How does transformation succeed in a company? In our six-part series, we present the five crucial cornerstones and how they interact. Our approach: simple, efficient, successful.

After we have defined a clear target picture as our north star (1/6), merely having a project plan is not enough – an effective structure is needed as a compass to keep the course. Otherwise, a gap between strategy and implementation quickly threatens to emerge, and the transformation remains a declaration of intent without effect.

Structure as Compass
A functioning structure is more than just a formality – it determines the success of the transformation. It anchors the subsequent success of the transformation by linking the overarching goal with concrete, measurable steps, integrating them at all levels and ensuring a continuous measurement of progress. Three dimensions are crucial here:

Modern governance – clear guidelines without rigid specifications.
A centrally controlled programme consisting of several projects defines the strategic goal with all stakeholders and translates them into overarching milestones. At the same time, the operational level remains flexible: teams develop their objectives and key results self-dependently. Steering committees serve as a point of reference, not control.

Interdisciplinary conception – Get the right experts on board.
The transformation is best achieved from the inside out: the employees are the experts. In product meetings, they work in small agile steps to develop technical concepts and pragmatic solutions. In alignment meetings, results are coordinated with the division managers of the line organisation. Decisions that affect several departments are made jointly.

Transparent steering – Make progress visible at all times.
A modern, collaborative, agile approach does not mean laissez-faire, it means clear responsibility and full transparency: All tasks and decisions are always documented immediately in a tool-based manner, steering takes place across all operational levels, and the status – whether successes or setbacks – is always transparently visible to the team, management and line organisation.

This creates a clear structure that provides orientation without being rigid – and makes progress visible without creating bureaucracy.

Now we are ready to go – in the next post, we will present to you why self-organisation is often more effective than traditional project management.

1 | Target picture that motivates.
2 | Structure that works.
3 | Self-organisation that works.
4 | Collaboration that inspires.
5 | Technology that scales.
6 | Networking five cornerstones for a successful transformation