We’re all working in a time of perennial change. Marketing priorities are frequently a moving target. This climate can create a sort of organizational Attention-Deficit Disorder.
Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the push toward digital transformation. Gartner released a study a few weeks ago that found senior executives were rapidly shifting priorities to embrace digital business.
And yet, while adapting to changing circumstances is essential, continually shifting priorities takes a toll. It’s hard to prioritize when everything is a priority. A shift at the leadership team level can have a bullwhip effect on the rest of the organization.
And, as Gartner noted in a separate study, many businesses confuse digital transformation with prioritizing isolated digital projects. As Gartner’s Val Sribar put it:
“Many businesses are stuck running digital projects. Some of them are very large, but digital projects are not a digital business.”
Here are a few related cartoons I’ve drawn over the years.
“Digital Transformation” November 2016
“Shiny Object Syndrome” January 2015
“Organizational Bullwhip” July 2008
