Organizations that want to reach their goals must ensure that their daily activities, projects, and objectives are strategically aligned with their mission, vision, and strategy. A Harvard Business Review study found that 81% of successful organizations use a roadmap to track their progress and adjust it as needed. Salesforce research indicates that companies that regularly update their roadmap achieve their goals 63% of the time, compared to only 18% of companies that don't. Digital transformation initiatives are becoming increasingly popular among organizations.
This process involves researching and identifying the most appropriate tools, software, and platforms that align with the organization's goals and objectives. When the organization is aligned, it has a better idea of which technologies to scale and which to eliminate. Having a clear plan is essential for organizations to take full advantage of digital transformation. It is important to recognize two huge elephant traps when carrying out this alignment.
If you “achieve” strategic alignment, it can become a noun, something that gives your organization an advantage, and it's this cultural dimension that makes it practically impossible to copy it. An example of how SMART objectives can generate tangible benefits can be seen in McDonald's digital transformation initiative. Recent statistics indicate that, although 83% of companies have formulated formal digital transformation (IDC) strategies, 70% of these initiatives do not achieve the expected results (McKinsey). As digital transformation continues to gain ground and becomes an indispensable tool for organizations striving to stay ahead of the competition, it is imperative to develop an effective strategy that aligns with their specific goals and objectives. Effective oversight and adjustment of initiatives are crucial for organizations to achieve their objectives, and research supports the importance of oversight and adjustment for organizational success. Only 16% of respondents say that their organizations' digital transformations have successfully improved performance and have also equipped them to sustain long-term changes. Organizations must ensure that their digital transformation initiatives are properly aligned with their strategic objectives in order to maximize success.
To do this, they must create a roadmap that outlines the steps they need to take in order to reach their goals. This roadmap should be regularly updated in order to adjust for any changes in the organization's objectives or environment. Additionally, organizations should be aware of the two elephant traps associated with strategic alignment: it can become a noun, something that gives your organization an advantage, and it's this cultural dimension that makes it practically impossible to copy it. By taking these steps, organizations can ensure that their digital transformation initiatives are properly aligned with their strategic objectives. This will enable them to maximize success and achieve their goals more effectively.