The best example of inspiring transformation that nature provides us is the complete metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. There is hardly any similarity between the original caterpillar and the eventual butterfly. They are completely different creatures. However, this is neither a quick nor an easy process. The caterpillar literally dissolves itself in the chrysalis, and there are big changes happening on the inside in spite of the outward calm. Only this can lead to the emerging of a grand butterfly.

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change” - Charles Darwin. Just like in the natural world, the dynamic business world demands this kind of change, this type of transformation, from an organization to meet its current and future challenges. The agility of an organization could well be the deciding factor for its survival. It has been predicted that 40 percent of the businesses would shutdown in the next 10 years if they don’t figure-out how to change the entire company to accommodate new technologies (John Chambers, Cisco). Most businesses cannot continue to operate the way they did in the past, no matter how successful they are in the present. The market ecosystem now poses challenges through customers, competitors, supplychains, and regulatory requirements which must be met at a fast pace.

Envisioning Change
There can be no real transformation without a vision leading it. For the top management, it is not a delegable task. The willingness to reinvent and acknowledging the need to innovate, must begin at the top and must actively involve all the internal stakeholders. It is necessary that the company vision percolates down the organization hierarchy to become a shared vision of the entire organization.

There is a need to carve out near term and long term strategies keeping in mind the new vision and the business purpose. Priorities will define the direction in which the organization will advance. It will require decisions that seem too bold or even irrational in the present times. A fresh look across the value chain with a neutral standpoint can help identify hindrances as well as opportunities within the organization.

Rethink Technology
Information Technology is hands-on for digital transformation. The IT department shoulders the responsibility of carrying through the desired changes and innovations in an organization. It is through implementation of new and trending technologies like, IoT, CRM, Cloud solutions, Big Data, BI, Advanced Analytics and such that a change is sought to be brought about in the entire organization. It is through experimenting and prototyping new technology solutions that early gains can be achieved. Data becomes a key asset here, and advanced data analytics can provide insights not imagined before. It can help shake the previous beliefs & norms and make way for new ones, better substantiated by facts. Synergies are achieved through multi dimensional teams with both business and technical capabilities.