首席信息官柯克·鲍尔（Kirk Ball）以能够推动整个组织创新思维的战略执行官而闻名。在他的职业生涯中，Giant Eagle 执行副总裁和首席信息官曾在多个行业担任高级技术职务，包括在基督医院健康网络和克罗格公司的 C 级职位。
鲍尔体现了将顶级首席信息官与其他首席信息官区分开来的关键领导特质，我称之为7C的差异化因素，因为这些领导者保持着对客户、文化、培养人才、勇气、变革、沟通和协作的激光般的关注。
Q1：人们在许多不同的语境中提到数字化转型，以至于这个词几乎失去了所有意义。我们如何才能更好地定义数字化转型在我们特定组织中意味着什么，为什么它很重要？
柯克·鲍尔：需要明确界定正在为其制定战略的特定主题，并明确实施战略所需的范围和相关活动。如果没有一个团队或更广泛的团队在整个组织中清楚地了解数字化转型的含义，每个团队将创造自己的意义并开发自己的一套活动，以实现数字化转型战略。很多时候，整个企业的这些活动将不一致，从而导致解决方案冲突、过多支出和组织混乱。
企业需要定义数字化转型对企业意味着什么，并有意识地协调每个团队需要交付的活动，每个团队的活动如何与其他团队的数字化转型活动协调，以及每个团队所做的工作总和如何满足企业需求。
Q2：早在数字化转型成为过度使用的流行语之前，您就在进行数字化转型。你能分享一些你参与过的举措的例子吗？
早在 1990 年代后期，我就开始走上数字化转型之路，在雷诺兹和雷诺兹工作，这是一家为汽车经销商提供软件、硬件和用品的公司。我们开发了一个客户数字在线支持解决方案和一套数字应用程序，经销商用来向客户销售服务。这些数字解决方案在 200 年代后期推动了约 1990 亿美元的年收入。
从那里我去了克罗格。当我在那里时，我是一个团队的一员，该团队为数字客户旅程创建了框架，多年来，该旅程已发展成为一项价值数十亿美元的业务。数字客户旅程的组成部分之一是收购一家数字优惠券公司YOU Technology，该公司帮助克罗格通过克罗格移动应用程序和客户已经用于从克罗格在线购买的网站向客户提供个性化的数字优惠券。
我在数字领域的旅程继续在基督医院健康网络，通过新的患者移动应用程序、网站和虚拟访问，现在在 Giant Eagle 提供分析和团队成员以及客户数字解决方案。这些示例主要侧重于面向外部客户的移动应用程序和网站，但数字化转型还包括为团队成员开发移动和基于 Web 的解决方案，以提高他们的效率并消除他们在执行工作时的摩擦。
Q3：根据 Statista 的数据，1 年用于数字化转型计划的支出为 3.2021T，但 BCG 的数据告诉我们，70% 的数字计划都失败了。为什么它如此具有挑战性，我们可以做些什么来更好地为这些计划的成功做好准备？
我认为数字化转型是数字技术的集成，以加速实现业务目标。这是一个简单的定义，但在与他人讨论时很有帮助。数字技术的使用已经并将继续改变企业的运营方式以及为客户和团队成员提供价值的方式。数字化转型还涉及根本性的文化变革。那么，当涉及新技术、新战略和文化变革时，公司实施数字化转型会出什么问题呢？
为了制定成功的路线图，我们需要从解开数字化转型的组成部分开始。首先，企业应该确定数字化转型对组织意味着什么。实现数字化转型的目标和举措是什么，有多少预算可用于资助数字化转型计划，交付数字化转型计划的时间表是什么，以及将使用哪些指标来衡量转型的成功？
其次，是组织变革管理和文化变革的问题。随着新数字能力的实施，需要确定哪些流程应该改变，需要进行哪些培训和沟通，以帮助客户和/或团队成员快速吸收新的数字能力。
第三，数字化转型涉及利用新的和不断发展的数字技术。确保技术团队和参与的第三方的技术技能和流程“适合旅程”至关重要。此外，构建如何使用这些新技术以及它们如何与遗留系统、解决方案和数据交互的活动非常重要。需要做出关键技术决策，以加速数字技术的使用。
这突出了企业应该积极管理的数字化转型的重要方面，以便在数字化转型之旅中取得成功，但还有其他方面。
Q4：就像没有人会说，“我们需要使财务与业务保持一致”一样，用这些术语谈论技术是没有意义的。技术就是业务。话虽如此，在数字旅程中，您使用术语对齐的方式不同。你能谈谈你所说的在这种情况下的对齐是什么意思吗？
我相信我们已经进入了一个技术不再是成本中心和支持活动的时代;它是业务结构的关键部分。技术组织及其提供的内容对于企业实现和超越其目标至关重要。这就是为什么技术团队应该与零售运营、财务、营销、销售、供应链团队和其他团队合作，以了解组织的这些不同领域试图实现的目标，无论是个人还是集体。然后，他们应该与这些团队合作，开发一套全面的技术项目和活动，以满足这些领域的目标——真正作为实现业务目标所需的业务结构的另一个组成部分。
这需要技术组织与企业其他方面之间的重要伙伴关系，并且必须通过组织各个方面的持续互动来不断加强，从高级领导层到个人贡献者。
Q5：今天，我们拥有我们需要的所有技术，但没有时间停下来思考、建立关系和战略。您如何克服这种动态，以及如何帮助您的员工？
我认为数字协作功能和面对面互动的结合是建立牢固关系并继续与组织所有领域保持一致的强大组合。
我有丰富的方法来建立关系并与同龄人保持一致。首先，我始终与所有其他组织的团队成员共度时光。我花时间在每个领域了解他们的目标是什么，并了解他们为实现这些目标而采用的策略。
我和技术团队中的其他人经常花时间与各自业务领域的其他组织共度时光。在我们的组织中，这意味着与管理我们业务这些方面的团队成员一起访问杂货店、便利店、药房、燃料中心和配送中心。我们正在寻求了解他们在实现目标方面取得的进展，以及我们提供的技术解决方案如何帮助他们取得进展。
我一直鼓励技术团队成员花时间在这些领域寻求对我们创建的技术解决方案的反馈：这些解决方案是否有效？它们可以改进吗？未来可以进行哪些额外的增强功能来提高效率？此外，我还与经理和个人贡献者会面，寻求有关他们需要什么的反馈，以便提供技术解决方案，以支持企业的所有领域。
其他业务领域必须相信技术团队了解他们的目标、挑战和需求。技术团队必须始终如一地按时、高质量地在预算范围内交付技术解决方案，以满足他们的需求。技术团队必须拥有交付所需的工具。
我还认为，重要的是要有意识地定期花少量时间与他人合作，为今天和未来制定战略。我们不能把所有的精力和时间都集中在战术活动上。关注战术和战略活动可以创造所需的平衡，以确保技术团队在今天、明天和未来都有效。
Q6：你的口头禅之一是“不要让完美成为进步的敌人”。为什么这是你们领导的重要指导原则？
这句话帮助我确保在有勇气做出选择并以对业务至关重要的速度前进与确保在构建的解决方案中交付质量之间找到平衡。总是有许多因素影响正在交付的项目或战略。这是关于在影响您正在努力交付的所有因素中找到最佳平衡，无论是项目、战略还是战术活动。
换句话说，不要害怕做出决定，不要害怕犯错误，并以重要的速度前进。你所做的工作很少是完美的，但几乎所有时间你交付的东西都会非常好，会以对业务很重要的速度交付，并且质量很高。
Q7：对于那些刚刚开始进入技术领域的人，您有什么建议？
- 成为那种帮助他人成功的队友。
- 照顾好团队，他们会照顾你。
- 保持好奇心。成为领导力、技术、组织以及您感兴趣的任何其他方面的终身学习者。
- 生活不仅仅是你的工作。在生活的各个方面找到平衡，您生活中的专业部分将受益。
- 享受旅程，就像享受职业生涯的目的地一样。
- 在您从事贸易的企业的所有领域建立关系。这些关系将是帮助完成各项举措的关键。
- 与其他组织中的供应商、导师和领导者建立关系。您将从所有这些中学习。
- 从成功中学习，从未实现目标的时候学习。两者都将提供今后有用的经验教训。
- 寻求反馈。其他人看到你有时看不到的东西。
- 当你教你时，你就会学习。成为一名老师，你会学到很多东西。
- 幸福是一种“内在的工作”。人生苦短，不能不快乐。找到你的快乐。
我可以继续说下去，但这些是我会提供给其他人的一些关键建议。
英文原文：
Giant Eagle CIO Kirk Ball’s recipe for digital transformation success
Clarity on what digital transformation means for your company is an essential first step to getting teams aligned on developing solutions that deliver results.
CREDIT: KIRK BALL / GIANT EAGLE
CIO Kirk Ball is known for being a strategic executive capable of driving innovative thinking across the organization. Over the course of his career, the Giant Eagle EVP and CIO has held senior technology roles across a range of industries, including C-level positions at The Christ Hospital Health Network and The Kroger Co.
Ball embodies the key leadership attributes that separate top CIOs from the rest, differentiators I’ve dubbed the 7 Cs, because these leaders maintain a laser-like focus on customer, culture, cultivating talent, courage, change, communication, and collaboration.
In a recent episode of the Tech Whisperers podcast, Ball talked about how these 7 Cs inform his leadership philosophies and playbook. Afterwards, we spent some more time discussing his extensive track record with digital transformation, including how to set up digital initiatives for success. What follows is that conversation, edited for length and clarity.
Dan Roberts: People refer to digital transformation in so many different contexts that the term has almost lost all meaning. How can we get better at defining what digital transformation means within our specific organizations, and why does it matter?
Kirk Ball: The particular topic for which a strategy is being developed needs to be well defined with a scope and associated activities required to deliver the strategy. Without a clear understanding by a team or broader set of teams across the organization as to what digital transformation means, each team will create their own meaning and develop their own set of activities required to deliver on the digital transformation strategy. Many times, those activities across an enterprise will not be in alignment, which then results in conflicting solutions, too much spend, and organizational confusion.
Enterprises need to define what digital transformation means for the enterprise and be intentional in orchestrating what activities each team needs to deliver, how each team’s activities coordinate with other team’s digital transformation activities, and how the sum of the work each team does delivers on the enterprise needs.
You were doing digital transformation long before it became an overused buzz phrase. Can you share some examples of the initiatives you’ve worked on?
I started down the digital transformation path back in the late 1990s working at Reynolds & Reynolds, a company that delivers software, hardware, and supplies to automotive dealerships. We developed a customer digital online support solution and a digital set of applications the dealerships used to sell services to their customers. These digital solutions were driving about $200 million in annual revenue in the late 1990s.
From there I made my way to Kroger. While I was there, I was part of a team that created the framework for a digital customer journey that, over the years, has grown into a multibillion-dollar business. One of the components of the digital customer journey was the acquisition of a digital coupon company, YOU Technology, which helped Kroger deliver personalized, digital coupons to customers via the Kroger mobile apps and the website that customers were already using to buy online from Kroger.
My journey in the digital space continued at The Christ Hospital Health Network with new patient mobile apps, websites, and virtual visits, and now at Giant Eagle with analytics and team member and customer digital solutions. These examples primarily focus on external customer-facing mobile apps and websites, but digital transformation also includes developing mobile and web-based solutions for team members to improve their efficiency and eliminate friction as they perform their jobs.
According to data from Statista, $1.3T was spent on digital transformation initiatives in 2021, yet BCG data tells us that 70% of digital initiatives fail. Why is it so challenging, and what can we do to better set these initiatives up for success?
I view digital transformation as the integration of digital technologies to accelerate business objectives. It’s a simple definition but helpful when discussing with others. The use of digital technologies has and will continue to change how a business operates and how it delivers value to customers and team members. A digital transformation also involves fundamental cultural change. So, what could go wrong with the implementation of a digital transformation for a company when new technologies, new strategies, and cultural change are involved?
To put a successful roadmap in place, we need to start by unpacking the components of digital transformation. First, the enterprise should identify what digital transformation means for the organization. What are the objectives, initiatives to be undertaken to achieve digital transformation, how much budget is available to fund the digital transformation initiatives, what is the timeframe to deliver the digital transformation initiatives, and what metrics will be used to measure the success of the transformation?
Second, there is the matter of organization change management and cultural change. As the implementation of new digital capabilities are executed, there needs to be an identification of what processes should change and what training and communication need to be conducted to help customers and/or team members rapidly absorb the new digital capabilities.
Third, digital transformation involves the utilization of new and ever-evolving digital technologies. Ensuring the technology skillsets and processes of the technology team and engaged third parties are ‘fit for the journey’ is of paramount importance. In addition, the activity of architecting how these new technologies will be used and how they will interact with the legacy systems, solutions, and data is very important. Key technology decisions will need to be undertaken to accelerate the use of digital technologies.
This highlights the significant aspects of digital transformation that enterprises should actively manage in order to be successful on the digital transformation journey, but there are others as well.
Just like no one would ever say, ‘We need to align finance with the business,’ it doesn’t make sense to talk about technology in those terms. Technology is the business. That being said, you use the term alignment differently when it comes to the digital journey. Can you talk about what you mean by alignment in that context?
I believe we have entered an era where technology is no longer a cost center and a support activity; it’s a key part of the business fabric. The technology organization and what it delivers are essential for the business to achieve and exceed its goals. This is why technology teams should be working alongside the retail operations, finance, marketing, merchandising, supply chain teams, and others to understand what those different areas of the organization are trying to achieve, individually and collectively. Then they should be developing, in partnership with those teams, a comprehensive set of technology projects and activities that are required to meet the objectives of those areas — really working as just another component of the business fabric required to achieve business objectives.
This takes a significant partnership between the technology organization and the other aspects of the enterprise, and it must be constantly strengthened by continual interaction across all aspects of the organization, from senior leadership through the ranks of individual contributors.
Today, we have all the tech we need, but no time to stop and think and build relationships and be strategic. How do you overcome this dynamic, and how do you help your people with this?
I think a mix of digital collaboration capabilities and face-to-face interaction is a powerful combination for building strong relationships and continuing to stay in alignment with all areas of an organization.
I have a rich tapestry of approaches I take to build relationships and stay in alignment with my peers. First, I spend consistent time with team members from all other organizations. I spend time with each area understanding what their objectives are and understanding the strategies they are employing to achieve those objectives.
I and others in the technology team regularly spend time with other organizations in their areas of the business. In our organization that means visiting grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, fuel centers, and distribution centers with the team members that manage those aspects of our business. We are seeking to understand the progress they are making in achieving their objectives and how the technology solutions we deliver are enabling their progress.
I consistently encourage technology team members to spend time in these areas seeking feedback on the technology solutions we create: Are those solutions working? Can they be improved? What additional, future enhancements can be made to increase effectiveness? In addition, I have meetings with the managers and individual contributors to seek feedback on what they need in order to deliver technology solutions to enable all areas of the enterprise.
It is imperative that the other business areas have confidence that the technology team understands their objectives, challenges, and needs. And it is imperative that the technology team consistently delivers technology solutions on time, with high quality, and within budget to meet their needs. It is imperative that the technology team has the tools they need to deliver.
I also think it is important to be intentional about taking a small amount of time on a regular basis to collaborate with others to strategize about today and the future. We cannot afford to get trapped into focusing all of our energy and time on tactical activities. Paying attention to both tactical and strategic activities creates the needed balance to ensure the technology team is effective today, tomorrow, and in the future.
One of mantras you operate by is ‘don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.’ Why is that an important guiding principle of your leadership?
That phrase has helped me make sure that I find the balance between having the courage to make choices and move at a pace that matters to the business and ensuring that quality is delivered in the solutions that are built. There are always a number of factors affecting the projects or strategies that are being delivered. This is about finding an optimal balance across all of the factors that are influencing what you are working to deliver, whether that is a project, a strategy, or a tactical activity.
In other words, don’t be afraid to make a decision, don’t be afraid of making mistakes, and move at a pace that matters. Very rarely will what you work on be perfect, but almost all the time what you deliver will be very good, will be delivered at a pace that matters to the business, and will have high quality.
What advice would you give to those that are just starting in the technology field?
- Be the kind of teammate that helps others succeed.
- Take care of the team and they will take care of you.
- Be constantly curious. Be a lifelong learner about leadership, technology, organizations, and whatever else interests you.
- Life is more than your job. Find balance in all aspects of your life, and the professional portion of your life will benefit.
- Enjoy the journey as much as the destination in your career.
- Develop relationships across all areas of the enterprise in which you ply your trade. Those relationships will be key in helping to get initiatives completed.
- Develop relationships with vendors, mentors, and leaders in other organizations. You will learn from all of them.
- Learn from the successes and learn from the times when the objectives aren’t met. Both will provide lessons that will be useful in the future.
- Seek feedback. Others see things you sometimes cannot.
- When you teach you learn. Be a teacher and you will learn a lot.
- Happiness is an ‘inside job.’ Life is too short to be unhappy. Find your joy.
I could go on, but these are some of the key pieces of advice I would offer to others.
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