Transform Your Definition of Transformation
Recently, during a lively dinner conversation with a large group of friends, the subject of change was brought up. A dear friend of mine, herself a C-Suite executive, made a point that change is not only inevitable but also necessary for growth and survival.
While I hardly dispute the value of adaptation, who wants to simply survive? Far too often, people confuse change — a product of the past — for transformation, which is the process of unlocking uncharted possibilities that are completely new and revolutionary.
But transformation, whether you’re cultivating an entirely new corporate culture or bringing a groundbreaking new product to market, can be risky. Consider the iPhone, something I consider to be a transformational product that created, not just added, value. Had the product been based on a gimmick or billed as being able to offer an experience beyond its capabilities, not only would Apple’s reputation — and stock — have paid a price, but so too would have consumer sentiment. This could have had a negative impact on R&D investments as demand for over-hyped smartphone products dwindled.
As we know, this was not the case. Not only has the iPhone been wildly successful but it has also transformed the way we interact and communicate. As is our position at Insigniam, transformations almost always require many large, critical initiatives to be executed simultaneously toward a unified goal, without losing any altitude in current operational efficiency — something we refer to as Breakthrough Performance.
But do all transformations look the same? Hardly. In the case of our cover story — an interview with Mary Kay Chief Marketing Officer Sheryl Adkins-Green — the cosmetics giant’s transformations were calculated and measured, and have resulted in more than 50 years of sustained success. On the other hand, in the case of Hager Group, it took a transformational leader in the form of CEO Daniel Hager to reinvent his family’s company into an unstoppable competitive force — one not only intent on surviving but thriving.
With that, I present our fall issue, focused on the challenges and successes wrought by transformation. Transformation can be treacherous, but on behalf of everyone at Insigniam, we look forward to partnering with you along each step of the journey to help you arrive at a destination you can only imagine.
