The PB&J Lovers’ Guide to Leading Digital Transformation

It’s moldy, it’s soggy, and it’s sticky. Sounds like the worst PB&J of your life? No, this is what failed digital transformation feels like. Without the right ingredients, proportions, and directions, your tech strategy may be next on the chopping block.

The world outside is being consumed by software. But digital transformation success is about more than just acquiring new digital tools — it’s about using them to their fullest extent so you can achieve your goals.

Too many business leaders are ruining their transformation efforts because they’re not prepared, and preparation is key. Think of serving up a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

It’s iconic, it’s tasty — but more importantly, PB&J is a prime example of execution. When it works, PB&J blends ingredients you know and love into a delicious and satisfying sandwich.

But there’s a science to cooking — even with something as simple as a PB&J. Do you have the utensils you need? Too much peanut butter and not enough jelly will never do that sandwich justice, and worse, old bread could make you sick.

Even if you have high-quality ingredients, the wrong proportions or lack of tools means your sandwich will be a disappointment.

A clumsy approach will also make a mess of your transformation.

Do you have all of the ingredients and utensils you need?

You wouldn’t try to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without making sure there’s even basic bread in your kitchen. So, why would you try to wing your business tech strategy?

A PB&J is no Beef Wellington, but you still need to have the right ingredients and utensils. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a sandwich that is too dry, too sticky, or just plain bad.

A framework for driving your digital transformation is critical.

Some ingredients are non-negotiable. To avoid change fatigue or resistance, pay attention to your change management structure.

You could have the right tools, but you’ll also need a clear digital roadmap, solid leadership to communicate that vision, and training to support your employees throughout the transition.

Combining these ingredients in the right way is what makes your digital transformation successful and enables you to achieve digital adoption.

Digital adoption is what turns technology into your competitive edge. True digital adoption means: 1) you’ve reached a state in which digital tools are being used as intended, and 2) you’re using those tools to their fullest extent.

Without it, your transformation just won’t stick.

You can’t make a sandwich if you don’t know how to use a knife

If you isolate the bare ingredients, a PB&J is just peanut butter, jelly, and your choice of bread. You probably wouldn’t enjoy each one by itself. But as soon as you have the right tool — a knife — you have what you need to make a tasty meal.

A tool is only as powerful as its usability, and lack of training exposes this. In the same way, your digital mindset will determine if your company’s transformation rots or thrives.

Without a digital adoption plan, it’s impossible to navigate your company through a messy digital landscape.

It doesn’t matter if your knife is made of 24K gold. Without the skills and know-how to use it, you’re left with just a handful of ingredients, not a meal.

Keep this in mind for your approach to driving company growth. Your business strategy also shouldn’t be to only buy the latest technologies — rather, learn to use those digital tools with intention.

An inedible PB&J: It doesn’t matter how it looks if you can’t eat it

If your employees can’t leverage the full potential of your tech arsenal, your company isn’t achieving digital adoption.

There’s a race to innovate your business before your competitors. But are you forsaking the human element? If your team isn’t on board with your organization’s digital strategy, you’re forgetting the point of transformation.

You might as well be making a gourmet PB&J sandwich for someone with a severe peanut allergy. Not well-thought-out, is it? Not when no one is able to eat your delicious creation. Remember that taste is subjective.

Rethinking old processes is imperative — but it can’t come at the cost of the people that push those processes forward for your company.

The bread of digital transformation: This could rot your whole meal

There’s a danger in eating the “clean” part of moldy bread. In fact, research shows there’s no such thing — once mold hits, the entire loaf is ruined.

Bread is the essential ingredient that takes the peanut butter, jelly, and puts a sandwich in your hands.

Mold in the business world looks a lot less like spots — and a lot more like mutiny and dissatisfaction growing in your employee ranks.

Change doesn’t revolutionize your company all at once. You have to engage with your employees and acknowledge that a lot may oppose the unknown. Employees will resist you if you don’t approach change in the workplace in stages.

Is employee resistance to change thwarting your digital transformation? Is your change management structure inadequate to support a new company-wide digital mindset?

Too much technology and not enough training to use it will cause your team to feel overwhelmed. Sure, that new business software’s design could even be to boost productivity. Try telling that to an employee who’s ready to throw that software out the window.

At its worst, a poor digital transformation will leave your staff frazzled by a complex tech buffet. Instead, you want everything to stick together.

Peanut butter: The sticky anchor of your sandwich

Creamy, crunchy — any way you like it — peanut butter is a staple of your PB&J. It’s the first half of the title for a reason. Peanut butter balances the jelly and sticks the bread together.

Consider this the heart and soul of your company’s digital transformation process. The fun part is in sticking your company with the right technology.

But what happens if you focus too much on technology? Your business operations won’t run smoothly.

This is where employee training matters most. No two people like the same PB&J — and your employees all have different preferences.

How can you make a tailor-made digital experience? Proper training is crucial. Before you reinvent your technology, establish a personalized training solution — one that offers real-time guidance. Then, you’ll find your transformation initiatives stick for even the most overwhelmed employee.

Tech features are amazing — but they’re only as powerful as your well-trained workforce. Smooth the barrier between your employees and their tools. You’ll find ground-level training changes will make your team more cohesive and productive.

Ready for the jelly: Dessert or the devil in the details?

Jelly is a divine fruity treat that sets your PB&J apart from the rest. I’d argue that it’s the most dazzling part of the sandwich. But the risk is too little jelly dries up your sandwich.

Similarly, think of communication like the jelly of your digital transformation. When it’s strong, communication will breathe life into a complex transition. But what happens if you aren’t communicating your new processes well?

Few things are worse than a dried out sandwich — and in your business transformation, this looks like mistrust.

Building a layer of trust matters before you spring a mountain of new tech on your staff. Every employee will want to feel included in your company’s transformation — and understand why these changes are happening in the first place.

Change the way you think about communication. This goes beyond just employee upskilling.

Internally, keep your employees in the loop. Evolving your organization’s technology must begin with transforming your communication strategy. Let your team in on your new digital vision. As a leader, it’s your role to guide employees through this transformation journey.

Stir dialogue about what’s missing and turn those insights into strategic initiatives. Again, don’t slack on the communication or it will dry out your transformation.

Put it all together in one awesome sandwich

In a smooth, salty-sweet PB&J, your ingredients complement each other — that’s the intent of the recipe. Successful digital transformations are also a fusion of parts.

There’s always a general idea for any recipe you use. You know your end goals. You may even know the tools you need to get there. But it’s not about finding a perfect list of ingredients — it’s about making digital transformation just-right for you and your team.

Use change management to train your employees from the bottom-up. Invest in the right tools for your company to evolve forward. Remember that not utilizing technology as it was intended will set your business rolling backward. And before anything else, communicate the pressing need for digital change.

Your ability to transform can only power ahead with employees who understand ‘why.’ Only then can your enterprise realize digital adoption.

However, if even one ingredient is missing, imbalanced, or outside your team’s level of training, you’ll be left in the dust of rivals who out-innovated you first.