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Posts about leadership

Tag: leadership

  • Why most digital transformations fail before they start

    Why most digital transformations fail before they start

    The room was full of smart people. The strategy deck was polished. Leadership had approved the budget months earlier. And twelve months later, almost nothing had moved. It is the most common form of digital transformation failure I know.

    I have watched this play out more times than I would like to admit. Across transformation mandates at companies including EnBW and L’Oréal, and across media businesses and agencies over the past fifteen years, I have seen well-funded digital initiatives stall, shrink, and quietly disappear. Not because the technology was wrong. Not because the market shifted. The conditions for success were simply never in place.

    In my work at Linelia, digital transformation failure is what I keep coming back to:

    Most digital transformation failure does not happen in execution. It happens before the first kick-off meeting.

    Here is what that looks like in practice.

    The problem is rarely the technology

    When a transformation runs into trouble, the instinct is to look at the tools. The platform was wrong. Vendors had promised too much. Integration proved more complex than expected. These are real problems. But they are almost never the cause of failure. They are symptoms.

    The actual failure usually happened three to six months earlier, in the room where the transformation was first defined. Specifically: no one defined what “digital transformation” actually meant for this organisation, at this moment, with these people and this budget. Everyone assumed it. A vague phrase became a project mandate. The mandate became a programme. The programme hired vendors and bought software. And then, somewhere in month four, someone asked a question no one could answer: what, exactly, are we trying to change?

    The same applies to methodology. Agile ceremonies, OKR frameworks, design thinking workshops — these can become rituals that signal progress without driving it. I have sat in sprint reviews where no one could explain what was being transformed, or why. The process was running. The transformation was not.

    Technology does not transform organisations. Decisions do. And if the decisions are not made clearly at the start, the technology becomes a distraction from the fact that they were never made at all. This is the root of most digital transformation failure.

    Technology does not transform organizations.
    Decisions do.

    Transformation without a mandate

    The second pattern I see consistently: leadership announces a transformation but never assigns the authority to drive it. Someone gets a title. A steering committee forms. A kick-off happens. But when the first difficult trade-off arrives, and it always does, no one is empowered to make the call.

    Many transformations are announced not because leadership has identified a specific problem that needs solving, but because the topic is trending. Competitors are doing it. The board is asking about it. A consultant has presented a convincing deck. And so the program begins, with senior sponsorship that is visible on the launch slide and largely absent from the first difficult conversation. That is not a mandate. That is a press release.

    This is particularly common in large, matrixed organizations where the culture defaults to consensus. Transformation requires someone with the mandate to say: we are moving in this direction, and we are stopping that. Without that clarity, the project becomes a negotiation. Every decision gets relitigated. Momentum slows. And eventually the transformation quietly becomes business as usual, just with more meetings.

    I see this in interim mandates regularly. Organisations bring in external leadership precisely because the internal structure has struggled to move. But if no one has clearly defined the mandate from day one, even an experienced interim manager is navigating without a map.

    The mandate question is not about hierarchy. It is about clarity. Who decides? Who has the right to stop something? And who carries accountability when the transformation stalls? If those questions do not have clean answers on day one, digital transformation failure is already underway.

    If the mandate is not clearly defined from day one, even an experienced interim manager is navigating without a map.

    The roadmap that ignores the organisation

    The third pattern is perhaps the most seductive, because it produces beautiful slide decks.

    An organisation invests significant time and money in a transformation roadmap. The team defines workstreams, sets milestones, and maps dependencies. It looks thorough. It looks serious. And then it runs straight into the organisation’s actual operating reality and stops.

    Most transformation roadmaps are built around what needs to change, not around the organisation’s current capacity to absorb change. They treat the people, the processes, and the culture as a fixed backdrop against which the transformation unfolds. But those things are not fixed. They push back. And if the roadmap does not account for that, it becomes a document that describes the future without any honest reckoning with the present.

    A transformation plan that ignores the organisation’s change capacity is not a plan. It is a wish.

    Real transformation planning starts with an honest assessment of where the organisation actually is. Not just technically, but culturally. What is the leadership team’s appetite for disruption? Where are the informal power structures that will slow things down? What has been tried before and why did it stop? These questions are harder than building a Gantt chart. They are also more important.

    A transformation plan that ignores the organisation’s change capacity is not a plan. It is a wish.

    How to avoid digital transformation failure: what has to happen first

    None of this is to say that transformation is impossible. It is not. But the organisations that move through it successfully tend to share a few things in common.

    They define what they are actually trying to achieve in concrete terms, not aspirational language. They identify who has the authority and the accountability to drive change, and they protect that person’s mandate. Before committing to a pace and a scope, they take an honest look at their actual capacity for change. And they treat the early phase not as a formality to get through, but as the most important work the transformation will produce.

    Getting the setup right is not the slowest path to transformation. It is the fastest one. The organisations that skip it spend the next eighteen months recovering from a start they should have taken more seriously.

    This is where Linelia’s transformation work typically begins: not with a platform recommendation, but with a set of hard questions that most organisations find easier to defer than to answer.

    Common questions

    What is the most common reason digital transformations fail?

    Most transformations stall not because of the technology, but because of a gap between strategic intent and execution capacity. The objectives are vague, the mandate is unclear, or the plan does not account for the organisation’s actual readiness to change. These are setup problems, and they rarely get resolved once the programme is running.

    What does it mean to have a transformation mandate?

    A transformation mandate is explicit authority to make decisions, stop things that are not working, and hold people accountable for progress. Without it, even a well-resourced transformation becomes a slow negotiation. It is not about hierarchy. It is about clarity of ownership.

    How do I know if my organisation is ready for digital transformation?

    Readiness is less about having the right technology and more about having the right conditions: clear strategic intent, leadership alignment, honest understanding of current capability, and appetite to make real decisions under uncertainty. A useful starting point is an honest assessment of where your organisation is, not where you would like it to be.

    When does it make sense to bring in external consulting support?

    External support, whether in the form of interim management, advisory, or project-based consulting, is most valuable when an organization needs to move faster than its current structure allows, when a specific challenge requires outside objectivity, or when a critical gap opens mid-programme. The key is defining the scope and mandate clearly from day one, so the external partner can actually move at the pace the situation requires.

    If your organisation is at one of these inflection points, whether a transformation is just getting started or has already hit its first wall, I am happy to talk through what the setup should look like. Reach out via the Linelia contact page or connect with me on LinkedIn to start the conversation.

  • What remains when the mandate ends

    What remains when the mandate ends

    This week is my last at RheinEnergie.

    Not dramatic. Not surprising. It was agreed from day one. And yet here I am, sitting in a meeting room in Cologne, looking at an agenda I built myself, thinking: what actually remains?

    Not for the company. That’s documented, handed over, carried forward.

    For me. And honestly, it’s a good feeling.

    Interim management isn’t a sprint. It just feels like one.

    When I started the mandate, the brief was clear: accelerate digital transformation, build structures, enable a team, gain marketing and sales growth. All with an end date attached.

    What I underestimated: how deeply a fixed-term mandate changes the way you work.

    There’s no time for long warm-up phases. You can’t defer things to “later.” Every meeting counts, every decision carries weight. That sharpens your focus on what truly matters, faster than any permanent role ever could.

    And yet that’s also the beauty of it: you build something you won’t finish yourself. You create the foundation, and then you trust the team to take it further. That trust – and seeing them do exactly that – is one of the most rewarding parts of this work.

    Building structures is one thing.
    Building a team and a system that others can take forward and scale…that’s always been my definition of success.

    What energy companies actually need — versus what they think they need

    RheinEnergie is not a startup. It’s a company with history, with grown structures, with people who have been doing their jobs well for years, while operating in an industry that’s changing faster than ever before.

    What I encounter again and again in organisations like this: the desire for transformation is genuine. The willingness to truly disrupt existing processes to get there, often isn’t.

    That’s not a weakness, it’s human. People who have spent years building a system will defend it. People who carry responsibility protect themselves against failure. And people who are accountable for daily delivery simply don’t have the bandwidth to simultaneously reinvent everything.

    That’s precisely where outside perspective creates value. Not because external consultants are smarter.

    But because we have nothing internal to protect and everything to prove through results.

    The uncomfortable conversation and why it matters

    When I look back at the moments where I genuinely moved something, they were rarely the big presentations.

    They were the uncomfortable conversations.

    The one where I told the leadership team that a particular process wouldn’t scale — even though it had just been proudly showcased.
    The moment I openly challenged a priority that seemed settled.
    The room where I said, as an outsider, what nobody inside was willing to say.

    None of that feels comfortable in the moment. But when the team is open to that kind of honesty – and this team definitely was – it becomes genuinely energizing. That openness is what makes transformation actually happen.

    You’re not brought in for validation.
    You’re brought in for clarity.

    And when the team embraces that, remarkable things happen.

    What remains

    A mandate ends. But what was built stays.

    Structures that keep working without you.
    Decisions that got made because someone created the space for them.
    A team that is now ready to take full ownership and continue scaling. I’m genuinely excited to see where they take it.

    That’s the goal of good interim management:
    not to create dependency, but to leave capability behind.

    What I can say: I’m leaving this mandate with more than I brought. A deeper understanding of an industry in transition.

    Real respect for the people inside large organizations who push for change every day. And the confidence that comes from building something that continues on its own.

    The question that stays with me

    How do you hand over something that isn’t finished?

    Transformation isn’t a project with a sign-off sheet. It’s an ongoing process. And yet there’s always this moment where someone from the outside passes the baton and says: from here, this is yours.

    I don’t have a clean answer to that. But I believe it’s not about finishing everything. It’s about taking the right things far enough that they continue on their own.

    That’s the most honest goal an interim manager can have. And in this case, I’m proud of what we built together.

    If you’re curious how I support organisations through digital transformation and interim leadership, you can find more about my work here: Linelia’s services.

    And as always, I’m happy to hear from you. If you’d like to exchange ideas or explore how we might work together, feel free to reach out via my contact page or connect with me directly on LinkedIn.

  • From “What Now?” to “Who Owns This?”

    From “What Now?” to “Who Owns This?”

    In my last post, I wrote about a question that often changes the direction of a discussion:

    “What now?”

    Once people move from explaining what’s wrong to thinking about the next step, the whole energy in a room usually shifts.

    But there’s another small question that often matters even more for ownership in meetings:

    “Who owns this?”

    And interestingly, that question decides whether ideas actually turn into action.

    The moment after the good discussion

    IIf you’ve spent enough time in meetings, workshops or steering committees, you probably know the situation.

    The conversation was productive.
    Everyone agrees on the direction.
    The next step seems clear.

    Someone says something like:
    “We should probably move this forward.”
    “We should look into this.”
    “We should align on that.”

    Everyone nods.

    And then the meeting ends.

    Because while “we” sounds collaborative, it’s also wonderfully vague.

    A small reminder from a recent project

    I was reminded of this again recently in a project I’m currently involved in. We had just wrapped up a discussion about the next steps. The topic was clear, the direction made sense, and we were already moving toward the next agenda item.

    Then one of the managers in the room asked a very simple question:

    “Okay, but who owns this?”

    No big speech.
    No finger pointing.
    Just a calm question.

    Within seconds, the topic had a name attached to it and suddenly everything felt clearer.

    It’s one of those small moments that stick with you.

    And honestly, it’s also one of the reasons I enjoy working as a consultant so much.

    People sometimes think consulting is about bringing all the answers into a room.

    In reality it’s much more of a two-way game.

    Of course I bring experience, perspectives and ideas to the table.

    But I constantly learn from other leaders and experts as well.

    Often through small moments like this that remind you how powerful simple leadership habits can be.

    Why ownership changes the dynamic

    Once ownership in meetings becomes clear, something interesting usually happens:

    • Follow-ups become easier.
    • Priorities become clearer.
    • Decisions move faster.

    Not because the owner suddenly does everything alone.

    But because everyone knows where the topic lives.And that alone creates momentum.

    The slightly uncomfortable part

    But taking ownership is not always comfortable.

    It creates visibility.
    And visibility usually comes with expectations.

    So it’s understandable why many topics stay in the safe territory of “we”.

    But in my experience the opposite is often true.

    Once ownership is clear, pressure actually decreases.
    Because the uncertainty disappears.

    One small habit I’ve started to appreciate

    So, a simple question before leaving a meeting can make a big difference:

    “Who takes this?”

    Not as a control mechanism.

    More as a service to the group.

    Because once a topic has a name attached to it, the chances that it actually moves forward increase dramatically.

    Closing the loop

    In my last post I wrote about moving from

    “No” → “What now?”

    Maybe the next step is simply:

    “What now?” → “Who owns it?”

    Because momentum doesn’t just need ideas.
    Sometimes it just needs a name.

    If you’re curious how I support organizations in turning challenges into concrete next steps and building positive momentum along the way, you can find more about my work here: Linelia’s services

    And as always, I’m happy to hear from you. If you’d like to exchange ideas or explore how we might work together, feel free to reach out via my contact page or connect with me directly on LinkedIn.

  • From “No” to “What Now?”

    From “No” to “What Now?”

    I’ve been thinking about something lately, mostly because I keep running into it again and again in my day-to-day work.

    We’re actually very good at saying no…

    Especially here in Germany, and honestly across Europe as well.

    Put a few smart people in a room and it usually doesn’t take long until someone points out why something won’t work. Too risky. Too dependent. Too complex. Too early. Too late. You name it.

    And to be fair: most of the time, those concerns are absolutely valid.

    But what often happens next is the part I find more interesting.

    The conversation slows down.
    Everyone agrees that “this is difficult”.
    And then… nothing really follows.

    At that point, I often catch myself thinking:

    Okay, agreed. But what now?

    Seeing what’s wrong is only the first step

    I don’t see problem awareness as a weakness. Quite the opposite.
    It’s a strength. It keeps standards high and prevents naïve decisions.

    But I’ve learned that identifying what doesn’t work is really only half the job.

    The more useful part usually starts with the next question:

    If we don’t want to do this, what’s the alternative?

    Not the perfect one.
    Not the final answer.
    Just a better option than standing still.

    I hear variations of this in many contexts:

    • If we want to reduce dependencies, where do we start pragmatically?
    • If certain platforms don’t align with our values, what do we actively build instead?
    • If something feels wrong long-term, what’s the next reasonable step today?

    Those conversations tend to feel very different. More constructive. More forward-looking.

    And usually a bit more energizing as well.

    That’s pretty much my daily reality

    In my work, I’m constantly surrounded by challenges.

    • Ambiguous situations.
    • Conflicting priorities.
    • Limited time.
    • High expectations.

    Honestly, there would be plenty of reasons to complain every single day. And sometimes, yes, that happens as well. 😉

    But what I’ve seen over time is that progress rarely comes from listing everything that’s broken.

    It usually comes from asking a simpler question:

    What’s the next step that actually helps?

    Not the big transformation.
    Not the perfect target picture.
    Just something that moves things forward.

    Mini-Hack: A small habit that helps me here, when someone says “this won’t work”, I try to follow up with one simple question: “Okay, so what would you do instead?”

    Not in an aggressive way. More out of curiosity.
    It often shifts the conversation faster than any framework.

    Why I care so much about momentum

    I’ve become a big believer in momentum.

    Not because it solves everything, but because it changes how people feel about a situation.

    Once teams see that something is moving, discussions shift.

    Energy comes back.
    Ideas get bolder.
    And suddenly, bigger change doesn’t feel quite as scary anymore.

    That’s also why I’m a fan of quick solutions – and by “quick” I don’t mean careless.

    I mean fast enough to show progress.
    Concrete enough to reduce uncertainty.
    Small enough to actually happen.

    Those small steps often do more than perfectly crafted plans that never leave the slide deck.

    Positivity is not naïve, it’s practical

    Being solution-oriented doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It’s closely tied to how openly and honestly we communicate progress and challenges. Something I’ve written about before when reflecting on visibility without cringe.

    For me, it’s more about deciding where to put attention.

    I was lucky to learn early in my career how important it is to make progress visible.
    Especially at L’Oréal, this was done extremely well.
    Not as empty celebration, but as honest acknowledgment of what moved forward.

    It sounds simple, but it changes a lot.

    Teams feel seen.
    Work feels meaningful.
    And motivation doesn’t have to be forced.

    The interesting part is that this doesn’t stop at team level.

    I notice the same pattern on a broader scale as well. In organizations, in industries, and often in how we talk about change more generally.

    Zooming out: a European angle I strongly believe in

    When I zoom out, this mindset feels just as relevant beyond individual teams.

    I see myself very much as European. Germany is a big part of that, of course, but I’m convinced that our real strength lies in what we can build together across Europe.

    There are so many strong ideas, talented people, and solid capabilities here. We just don’t always talk about them that way.

    And when you look at initiatives like the European Innovation Council, it becomes pretty clear how much potential already exists if we choose to build on it.

    Especially in times like these, I think it helps to focus a bit more on what’s possible.

    Less “why this won’t work”.

    More “how could we make this work, together?”

    That shift alone can already change the tone of many conversations.

    And yes, sometimes you need to let off steam

    Just to be clear: I don’t believe in forced positivity.

    I also need valves.
    Good talks.
    Honest feedback.
    Sometimes even a bit of ranting to get things out of the system.

    I’ve written openly about struggles before, and I know that can sometimes sound negative. For me, it’s the opposite. Once things are said out loud, you can actually start working with them.

    Transparency creates the foundation for change.
    Momentum builds on top of that.

    The mindset I try to bring into organizations

    For me, it usually comes down to this:

    See the issue.
    Acknowledge it honestly.
    Then ask: What now?

    Not because everything is easy.
    But because staying stuck rarely helps.

    Momentum does.

    If you’re curious how I support organizations in turning challenges into concrete next steps and positive momentum, you can find more about my work here: Linelia’s services

    And as always, I’m happy to hear from you. If you’d like to exchange ideas or explore how we might work together, feel free to reach out via my contact page or directly connect via LinkedIn.