What it means to become a Dynamic Organization will be different in each case, but every dynamic organization — every next-generation IT organization — will share four specific attributes.
What Is a Dynamic Organization?
A Dynamic Organization is one that has uniquely combined specific elements of the four foundational organizational traits to become a responsive, agile and adaptive organization that is tailored to meet the needs of the broader organization. Each dynamic organization shares four key attributes. They will be:
A Dynamic Organization Is Fast and Reactive
When you hear the word “dynamic,” there’s a pretty good chance you have this image of an organization that can react rapidly to everything that is thrown at it. And that is part of it, but there is a fundamental difference between an organization that reacts well and one that is truly dynamic.
While a dynamic organization is fast, it is reactive because of its proactive nature. Driven by its nature as a learning and highly disciplined organization, it will anticipate when and how a reactive posture will be required and prepare for that eventuality.
A Dynamic Organization Is Flexible and Adaptive
As our customer’s world moves faster and faster, simply being reactive is not good enough. They need more from us. They require that we offer them the flexibility and adaptability that they need to respond to rapidly evolving challenges and opportunities. Leveraging the foundations of being a learning and disciplined organization, you will be accustomed to operating in a constant state of change.
When you combine that with varying degrees of transparency and intimacy, you will build a scalable organization that can adapt to changing needs without disrupting existing operations.
Everything Has Changed
A funny thing has happened over the last two years. The conversation about IT in both business and IT circles has shifted.
When we rebranded our organization as “The IT Transformation Institute” three years ago, the idea that there is a need to transform the way IT works was just beginning to be discussed. The most common reaction we heard at the time was along the lines of “Why do I need to transform? And into what?”
What a difference a few years can make.
Today, virtually every conversation I have with a senior IT or business executive begins with some form of the phrase, “Everything has changed.” The idea that the IT organization must change if it is to remain relevant has become an accepted truth. I think that is an important first step, but the real and more important question is this: If everything is changing, what should the future IT organization look like?
Putting It All Together
In my previous articles, I have described the four fundamental organizational traits—that each organization must become a Learning Organization, a Disciplined Organization, a Transparent Organization and an Intimate Organization.
Each of these first four traits are the building blocks to becoming a Dynamic Organization. Each is a critical part of your journey. But in isolation, these four traits will not be enough. They will help you improve and get better, but they will not help you become the type of dynamic organization that will be needed in the very near future.
It is only when these four traits are brought together and woven into a new way of working that you can become truly dynamic. While the four preceding traits are the building blocks, being a dynamic organization is more of an attitude and an approach.
The building blocks must be mastered. That’s the starting point. But it is how they are blended and leveraged that transforms an organization into this type of next-generation IT organization. And that blending is almost like each organization’s secret recipe.
