the request comes from someone close to them. That way, the leader can explain it to them in their language and on their terms. In addition to explaining it, the person can model new behaviors and processes. This makes it even more real to them, making it much more likely that they will accept the change
Nine Core Soft Skills for Effective Transformative Leaders
Digital transformation requires different skills from leading an organization that doesn’t need fundamental changes. They need to be soft-skill superstars with the following nine core values.
- Patience: Accept that some people need more time than others to work and think differently.
- Empathy: Understand peoples’ needs, concerns, challenges, and anxieties and provide appropriate support.
- Collaboration: Bring employees from different interest groups together to shape outcomes.
- Continuous Learning: Demonstrate how to learn and embrace new technologies without fearing failure.
- Active Listening: Proactively ensure everyone feels free to express themselves when discussing the future.
- Transparency: Be honest and open about the initiative’s goals, especially if people are directly affected.
- Respect for Work-Life Balance: Make sure there is a balance between requiring extra effort and protecting people’s well-being during the process.
- Ownership and Accountability: Practice taking ownership of their responsibilities and holding themselves accountable.
- Recognition and Appreciation: Recognize and appreciate efforts and contributions to the initiative’s success.
So next time you want to bring about change, watch for people already modeling those key behaviors.
Future-Proofing Through Soft Skills: Key to Thriving in Digital Transformation
Soft skills are the hallmark of leaders in digital transformation. Digital transformation is hard but they will make change possible. People with the right soft skills are the key to getting people to think and act differently. For this reason, make sure to choose the people to lead digital transformation thoughtfully. Without them, it will just be another sunk cost. Therefore, when it is time to transform the company, the established leaders won’t necessarily be the right ones going forward.
Check out this article for another perspective on why choosing the right leader at a time of transformation is important: people in a company in digital transformation (leaders-of-digital-change.com)