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The introduction of Networked Leadership (see previous blog) represent a change for any organization. Networked leadership is a vital in preparing your organization for the shift into a digital economy. By considering the move change program your increase the chance of success. The change start with you as the leader.

Networked Leadership will drive changes in many areas. Opportunities to take your business digital and your marketing into the social and mobile domain. The following areas are important inflection points to consider:

• Your business will be different, before and after the pursuit of digital development opportunities.
• Innovation will be common in established organizations, and not only in start-ups.
• Your marketing and external communication will add an element of Inbound marketing.
• You will drive your inbound marketing through social media platforms to mobile devices. Web based applications targeting desktops and laptops will come second.
• You will compete for information attention with your customers’ friends and family, not competitors .
• Your content will target short attention spans, seconds rule in the social mobile world.

As a business leader you need to define the direction and objectives for your new initiatives in the digital domain. The biggest challenge you face is likely the skills you and your management team have in this new areas. It represents a new world for many of us, and a world where innovation and exploration plays a larger role. This new market will challenge your existing business operation, and your ability to adapt will be crucial. The change program affects you, your management team and your organization.

Change programs have a 75% failure rate and the odds increase with structure and your own personal commitment. The paradox is the hardest change to drive is likely the one of you changing yourself. If you start early enough you and your energy will be the driving force behind the change. If you wait too long you will react and respond to external forces. A risk you to start too late to secure your influence at the inflection point of the digital economy to your advantage.

Good questions to ask yourself and your management team in this area are:

• Which digital business model disruptions will hit our current business areas first? – Vital not to take on the whole challenge from start.
• How do we want to prioritize between transformation efforts for marketing versus other areas of our new business? – Marketing is likely to be among the first out.
• How do we establish and start executing on a clear inbound marketing strategy for our company? – This is transformational for both channels and content.

For in-depth reading on change management consider the following:

• Leading successful change- 8 keys to making change work [BOOK] – by Gregory P. Shea
• 3 tips for leading successful change [BLOG] – by Nadia Goodman, Entrepreneurship
• 10 principles of change management [BLOG] – by Strategy+Business

I hope these development suggestions have made you excited in preparing yourself to transform.