And what to do with everything else that comes up along the way
Starting a transformation often feels like opening a pressure valve. Once you dig beneath the surface, dozens of issues come to light. Legacy problems. Workarounds. Process gaps. Organizational blind spots.
You begin with one missionโlike improving delivery reliability or adjusting the operating modelโand suddenly find yourself drowning in a sea of โrelatedโ topics.
So how do you stay focused?
๐ฏ 1. Define your transformation priorities upfront
Before launching workstreams or setting up governance, the leadership team must agree on 3โ5 critical prioritiesโnot 15.
These should:
- Address root causes, not symptoms
- Be clearly linked to business outcomes (e.g. margin improvement, delivery reliability, customer satisfaction)
- Be measurable in terms of impact and progress
This isnโt easy. But without clear focus, transformation programs driftโand lose credibility.
๐๏ธ 2. Create a โside issue registerโ
You will discover many relevant but non-critical issues as you go.
The danger is to chase every single oneโor ignore them altogether.
Instead, log side topics systematically:
- What is the issue?
- Who raised it?
- Which area or function is affected?
- Does it relate to one of the priority areas?
- Whatโs the potential impact (if any)?
Review this register regularlyโsay, in a biweekly leadership stand-up. Decide which topics are:
- To be escalated into the main program
- To be handled by line management
- To be parked for now
This helps maintain strategic focus without losing operational detail.
๐ฅ 3. Assign clear ownership for each major topic
Each priority area needs:
- A business sponsor (ideally C-level)
- A lead responsible for delivery and cross-functional alignment
- A small team with time and capacity to drive outcomes
Without this, side issues tend to fill the vacuumโand energy is wasted.
๐ 4. Monitor progress visibly
A simple transformation dashboardโwith 5โ10 metrics tied to your focus areasโkeeps the spotlight where it belongs. If dashboards are overly complex or disconnected from reality, attention drifts.
Regular reviews help the team ask:
- Are we moving the needle?
- Whatโs getting in the way?
- Are we still solving the right problems?
๐ 5. Build in structured feedback loops
Transformation is dynamic. Some side topics may evolve into major issues. Some assumptions may prove wrong.
Create regular points for re-evaluation:
- Monthly checkpoint: Are the priorities still valid?
- Quarterly review: What shifts, if any, are needed in scope or resources?
Structured agility is better than chaos disguised as flexibility.
๐ Final thought: Focus is a leadership behavior
Transformation isnโt just a projectโitโs a test of leadership clarity.
Staying focused isnโt about ignoring issues. Itโs about choosing what to solve now, what to document, and what to deferโwith intention.
A strong transformation setup provides the system. But only committed, aligned leadership brings it to life.
If youโre about to kick off a transformation and want to get it right from Day One, letโs talk. I work with senior teams to structure, drive, and sustain transformation effortsโwith clarity and traction from the start.