Leading Digital: Turning Technology into Business Transformation

Really good book that outlines in practical terms how a digital transformation should occur to achieve maximum benefits. Enjoyed how digital and technology are seen as enablers and not the end in itself to grow sales and profitability. Buzzword and jargon-free. Refreshing read.

A critical book for executives on the transformative power of technology. The book is packed full of examples from across industry sectors on the applications of digital to enhance the customer experience, build new business models and improve operation. Westerman gains massive points from me for evidence in the book that digital is connected with greater revenue efficiency and profitability. Overall the book is a very pleasant read and the concepts are presented in a way that will appeal to digital novices and experts. I've dropped one star for two reasons. 1) The longevity of this topic. Digital is fashionable at the moment and I think the case studies in the book will age quickly and become irrelevant for tomorrow's leaders. 2) There are better books on the topic of business change (XLR8 by John Kotter for example) and this is a crucial element of digital transformation Despite one dropped star, this is a must read for executives in any line of business.

This book has significantly aided my understanding of why digital transformation matters and offers great examples of leading organisations that currently benefit from their own transformation. More importantly, the authors have predicted that this will only rapidly increase and is likely to create a lot of exciting opportunities in the future. As a professional working in business advisory, this book has clearly articulated why the pace of digital transformation will continue to increase and the potential dire consequences for those businesses that don't embrace it and be part of the journey. The book is very well structured, easy to read and will be reference companion for the coming months and years ahead to support any form of decision making or business cases for investment.

There are many books discussing what Digital Disruption is, what it means and what might happen in he future. This books is different in that it provides a framework to measure and a process for business to evolve toward becoming Digital Masters. I'm sure it's not perfect and this space will evolve a lot, however it's definitely one of the best researched books explaining the "how to", not just the "why"

Embracing digital transformation is no longer a debate or "a nice to have" for organisations. This book has reinforced the case why it is critical by using examples of companies which are either entering that journey or those which are already reaping off the benefits of digital transformation. A must read for any person in position to influence and lead.

Insightful, interesting read.

The authors had done a great job putting together a practical framework that leaders and executives could start leveraging it to lead the digital transformations.

A compelling evidence-based account of the emerging theory and successful practice of digital transformation within traditional industries. An essential read for anyone leading or aspiring to lead an organisation within the new economy.

Good content

A great book on leading digital teams for success. HBR is always the best in this.

This book is sufficiently broad and -- at the same time -- deep that it provides a framework to develop a management consulting service that could lead the masses of tier two companies through the digital transformation from their present states to the futures the management of those companies envision for themselves. Based on my own 40 years of working in the IT field, I can say with confidence the author had touched on all the important issues. I see no omissions. This is high praise from a critical consultant. Even more valuable than the book itself are the references in the book to other materials that explore each issue further. The author never indulges in speculation. He can -- and does -- point to well respected publications that support his claims and provide more detail to the interested reader. It is very clear that this book is a blend of the author's first hand experience in the field (although he never mentions it) and his in-depth, scholarly research. This book will serve as the cornerstone of a consulting practice I am defining at this very moment. My only objection is that the author often pitches his points at such a high level of conceptual abstraction that I felt I had to skip over many of his points if I were to hope to finish the book. In spite of its obvious merit, I would have been happier if the author had presented his points in language that was far more digestible.

Clear, to the point, easy to read, and with a clear and focused message on how to get going with a digitalization program. Very effective

Research Scientist at MIT and author (Westerman), Sr VP at Capgemini Consulting (Bonnet), Co-Director of MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy and author (McAfee): 1) define digital mastery as a combination of digital and leadership capability; 2) discuss how to build digital (part I) and leadership (part II) capabilities, and 3) outline a leader's playbook for digital transformation (part III). Each chapter ends with a checklist of key concepts. Personal takeaways: A straight-forward framework for companies and board directors to build digital and leadership capabilities, and lead digital transformation. Strongly recommend purchasing this guide. Key takeaways, by chapter: 1) Defining digital master and where in the 'grid' of digital and leadership capability the organization falls, and key strategies to transform: customer experience, exploiting core operations and reinventing business models Part I: Building Digital 2) Create compelling customer experience - digital tools, evolving culture, customer data at the center 3) Exploit core ops - use 6 levers: standardize vs. empower, control vs. innovate, orchestrate vs. unleash 4) Reinvent business models - monitor symptoms (Porter forces), consider reinvention / transformation, replace product/service, create digital business, reconfigure delivery, rethink value proposition, experiment & iterate Part II: Build Leadership 5) Craft digital vision - set goal, frame vision 6) Engage organization at scale - co-create, share ideas, reverse mentor, crowdsource 7) Govern the transformation - board, leadership, digital unit and culture, IT innovation, committees and liaisons 8) Building IT leadership - design where going, determine if need new people and systems, learning culture Part III: Leader's Playbook for Digital Transformation 9) Framing the digital challenge - build awareness, create vision (p. 188 table) 10) Focus investment - translate vision to action, fund transformation, build governance model 11) Mobilize organization - signal ambitions, earn the right to engage, set new behaviors and evolve culture 12) Sustain digital transformation - build foundational skills, align reward structures, measure-monitor-iterate with KPIs, scorecards, reviews