When a new leader steps in, the impulse to announce big transformations is almost irresistible. After all, years of under-investment and patchwork fixes make it clear the organisation has fallen behind. The rational response seems obvious: plan bold reforms and move fast.
Yet speed without wisdom is chaos in disguise. Rushed transformation — decisions made outside our domain, imaginary deadlines, or dictating direction before discovery — often causes more harm than good. The tragedy is that this damage rarely gets reported in the heat of progress.
Transformation follows a rhythm. It starts with foundations — clarity of intent, disciplined planning, and alignment of purpose. Skipping these steps may create motion, but not momentum.
We must also remember: effort is not value. Work done measures activity; value delivered measures achievement. Many transformations collapse because they confuse the two.
And not everything should change. Some oddities, however unconventional, define an organisation’s character and success. Redesigning them would erase its soul — like altering the silhouette of the Porsche 911, removing the yellow welt from Dr. Martens, or digitising a Rolex dial.
Leadership is not about announcing the future — it’s about preparing the ground so the future can grow. The courage lies in patience, in understanding the organisation deeply, and in orchestrating a journey worth taking.
Transformation is not an act of force; it is an act of wisdom.
