{"id":7692,"date":"2018-11-01T17:58:45","date_gmt":"2018-11-01T21:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.brainstation.io\/?p=7692"},"modified":"2018-11-01T17:58:45","modified_gmt":"2018-11-01T21:58:45","slug":"how-to-build-a-digital-first-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brainstation.io\/blog\/how-to-build-a-digital-first-culture","title":{"rendered":"How to Build a Digital-First Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

According to <\/span>International Data Corporation (IDC)<\/span><\/a>, businesses around the world are expected to spend nearly $2.1 trillion by 2021 on digital transformation, including investments in mobility, data, and cloud computing, among other technologies. In fact, by 2020, <\/span>60 percent of all enterprises<\/span><\/a> will be in the process of implementing an organization-wide digital platform strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n

All of this comes with an important caveat.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we are seeing more companies becoming more digitally capable, there is a widening gap between leaders and laggards, with significant implications for those organizations that cannot make the transition to a digital-native organization,\u201d <\/span>said Shawn Fitzgerald<\/span><\/a>, research director, Worldwide Digital Transformation Strategies, IDC.<\/span><\/p>\n

To successfully make that transition often requires creating a digital-first culture, which not only prioritizes digital channels and methods but also ensures that employees are informed and empowered to face these changes. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe underlying meaning of being digital first is to foster a team that is digitally fluent and customer-focused,\u201d says Janice Liu, Vice President of Digital Solutions at Cossette. \u201cDigital-first teams prioritize digital experiences and try to build cohesive, connected experiences that deliver real business outcomes.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you get there? Let\u2019s take a closer look. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cDigital First\u201d Has to Come From the Top Down<\/span><\/h2>\n

Are you (or your boss) the type that complains about \u201ckids staring at their phones\u201d? Do you think social media is strictly a Russian propaganda tool? <\/span>
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You\u2019re going to have to open your mind to new ideas. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe CEO is the curator of an organization\u2019s culture,\u201d Satya Nadella, Microsoft\u2019s Chief Executive Office, wrote in his book <\/span>Hit Refresh<\/span><\/i>. \u201cAnything is possible for a company when its culture is about listening, learning, and harnessing individual passions and talents to the company\u2019s mission. Creating that kind of culture is my chief job as CEO.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s up to you (or your boss) to set the tone when trying to build a digital-first culture. The clearer you are about your expectations and what you hope to achieve, the less resistance you will encounter. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cExecutive leadership is highly important because culture bleeds down. Always,\u201d Liu says. <\/span><\/p>\n

Do Your Homework <\/span><\/h2>\n

The companies that successfully adopt a digital-first culture start by conducting extensive external and internal assessments. <\/span><\/p>\n

Where is value created? What assets do you have? Compared to industry leaders, what do you lack? You will have to answer these questions and more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cosmetic giant Est\u00e9e Lauder, for example, adopted a <\/span>digital-first approach<\/span><\/a> involving: social media influencers; virtual reality makeup tests; and beauty consultants on Facebook. They looked at the assets and channels available to them, analyzed what their competitors were doing, and then gave their customers something of real value. They even realized where they fell short in the skills department, and sent teams to BrainStation for digital skills training. All of this has helped increase the company\u2019s share price 60 percent in the last year, and put them in a good position for the future. <\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, you need to know where you stand to understand where you need to go. <\/span><\/p>\n

Don\u2019t Be Afraid to Be Bold <\/span><\/h2>\n

Building a digital-first culture often requires changing the core of your business. McKinsey recently compared the process to someone looking to strengthen their core muscles, \u201cthe central set of muscles that helps a body maintain its power, balance, and overall health.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

From an organizational structure, this means having to rethink your value proposition, marketing strategy, internal processes, and technology. This kind of change requires a measure of boldness, and evidence suggests that the companies that do best follow strategies that are \u201c<\/span>bold and disruptive<\/span><\/a>.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

You don\u2019t have to look further than your living room for a good example: Netflix started as a company that mailed DVDs. They then transitioned to a streaming subscription service, which led to them becoming a global entertainment company spending eight billion dollars on original content.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get Your Managers On Board <\/span><\/h2>\n

If you really want to build a digital-first culture, you\u2019ll need to get your managers on board. <\/span><\/p>\n

They will need to be ambassadors for change throughout your company, helping people who may feel threatened or uncertain, and there<\/span> will<\/span><\/i> be people that feel that way. According to a <\/span>Microsoft<\/span><\/a> study:<\/span>
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