Stop the Bull***t!

I cringe whenever I see job titles like “Digital Transformation Leader,” “Agile Coach” or “Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt.” 

It seems that organizations are in such a hurry to catch up with the competition that they’re willing to shell out big bucks for consultants who will help them accelerate their transformation efforts.

But here’s the thing: you can’t really buy transformation. Sure, you can hire people to help you with the heavy lifting, but at the end of the day, transformation is something that has to be grown from within.

That’s why the most successful transformations are led by so-called “intrapreneurs” — people who have the entrepreneurial mindset and skill set necessary to drive change within a large organization.

How do you identify these intrapreneurs? Look for people who are constantly challenging the status quo and seeking out new ways to do things. These are the people who are always asking “why” and “what if.”

So, if you haven’t chased away all the intrapreneurs in your organization with bureaucratic red tape, give them the freedom to experiment. And when they succeed, celebrate their successes — loudly.