The Myth of Digital Disruption?

The digital transformation industrial complex has been selling us a lie. Every consultancy presentation promises revolutionary change, every tech conference preaches disruption, and every CEO feels compelled to announce their ‘digital-first’ strategy. But what happens when legacy companies - the ones with decades of established processes, entrenched cultures, and actual customers to lose - attempt this supposed transformation?

A recent Harvard Business Review analysis of six established companies (Moody's, Honeywell, IKEA, Levi's, Adobe, and Intuit) offers a refreshing antidote to the breathless rhetoric that dominates digital transformation discourse. These aren't start-ups with nothing to lose; they're institutions with everything at stake. And their approaches reveal something profound: successful digital transformation isn't about abandoning who you are - it's about becoming a better version of yourself.

This matters because we're drowning in transformation theatre. Companies spend millions on digital initiatives that fail spectacularly, consultants peddle one-size-fits-all solutions, and executives chase the latest tech trends without understanding their purpose. Meanwhile, the companies that actually succeed at transformation are doing something entirely different. They're being authentic about who they are, strategic about where they're going, and bloody-minded about putting people before platforms.

Having read this HBR article, I wanted to examine what these six companies really learned, why their approaches challenge everything we've been told about digital transformation and give my two penneth for what it’s worth!

The Authenticity Problem in Digital Transformation

The biggest lie in digital transformation is that you need to become something you're not. Silicon Valley mythology suggests that legacy companies must shed their skin entirely - become “digital natives” overnight or perish. This is nonsense, and it's dangerous nonsense at that.

IKEA's approach is worth having a look at first. They didn't try to become Amazon. They didn't abandon their core proposition of affordable, flat-pack furniture. Instead, they asked a more fundamental question: how do we make it easier for people to buy and use IKEA products? Their digital transformation focused on solving real customer problems - like visualising furniture in your home before buying - rather than chasing digital trends.

This authenticity-first approach stands in stark contrast to the corporate play-acting we see elsewhere. How many companies have you encountered that launch “digital innovation labs” that exist entirely separate from their core business? Or announce partnerships with tech companies that make great press releases but deliver little value? This isn't transformation; it's performance art.

"The pace of technological change seems to only increase. The miracles of yesterday are the baseline of tomorrow. As such, digital transformation has become a muscle that companies must learn to exercise - a process that is never really finished. The companies that succeed maintain what might be called "institutional authenticity". They understand what makes them valuable and use technology to amplify those strengths rather than replace them. When Levi's embraced digital customisation, they weren't abandoning their heritage; they were extending it. They recognised that personalisation has always been part of their brand story, and digital tools simply made it more accessible."

This connects to something I've written about before regarding the "sheeple" tendency in business. Too many companies follow digital transformation playbooks without understanding whether those approaches align with their actual strengths and customer needs. They conform to what they think digital transformation should look like rather than designing what it needs to look like for them.

The result is a whole host of transformation initiatives that feel hollow, employees who don't understand the purpose, and customers who can't see the value. Authentic transformation starts with an honest assessment of what you're good at and what your customers actually need, not what the latest Gartner report says you should be doing.

Strategy Before Technology: The Cart-Horse Fallacy

In my humble opinion (and based on the stuff in the article), where most digital transformation efforts go wrong is that they start with technology and work backwards to strategy. It's like deciding to buy a Ferrari before figuring out where you need to go. Impressive, perhaps, but ultimately pointless.

The six companies in the HBR analysis understood something crucial: technology is only valuable when it solves real problems. Moody's didn't implement AI because it was trendy; they used it to enhance their core competency of risk assessment. Honeywell didn't embrace IoT for the sake of it; they recognised it could fundamentally improve how their industrial customers operate.

This reflects what I've previously called the "Prep" stage of idea development - you need to understand your problem space before you start brewing solutions. Too many companies skip this step and jump straight to the sexy tech. They implement cloud platforms without understanding what data they need to store, launch AI initiatives without clear use cases, or build mobile apps that nobody wants.

Read my article about the Unboxing Ideas Framework here

The successful companies took a different approach. They started with customer pain points and worked backwards to technology solutions. Adobe's transformation from boxed software to cloud services wasn't driven by technology trends but by understanding that customers wanted continuous updates and collaboration features, not periodic software purchases.

This requires a fundamental shift in how we think about digital transformation. Instead of asking "How can we use this new technology?" successful companies ask "What problems are we trying to solve, and what tools might help us solve them?" It's a subtle but crucial difference.

"“In a way, digital transformation is really a matter of being able to create a system to capture and harness data and then to unleash its power on whatever it is you’re doing. But to achieve that, you have to understand all the intricate moving parts that make up the whole.” Darius Adamczyk, CEO, Honeywell

The UK's NHS provides another interesting case study here. Their failed £12.4 billion NHS National Programme for IT in the 2000s was a classic example of technology-first thinking. They tried to implement a massive, standardised system across the entire health service without adequately understanding the diverse needs of different trusts and departments. The result was a spectacular failure that became a cautionary tale for public sector IT projects.

In contrast, the more recent NHS App and digital booking systems “succeeded” because they started with specific patient needs - booking appointments, accessing test results, ordering prescriptions - and designed technology solutions around those needs. The strategy was clear: make it easier for patients to access healthcare services. The technology followed from that strategy.

This principle applies whether you're running a multinational corporation or a local secondary school. Before you implement any digital solution, you need to be crystal clear about what you're trying to achieve and why it matters to the people you serve.

The Human Element: Why People Matter More Than Platforms

The most successful digital transformations aren't about technology at all; they're about people. The companies that get this right understand that transformation is fundamentally a human process, and technology is just the tool.

This is where the conversation gets interesting because it challenges the entire premise of most digital transformation initiatives. How many transformation programmes have you seen that focus primarily on systems, processes, and platforms, treating people as an afterthought? The assumption seems to be that if you build the right technical infrastructure, adoption will naturally follow.

"When a product truly solves a customer problem, users very quickly stop noticing it at all." Ashok Srivastava, CDO, Intuit

This is backwards. The companies in the HBR analysis succeeded because they put people at the centre of their transformation efforts. They recognised that the biggest barriers to change aren't technical - they're cultural and psychological.

To hammer this home, it’s worth thinking about the resistance you encounter when implementing new systems. Too often, this resistance is dismissed as "change aversion" or "lack of digital literacy." But what if it's actually strategic information? What if the people resisting change are telling you something important about why your approach isn't working? Although resistance to change might be aversion or ignorance, it may also be feedback!

When Intuit transformed their development processes, they didn't just implement new tools and expect engineers to adapt. They invested heavily in training, created new collaboration patterns, and fundamentally changed how teams worked together. The technology enabled the transformation, but the human element made it successful.

This connects to something I've observed in my own work: the most effective transformations happen when people feel involved in designing the change, not just implementing it. It’s often called co-creation. When you involve employees/students/teachers in identifying problems and co-creating solutions, you get better buy-in and, crucially, better solutions.

The communication aspect is vital here. Too many transformation efforts fail because leaders assume that announcing the change is sufficient. But people need to understand not just what's changing, but why it's changing and how it will affect them personally. They need to see the connection between the transformation and their day-to-day work.

This is particularly important in UK organisations, where there's often a healthy scepticism about top-down change initiatives. British employees have seen plenty of management fads come and go, and they're understandably cautious about the latest “game-changing” initiative (I hate that phrase and find myself using it way more often than I would like!) Success requires earning trust through transparency, involvement, and demonstrable value.

The companies that understand this create what I call “transformation communities” - groups of people who are genuinely excited about the change and can help others navigate it. These aren't just change champions (though they may include them); they're people who understand both the human and technical aspects of transformation and can bridge the gap between them.

Innovation Through Integration, Not Disruption

The disruption narrative has become so dominant that we've forgotten there's another way to innovate: integration. The most successful digital transformations don't blow up existing processes - they make them better. Now, please hear me out: I am all for disruption where necessary. Sometimes, evolution doesn’t cut it and revolution is needed but the key question isn’t whether we can evolve but more whether we should.

This is particularly relevant for legacy companies with established customer bases and proven business models. Why would you irreversibly disrupt something that's working? Instead, the smart approach is to identify what's working well and enhance it with digital capabilities. So, it may be little by little or with a big bomb. Navigating when is the leader’s #1 priority.

Adobe's transformation is a perfect example of little by little. They didn't abandon their core products or customer relationships. Instead, they recognised that the software industry was moving towards subscription models and cloud-based collaboration. Their transformation integrated these new capabilities with their existing strengths in creative software.

"[I]t’s critical that leaders carefully consider the context in which AI operates - understanding the specific circumstances, environments, and applications of AI technologies in real-world use cases. AI is often assessed through its inputs and outputs, but this paints only a partial picture…Companies need to shift from viewing AI as a singular entity to evaluating its impact in specific contexts.” Grace Yee, Adobe

This approach requires a different mindset. Instead of looking for ways to replace existing processes, successful companies look for ways to augment them. Instead of viewing legacy systems as obstacles, they view them as foundations to build upon.

The BBC's evolution provides a truly British example of this principle. They didn't abandon broadcasting when digital streaming emerged. Instead, they created BBC iPlayer, which integrated their traditional content creation strengths with new distribution capabilities. The result was a service that felt distinctly BBC while offering genuine new value.

This integration approach also applies to smaller organisations. When schools implement digital learning platforms, the most successful approaches don't replace teachers but give teachers better tools to do what they already do well. These approaches create opportunities they might be missing. The technology amplifies human capability rather than replacing it.

The key insight is that integration requires a deep understanding of your existing strengths and capabilities. You can't integrate effectively if you don't know what you're integrating with. This is why the most successful transformations start with organisational self-awareness rather than technology assessment.

It also requires patience. Integration is often slower than disruption, but it's also more sustainable. When you build on existing strengths, you're less likely to create solutions that nobody wants or can use effectively.

The Sheeple Trap: Following Best Practices vs. Finding Your Path

Blindly following what others are doing without understanding whether it makes sense for your situation is what will make or break your digital transformation, regardless of your organisation. 

Context is king.

The consultancy industry has created a mythology around digital transformation that suggests there are universal best practices that apply to every organisation. This is convenient for consultants (they can sell the same solutions repeatedly) but dangerous for their clients. And I know I now sit in this camp so have to work harder to find bespoke solutions but it is the only way. I can’t roll out another keynote session (although some things might be similar). My strategy sessions can’t be off the shelf and my coaching can’t fit a prescribed framework and model without some level of flexibility.

The reality is that successful digital transformation is highly context-dependent. What works for a financial services company like Moody's may be completely inappropriate for a furniture retailer like IKEA. What makes sense for a software company like Adobe might be irrelevant for an industrial manufacturer like Honeywell.

Yet we see companies constantly trying to copy each other's approaches. They hear about a successful transformation at another company and assume they should implement the same strategy. This is like assuming that because someone else looks good in a particular outfit, you should wear the same clothes (although this is another problem with an always-on culture…)

The companies that succeed resist this temptation. They understand their unique context, customer needs, and organisational capabilities. They may learn from other companies' experiences, but they don't simply copy their approaches. It applies in every sector too - copy/paste might work in Word but not in work (I am quite proud of that one, actually!)

This contextualisation requires what we might call “strategic scepticism” - the ability to question whether popular approaches actually make sense for your situation. Just because everyone else is implementing a particular technology doesn't mean you should. Just because a strategy worked for a Silicon Valley company doesn't mean it will work for a British manufacturer.

The most successful transformations are often the ones that look least like textbook examples. They're designed specifically for the organisation implementing them, taking into account their unique strengths, constraints, and opportunities.

Educational Implications: What Schools Can Learn

The lessons from these six companies have profound implications for educational institutions, where schools, colleges and universities are grappling with both digital transformation pressures and fundamental questions about educational purpose.

The biggest mistake education can make is assuming that digital transformation means buying more technology. Tablets for every student, interactive whiteboards in every classroom, learning management systems that nobody uses effectively. This is the technology-first fallacy writ large.

The HBR companies that succeeded understood that transformation is about improving outcomes, not implementing tools. For schools, this means starting with questions like: How do we help students learn more effectively? How do we support teachers in their professional practice? How do we strengthen connections between school and home?

Only after answering these questions should schools consider which digital tools might help. And often, the answer isn't the latest educational technology at all. It's using existing tools more thoughtfully.

If we think about how teachers actually work, it might shed a light on why this approach might be best. Teachers need to assess student progress, provide feedback, plan lessons, and communicate with parents. Digital transformation in education should focus on making these core activities more effective, not replacing them with entirely new processes. This isn’t just substitution to quote Pentedura’s model but some of the first ways to get buy-in and make the most difference will be to find better ways to do fundamental things.

This connects to concerns I've raised about smartphones and young people. Too often, schools implement digital (or analog) solutions that mirror the addictive design patterns of social media platforms. It could be gamification apps or even something as ludicrous as lockers for mobile phones whilst in school. There are no lockers in the real world, just like Rob Houben said on the Edufuturists podcast. 

Successful educational transformation looks different. It might involve using digital tools to provide more personalised feedback, create better connections between classroom learning and real-world applications, or enable more flexible learning pathways. But it always starts with pedagogical purpose, not technological possibility.

The authenticity principle applies here too. Schools that try to become “digital-first” overnight often lose what made them effective in the first place. The best educational transformations build on existing strengths - good teaching, strong relationships, clear learning objectives, extensive out-of-class experiences - while using technology to amplify these strengths.

The Future of Authentic Transformation

What emerges from studying these six companies is a different model for digital transformation. It’s one that prioritises authenticity over imitation, strategy over technology, and people over platforms. This approach is particularly relevant as we face an AI-driven acceleration of technological change. The temptation will be to chase every new development, to implement AI solutions because they're available rather than because they solve real problems.

The companies and organisations that will thrive are those that maintain their focus on fundamental questions: What value do we create for our stakeholders? What are we uniquely good at? How can new technologies amplify our strengths rather than replace them?

"Digital transformation is transforming your workforce to think in an agile and digital-first mindset, and encourage the creation and adoption of technology that is new for the team and sometimes new for the industry overall." Harmit Singh, CFO, Levi's

This requires leaders who can resist the pressure to follow digital transformation orthodoxy. It requires organisations that can maintain their identity while embracing change. And it requires a different conversation about what transformation actually means. Perhaps most importantly, it requires patience. Authentic transformation takes time. It involves deep organisational learning, cultural change, and the careful integration of new capabilities with existing strengths. This can't be rushed, and it can't be imposed from outside.

The six companies studied offer a roadmap for this approach. They show that it's possible to embrace digital transformation without losing your institutional soul. They demonstrate that the most successful transformations are often the least dramatic. They are careful, thoughtful, and deeply rooted in understanding what makes an organisation valuable.

The question isn't whether to embrace digital transformation; it's how to do it authentically, strategically, and sustainably. The organisations and individuals that figure this out won't just survive the digital age; they'll help define what it means to be human in an increasingly digital world.

Key Takeaways

1. Audit Your Digital Identity Before Your Digital Strategy: Understand what makes your organisation valuable before deciding how to enhance it with technology. Your digital transformation should amplify your strengths, not replace them.

2. Start with Problems, Not Platforms: Successful transformations begin with clear understanding of stakeholder needs and organisational challenges. Technology is the solution, not the starting point.

3. Design for Integration, Not Just Disruption: Build on existing strengths and capabilities rather than trying to replace them entirely. Evolution often succeeds where revolution fails.

4. Put People at the Centre: The biggest barriers to transformation are cultural and psychological, not technical. Involve stakeholders in designing change rather than just implementing it.

5. Resist the Sheeple Trap: What works for other contexts may not work for yours. Develop solutions that fit your unique situation rather than copying popular approaches.

6. Measure Cultural Change, Not Just Technical Metrics: Success isn't just about implementing new systems - it's about changing how people work and think. Track adoption, engagement, and value creation.

7. Plan for Evolution, Not Revolution All The Time: Sustainable transformation takes time and patience. Focus on building long-term capabilities rather than delivering short-term wins that don't last.

The lesson from these six companies is clear: digital transformation isn't about becoming something you're not. It's about becoming a better version of what you already are. That's a much more achievable goal, and ultimately, a much more valuable one.