Lessons in IT Transformation: Technology Expert to Business Leader

Celebrating and Communicating Progress/Success

I am the epitome of the stereotypical Type-A New Yorker. I talk fast, I walk fast, I think fast (although not always clearly!). I am very results-oriented and focused on checking things off of my to-do list. In my world, success is all about getting things done and moving on to the next challenge. I don't expect a lot of fanfare and recognition (which is a good thing, because few of us get it that often!). Although this is who I am as a person, it is a terrible approach to handling people engaged in a significant transformation effort.

There are two critical things an effective transformational leader must ensure that she does as part of her efforts. The first is to celebrate success. When I speak of success, I'm not only referring to the end result of a two-year effort but, more importantly, also to accomplishing the important milestones along the way. We talked about the fact that fatigue can set in as part of any major long-term effort. We also discussed how easy it is to lose track of the goal or get disheartened along the path. As a leader, you must ensure that your team takes the time and effort to celebrate intermediate successes on the road to your longer-term objective. This can be as simple as publicly recognizing the team at a town hall meeting or as part of your ongoing client communiqué. It can be as low-key as bringing in a few pizzas and taking 30 minutes to celebrate. It's not about how much you spend or how glitzy ...