DTWS: Fail fast, learn faster – the changing culture in CSPs
TM Forum's annual CXO Summit kicked off this week at Digital Transformation World Series. The consensus of the group's first of three such sessions? The Covid-19 crisis has rewritten ideas of what is possible and has brought greater meaning and recognition to the role not only of CSPs but also the CTIO.
DTWS: Fail fast, learn faster – the changing culture in CSPs
TM Forum’s invitation-only CXO Summit, sponsored by MYCOM OSI, kicked off at Digital Transformation World Series on October 15 with a packed virtual house and an upbeat, wide-ranging discussion. You can watch a summary of the session in the video above. It was stimulated by three hugely experienced transformation experts: Peter Leukert, Global CIO at Deutsche Telekom; Paul Smith, Chairman of management consultancy Bain & Company; and Rainer Deutschmann, SVP & COO at Telia. The subject was Failing fast, learning faster and building a culture that embraces that approach. The summit started by looking at how communications service providers (CSPs) could “bake” into their culture and practices the good things that have arisen from their handling of the pandemic. Certainly, as one attendee noted, their company’s brand recognition and how the company is perceived has never been so high. They also said the company is determined to keep “the sense of caring” about B2B customers, which the pandemic has brought about, as opposed to the pre-lockdown mindset that things were fine if there were no complaints.
Urgency and clarity
Others observed that crisis has brought with it a clear sense of both urgency and purpose which could be lacking in long-term transformation projects. Another wondered whether the needs driven by the coronavirus have got in the way of and made the industry forget about digital transformation? Many seemed to think that the crisis has reinforced its importance and that CSPs want to accelerate the progress.
Part of that is a strong desire expressed by a number of people to “kill” the RFP and work with equipment providers and others as partners rather than suppliers, and the importance of partnerships with hyperscalers was highlighted.
Rewriting the possible
Summit attendees generally agreed that the Covid-19 crisis has rewritten ideas of what is possible and has brought greater meaning and recognition to the role of the CTIO (also the CTO and CIO roles). One participant said that the CTIO is the best positioned to evangelize about the art of the possible at the CxO table, and to explain what could be done differently or better or more cheaply.
That contributor added, “If that was to happen, I think CTOs will be given larger roles in the functioning of the organization because telcos are increasingly going to become platform technology companies rather than large employers. The skill set live on this virtual [session] is the skill set that’s going to deliver that new future for telcos – so get out there and evangelize.”
Another holder of that role agreed, saying, “CTIOs have to move from a delivery-focused service provider to an innovative thought provider.” The theme of leadership was recurring. It was accepted that while established teams have generally worked together remotely very well, there are concerns about setting up new virtual teams. One senior exec said his experience has been that working virtually has made for greater transparency and commitment. Another added that their employer has concluded that 70% of employee roles can be done from home, but the CEO stressed the need for vigilance regarding mental health issues.
Human factors
Indeed, there was wide accord that attending to the “human side” of the virtual workplace is critical and that people’s responses are not always predictable. For instance, one CxO was surprised that younger people generally seem to feel the lack of a physical workplace more acutely than their older colleagues. This was unexpected, given the usual heavy level of engagement with friends via screens, including the habit of messaging people in close proximity.
One potentially exacerbating factor could be that in lockdowns younger people are often confined to a rented room in a city, whereas older colleagues tend to have more space and access to a garden. Many of the CXOs said they believe that in many ways, younger people have borne the brunt in lockdown.
Someone else pointed out that personality plays a big part in how well people work at home in the longer term, noting that extroverts, for instance, need energy from other people to sustain them. Others said they think it’s more that those who are highly motivated will thrive, whereas those who need to be encouraged and even pushed may struggle. The contributor argued that communications-based solutions could be a big enabler here, and Nik Willetts, CEO of TM Forum, observed that the CEO of Deutsche Telekom, Tim Höttges, had recently described what CSPs do as providing “a digital lifeline” for society. Someone else said that it is essential we amplify the human factor, adding, “We have the tools to do that at scale.”
Reskilling employees
There was also a conversation around reskilling staff. One person said it is up to the CSPs to “take away the reasons for people to cling to the past” by demonstrating exciting alternatives that new skills bring. Several pointed out how adaptable and creative people are if given the chance, and if they aren’t afraid of making mistakes. For example, millions of employees appeared to discover and learn overnight how to use Zoom and other platforms for virtual meetings with no prompting or help. Finally, a number of participants said that using the term “telco” doesn’t help the transformation cause and recommended the TM Forum-preferred CSP or technology service provider. Others responded that it isn’t changing the name that really matters, but whether individuals and corporate behavior changes. Watch live and on-demand Digital Transformation World Series now! Not registered for DTWS yet? There’s still time. Join 12,000 of your peers online through November 12. CSPs receive complimentary passes. Sign up here.