Daily Buzz: Navigate a Digital Transformation

If a digital transformation is on your association’s to-do list in 2019, be warned: A recent study  (opens in a new tab) shows that about half of senior executives don’t think their organizations have executed 50 percent of their strategies successfully. And another 20 percent think digital transformation is a waste of time.

To make change successful, Melissa Henley at CMSWire suggests starting with the question, “What is driving our digital transformation? … If your answer is ‘We’re changing to take advantage of [technology du jour],’ stop,” she says in a post  (opens in a new tab). “Technology shouldn’t be at the heart of digital transformation, your customer should. That’s because digital transformation is successful when it’s focused on the customer experience. Technology is an enabler of that experience, not the end state.”

Also look at your team and your operations. “In order for your digital transformation initiative to succeed, it is imperative for your organization to change the way it does business,” she says. “This can include getting your team’s skills up to par, critically looking at processes, and investing in infrastructure to clean up legacy IT systems.”

But remember, a long to-do list, especially when paired with a short timeline, can derail progress. “If day-to-day decisions are undermining your digital transformation strategy, consider this: Digital transformation alone won’t save you,” Henley says. “Behavior has to change, too. Lead by example … Get organizational buy-in by building a vision that all employees can get behind. That will not only help you reshape the organization’s culture; it will also get employees excited for the future.”

Meeting Planners’ Time Management

Any task that does not directly align with your event goals could potentially waste valuable time. Get a bit more time back with these simple time management tips . https://t.co/rrbDfymJiu  (opens in a new tab)#YearOfCvent  (opens in a new tab) #EventProfs  (opens in a new tab) #EventTech  (opens in a new tab) pic.twitter.com/YP8xp9QqS1  (opens in a new tab)

— Cvent (@cvent) January 10, 2019  (opens in a new tab)

Being busy is a fact of life for meeting planners. Because time is so valuable, planners need good everyday habits to make sure they are using time wisely.

For one, they should always define goals before getting into the nitty-gritty of any project to ensure that the work they do has meaning, says the Cvent team in a post on their blog  (opens in a new tab). Once objectives have been outlined, you can forge ahead—but don’t forget to delegate, say no when appropriate, and take time for yourself.

“Busy event planners tend to work from sunup to sundown. While that may seem like a good use of time, it can actually be damaging,” the team writes. “Working nonstop can make you burn out much faster, and therefore cause you to actually lose time later down the road when you become completely gassed.”

Other Links of Note

Returning to work after a vacation can be stressful. Use this strategy to ease back in  (opens in a new tab), from Quartz at Work.

Membership retention often requires ongoing member engagement  (opens in a new tab), according to the Know Your Own Bone blog.

Emphasizing curiosity can change your organization for the better  (opens in a new tab), says Stanford Social Innovation Review.

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