 |
|
|
|||||
Believing that digital transformation is about changing technology is like thinking firefighting is about riding in a fire truck. Firefighting is about putting out fires to save lives and property. Digital transformation is about changing how your organization functions and creates value using data, systems, skills, and processes. That might mean building dashboards that give executives real-time visibility across thousands of staff, training hundreds in new ways of working like Agile or DevOps, or automating back-office processes to free up time for higher-value work. The common thread is that technology becomes a catalyst for organisational change in strategy, people, and operationsnot just new software bolted onto old habits. If youre replacing systems without changing how people work or what value you create, youre running an IT project, not a transformation. Thats not bad, but the distinction matters because it determines whether change is sustainable. With failure rates between 26% and 88%, the odds are that your digital transformation is already failing. You might not know it yet, but the warning signs are there. Based on my work with dozens of organizations and research into what drives success, six reasons appear most often. 1. Your Digital Vision Could Mean Anything Visions for digital transformations are overrated. You need a clear vision for digital change, but for teams doing the work, that isnt enough. A specific definition of done bridges the gap between the vision you want and the actions they need to take. As a consultant, I saw many digital visions that boiled down to cloud-first,” “mobile-first,” “data-driven, and now, AI-first. But what does AI-first actually mean? It could mean building internal AI tools before anything else, buying platforms that use AI, or designing customer journeys where an AI bot is the first point of contact. The definition of done comes from software development, where developers ask how someone will know when a feature is complete. If you think of baking a cake, the vision tells you what you want the cake to look like; the definition of done tells you that when its golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, its ready. 2. Your Documented Process Isnt the Real One Most transformation plans are based on documented processes, even though those processes rarely match reality. Real work involves quick calls, side emails, copy-pasting, and workarounds, usually born from underinvestment in systems or skills. Over time, these informal processes become essential, creating manual rework that keeps the organisation running. People cling to them because they work and fear that transformation will only add more bureaucracy. Even when you know the real process, transformation itself never runs sequentially. Its two steps forward, one to the side, two backward. Yet transformation programmes are still sold as linear, with milestones and timelines that look neat on PowerPoint. Those promises set unrealistic expectations and make failure more likely. 3. Youre Confusing Involvement with Engagement McKinsey research shows that 68% of successful transformations actively involve employees, yet only 35% seek feedback or new ideas. The difference lies in confusing participation with engagement, and compliance with commitment. Many transformation leaders prioritise participation because its easier to measure. You can track town hall attendance, survey completion, or training numbers. But engagement, real ownership and belief, is harder to quantify. Theatrics like bringing people on the journey are common, but what you actually need are employees with high buy-in who can advocate for change. Theyre the ones who make transformation stick. 4. Your Leaders Think Cascading Messages Work Employees want to hear about major changes from two people: their direct manager and a senior leader. Unless managers can personally justify and role-model change, employees will stick with the status quo. Leaders often believe they can scale these conversations by having comms teams and line managers cascade messages through the organisation. But that assumes group dynamics stay the same as conversations scale. They dont. You can have a genuine dialogue with five people, not 5,000. At scale, communication becomes about power and influence, not connection or understanding. 5. Youre Running Out of Political Capital The worlds largest leadership survey from DDI found were in a global leadership credibility crisis. Trust in immediate managers dropped from 46% to 29% in two years. For transformation leaders, thats devastating. Our job is to create conditions for people to test and learn quickly, but that requires trust. In environments with competing priorities and scarce resources, politics fills the vacuum. Projects get defunded when sponsors lose confidence. Sponsors get replaced when they burn through credibility. Teams miss targets when they stop listening to leaders. Without credibility, theres no trust. Without trust, there’s no confidence or political capital. And without political capital, you lose influence. You cant change behavior if you dont have the authority to persuade. 6. You Might Be Cost Cutting Your Way to Bankruptcy Most digital transformations include some cost cutting or downsizing, but the evidence on how that plays out is bleak. A study of 4,710 U.S. firms found that those that downsized were twice as likely to declare bankruptcy within five years as those that didnt. Ive seen it firsthand. Companies slash headcounts for quick savings, often starting with support teams labelled as cost centres. IT teams are replaced by smaller agile squads where titles change but workloads dont. Nine to eighteen months later, theyre rehiring to fill the capability gaps they created. The most responsible companies cut differently. They remove toxic leadership, outdated systems, and redundant processes while protecting institutional memory. Transformations that build on existing strengths, rather than strip them away, are far more resilient than those driven by short-term savings. Best practice transformation often becomes a one-size-fits-all comfort blanket. In reality, meaningful change requires leaders to be awkward, unpopular, and willing to call out uncomfortable truths. The six warning signs above are easy to spot but hard to confront. Doing so early and often may make you unpopular, but it also keeps your organisation out of the 70% of transformations that fail.
Category:
E-Commerce
This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here.AI assistants are now more than simple answer machines. ChatGPT’s new Study Mode, Claude’s Learning Mode, and Gemini’s Guided Learning represent a significant shift. Instead of just providing answers, these free tools act as adaptive, 24/7 personal tutors.Guidde | Create how-to guides with AI Tired of explaining the same thing over and over again to your colleagues? Guidde is an AI-powered tool that helps you explain the most complex tasks in seconds with AI-generated documentation. Turn boring documentation into stunning visual guides Save valuable time by creating video documentation 11x faster Share or embed your guide anywhere Just click capture on the browser extension. The app will automatically generate step-by-step video guides complete with visuals, voiceover and call to action. The best part? The extension is 100% free. Try it Free New Tools for Studying and Learning ChatGPT Study Mode Get Started: Select Study Mode from the plus menu when starting a new chat. [Screenshot]. Start with context. Tell ChatGPT what you want to learn, why, and what you already know. The model excels at adapting to your level and guiding you step by step. My take: Ive been experimenting with AI learning modes to understand the intricacies of venture capital investing. ChatGPT initially overwhelmed me with info [screenshot], then seemed to notice I was drowning and adjusted its pace. It must have seen my confused frown. Note: You can use Study and learn mode on mobile and with ChatGPT in a browser, but you cant yet access it in the desktop app or within a ChatGPT Project. Below is a quick example of a dialogue in Study Mode Gemini Guided Learning Get Started: Visit g.co/gemini/guidedlearning My take: Gemini has been an excellent tutor. It replies concisely to my questions about venture capital. For example, so far it has: Quizzed me (try a basic example) Created a helpful infographic Generated an audio overview, in the style of NotebookLM Made me a custom Web page Shared simple digital flashcards The tangible artifacts help me visualize concepts and test my own understanding. The model takes a minute or so to produce infographics and a little longer to create audio overviews. Im repeatedly returning to these materials to review what still feels fuzzy arcane details of valuation, cap tables, dilution, and convertible notes. Below is an example of a scientific infographic: Other Google Learning Tools Illuminate turns academic papers and research into audio summaries Learn About responds thoroughly and helpfully to any inquiry Learning Coach Gem is an assistant you can chat with. Little Language Lessons offers quick takeaways. LearnLM is Googles family of language models for learning, grounded in educational research. Claude Learning Mode Get Started: Select “Learning” from the style menu. This step initially confused me because the other options in that menu are writing styles. My take: Claude’s scenario-based questions like these push me to think through real-world situations to practice applying what Im learning. Tips: As you learn, ask Claude to create artifactslittle interactive apps that help you practice what you’re learning. Also request occasional challenges, case studies, or quizzes. Advantage: Unlike ChatGPT, you can use Learning Mode within Claude Projects. That allows you to benefit from personalized learning alongside your uploaded documents and context. So you can upload a slew of files, reports, and research resources and let Claude tutor you on those materials. The additional concentration required for socratic learning helps with mastering complex concepts, as reflected in this image made with ChatGPT Learn Mode vs. Answer Mode Turn on the learning features for any of these AI assistants and youll quickly notice the difference. Learning modes use Socratic questioning asking rather than telling. They adapt to your level of understanding. They nudge you to make your own observations. They help you test your understanding with informal quizzes. They guide you step-by-step through complex topics rather than rushing to throw answers at you. In learning mode, these assistants feel like tutors; in standard mode theyre more like interactive encyclopedias. The difference is significant. On previous occasions when I wanted to analyze data, I’d ask for quick insights. In study mode I’ve learned, among other things, how to use pivot tables more effectively so I can analyze data more thoroughly myself. Rather than getting fish handed to me, I’m learning to fish. Topics to try in learn mode How do tariffs impact supply chains? or How does cryptocurrency work? Guide me through the basics of [science/math concept] In what ways might Shakespeare have influenced Montaignes essays? How do private equity firms operate? Help me understand the nuances. 4 Ways to Learn with AI 1. Understand a complex concept or skill What it’s for: Work or school topics you need to grasp thoroughly, or just topics youre curious about My experience: I’m using AI study modes to review probabilities for dice, tile and card picking for tabletop games like Qwixx, Splendor, Azul, Point Salad, and backgammon. The AI helps me move forward step-by-step, checking my progress and slowing down when I get confused. I like being able to ask dumb questions without embarrassment. 2. Indulge your intellectual curiosity What it’s for: Topics you find fascinating. Learning for its own sake. My experience: After reading Hernán Díazs Trust recently, I went down a rabbit hole learning about metafiction (stories within stories) and polyphony (stories from multiple vantage points) and discovering new connections between various authors. This pure intellectual exploration feels different from work-focused learning. It’s driven by curiosity rather than necessity. I like that I can leap from tangent to tangent whenever I feel like it. I can also stop suddenly and return to a thread days later. The assistant loses no momentum and continues as if we never paused. Brain candy generated with Gemini 2.5 Pro 3. Deepen your expertise What it’s for: Expand your understanding of something youve already studied. My experience: I’m using AI learning modes to explore connections between classical composers whose music Ive spent my life listening to and playing. Im also sharpening the way I use spreadsheets for data analysis. The AI builds on what I already know, rather than starting from scratch. 4. Learn how to learn What it’s for: Discover how you learn best. Learn about learning and how to sharpen your brain. My experience: I’m experimenting with AI learning approaches to see what works best for me, and getting to know more about learning science. Most valuable so far: Gemini’s quizzes and infographics, Claude’s short answer questions, and practicing summarizing and expanding on ChatGPTs explanations. The most useful learning mode features Short quizzes with instant feedback that force me to apply what Im learning Scenarios I have to analyze that force me to make nuanced distinctions Realistic case studies that require me to summarize new concepts Asking as many dumb questions as I wantRequesting tangible learning artifacts, like infographics, audio overviews, flashcards, and tables In my own teaching (at CUNYs Newmark Graduate School of Journalism) Im planning to incorporate more formative micr-assessments brief in-class ungraded quizzes using tools like Slido and Socrative to help me check what students understand and to give them more tiny opportunities to practice what were learning.This article is republished with permission from Wonder Tools, a newsletter that helps you discover the most useful sites and apps. Subscribe here.
Category:
E-Commerce
Lets be honest: weve all got that one celebrity, influencer, or podcast host who lives rent-free in our heads. You know their dogs name, their morning routine, their trauma story, and their oat milk brand of choice. You might even find yourself defending them in comment sections like theyre your actual friend. Congratulations, youve formed a parasocial relationship. For those who arent as active on social media, thats a one-sided bond we form with people we dont actually know. And while these connections can sometimes sound a little delusional, heres the twist: theyre not all bad. In fact, parasocial relationships can meet some very real psychological needs. Where it gets dangerous is when you start to forget where the screen ends and real life begins. Whats a parasocial relationship anyway? Sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl coined the term in the 1950s. Parasocial relationships describe the illusion of intimacy audiences feel toward media personalities. Back then, it was people writing fan letters to their favorite TV hosts. Now, its me crying in sync with a YouTubers breakup vlog or feeling like I know my favorite podcaster personally. On a neurological level, this makes sense. After all, our brains dont perfectly distinguish between real and mediated (through a screen) interaction. When someone looks into the camera and speaks directly to you, your mirror neurons light up just as if youre talking to them face-to-face. This is why parasocial relationships can feel genuinely comforting. They activate the same circuits of familiarity and trust as real friendships. And in an increasingly disconnected world, that comfort definitely counts for something. The surprising benefits of one-sided bonds 1. They can buffer loneliness During lockdowns, many of us maintained a sense of social connection through our favorite online creators. Studies show parasocial relationships can actually reduce feelings of isolation and even improve mood regulation, especially when people lack strong offline networks. 2. They model vulnerability and emotional expression Watching creators openly discuss anxiety, grief, or trauma can normalize emotional honesty and destigmatize speaking about challenges like mental health. This helps us feel seen in our own mess. We can tell ourselves, Okay, Im not the only one falling apart on a Wednesday. 3. They inspire growth A parasocial connection can serve as a mirror. It can show you the kind of energy, confidence, or values you want to embody. This is why certain influencers become aspirational figures. As long as you keep awareness intact, these relationships can spark genuine motivation. When parasocial relationships turn dangerous It is worth noting, however, that there is a very thin line between inspired and attached is thin. And unfortunately, powerful algorithms are built to blur it. These algorithms reward creators for being relatable, which means sharing enough personal details to make you feel like youre in their inner circle. That emotional intimacy creates loyalty, engagement, and ultimately, a chance for monetization. This isnt inherently evil, but it can distort our sense of reciprocity. You might start to feel like this person owes you honesty, consistency, or moral perfection. And when they slip up (as humans inevitably do), the disappointment can feel personallike a friends betrayal. These one-way relationships can also subtly erode our capacity for deeper real-world intimacy. When we satisfy our social cravings with curated, low-risk digital connections, we stop practicing the messy vulnerability of actual human contact, the kind that requires our patience, discomfort, and presence. The psychology behind the pull Parasocial attachment is driven by the same neural systems that govern all bonding. Dopamine fuels the anticipation of new posts or updates. Oxytocin, the bonding hormone, spikes when we watch someone share emotionally or make eye contact with the camera. But heres the kicker: unlike reciprocal relationships, parasocial ones never demand anything of you. No commitment. No conflict. No compromise. No vulnerability. Its a connection on your terms: all of the closeness, none of the interpersonal risk. Its no wonder our brains love it. Especially in a culture where real connection often feels draining, these one-sided bonds offer safe (and lazy) intimacy; its like a form of social snacking. The problem is that snacks, while comforting, dont nourish us long-term. So where do we draw the line? Heres the thing: you dont need to quit parasocial connections. You just need to bring consciousness to them. Try this quick self-check by asking yourself a series of questions. Are you replacing or complementing real-world connections? If your closest relationship is with someone who doesnt know you exist, its time to recalibrate. Do you feel possessive or reactive when your favorite creator posts (or doesnt)? Thats a sign of emotional overinvestment and might be a sign to step back and reanchor. Lastly, figure out if their content is influencing your self-worth. If their wins make you feel inadequate, mute or unfollow for a while. Inspiration should energize you, not erode you. How to keep a healthy parasocial relationship Take the following steps to prevent a parasocial relationship from becoming unhealthy: 1. Diversify your social diet Online creators can be a supplement, but real relationships are the main meal. Reach out to friends, join local groups, or talk to someone face-to-face. 2. Practice digital discernment Notice the kind of creators you gravitate toward. Do they invite reflection and growth or feed comparison and self-doubt? 3. Set parasocial boundaries No DMs. No stalking their partners feed. And definitely not forming an identity around being in a relationship with them of any kind. 4. Do regular connection audits Once a month, ask: Who are the five people I feel most connected to right now? If you find that most of them are social media figures, it might be time to rebalance. Parasocial relationships arent a glitch in modern life; theyre normal. And they act as a mirror, showing us what we craveintimacy, belonging, inspiration. When you hold them consciously, they can even bridge moments of loneliness or offer glimpses of our better selves. But the minute we start mistaking someone elses content for actual closeness, we drift into illusion. Thats when we can confuse visibility for intimacy. So by all means, keep cheering for your favorite podcaster and cry with your comfort YouTuber. Just make sure youre also tending to the relationships that see all of younot just your usernamebecause theyre the ones who will keep you grounded in whats real.
Category:
E-Commerce
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||