MIT Sloan Management Review Article on How Digital Leaders Inspire Engagement

An engaged workforce positions a company’s digital initiatives for success.

Digital transformation is multidimensional, involving people, work cultures, and technologies. Transformation programs are complex because they address tangible short-term needs, while at the same time building a foundation for the future, which is by definition uncertain. Inspiring people to work with new technologies in a context of uncertainty is challenging.

This challenge is compounded by the fact that, according to Gallup’s 2017 State of the Global Workplace report, employee engagement is low: Only 15% of employees on a global scale are “highly involved in and enthusiastic about their work.” The Gallup study concluded that engagement was much higher when people felt that their input mattered and that they had the autonomy to develop and implement new ideas. How can leaders create this context in their organization? During the past few years, my research has shown the behavior of senior leaders to be the top change driver in digital transformation projects. The question today is what leadership behaviors will inspire people and make them feel engaged in work in our fast-changing, uncertain world?

About the Author

Jane McConnell is an independent adviser, researcher, and management briefer on digital strategies inside organizations. Her 10th annual research report, The Organization in the Digital Age, was published in November 2016. She can be reached at jane@netjmc.com or on Twitter The Organization in the Digital Age,.

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