Fabienne Billat: "Without Drive and Leadership, Digital Transformation Cannot Happen"

You probably know Fabienne Billat, known by the handle @Fadouce on Twitter. A consultant in digital communications and digital transformation for businesses, she delivers keynotes and coaches executives. She also sits on the digital transformation board of the Caisse des Dépôts (CDC2) and founded the Women in Tech delegation of Syntec Numérique for the Lyon region. Today she answers our questions on "transfo." Her keyword? Management.

What is your keyword for digital transformation?

My keyword is "management." Digital transformation is cultural and will permeate every structure and organization, sooner or later. It reshapes practices and methodologies — but without the ability to make decisions, without drive and leadership, and therefore without resources, it cannot be realized.

Management is thus a decisive factor — the keystone in any transformation strategy. But the success of digital integration also depends on the leader's ability to bring teams along in understanding the business stakes and the behaviors to adopt: through new channels, constantly evolving tools, technologies that open new touchpoints with customers, and to build optimized organizational systems that are more cross-functional and collaborative.

Today governance remains deeply pyramidal and — as we keep saying — business functions within companies are still far too siloed and compartmentalized. There is not enough exchange, even though social networks and the internet make it easier than ever.

Is management how you change a company's culture? How?

Culture is intrinsic to a company since its founding — for it to evolve, you need charismatic and free-thinking leaders. In my view, the foundation of all evolution finds its genesis in Socrates' philosophy, inscribed on the temple of Delphi: "Know thyself." The culture of each company determines its evolution and growth — as well as its obstacles.

The manager is in pole position to embody this culture and the company's values, which can substitute for systems of rigid procedures. Starting from first principles avoids the misunderstandings and anxieties that run through the employee base.

Read also: Marie-Christine Lanne: "We're all digital, so we're all phygital!"

Beyond that, there is a manager typology worth knowing, as defined by the Infosys study:

• Visionaries (22%) who understand that digital has the potential to totally transform their business,
• Explorers (50%) who are engaging in digital programs to improve their customers' experience,
• and Observers (28%) who see digital transformation only through the lens of efficiency.

To renew company principles, management supports this metamorphosis by investing in digital knowledge training — and I mean not just technological skills, but also adaptability and adoption skills. These must be regularly absorbed and must enable collaboration and co-creation.

Another lever available to leadership is recruitment. Human bias tends to replicate what already exists, finding comfort in hiring similar profiles. To bring in creativity and innovation, you need to broaden your perspective. Multiplying viewpoints with "out-of-the-box" personalities is one avenue to explore. I invite you to look into the profile of Harper Reed, Barack Obama's atypical CTO for his presidential campaign!

What concrete role do leaders play in implementing change?

They must themselves be convinced of the need to adapt their business model and products to a connected consumer base. And to optimize the internal organization of their company. The leader must embody and demonstrate mobility and adaptability. Through their own practice and decisions, they represent the ability to leverage the full breadth of digital: engagement, knowledge of the technologies that will shape their products and organizations. They deliver relevant value. If a leader lives by this approach, they will bring the majority of their teams along. Excellent examples can be found at Accor, Française des Jeux, Orange, IBM, and Michel Édouard Leclerc.

On the same topic: Leaders, be the architects of change

We hear a lot today about collective intelligence, horizontal management, innovative workspaces, new managerial stances… Are things really changing in France?

These are less about methodologies to apply than a mindset. Implementing these procedures, imposed top-down, generally falls back into conventional thinking. That's why young company leaders who manage with connected tools, a relaxed hierarchy, and refreshed work values are the best placed to redefine ineffective positions — and they succeed faster. These new managerial orientations clearly exist. And they need to be highlighted!

Companies like One point, Michel et Augustin, Tilkee, PopUp House, and Kokoroe were built and organized to fit today's world and today's clients. They adapt every day. It is trickier to intervene in companies built on systems that haven't adjusted along the way, because the equation touches every internal function, every department. Most organizational transformations fail because of poor change management or employee resistance (McKinsey study). France has not been at the forefront!

Read also: Frédéric Fougerat: "Everything we do must always be thought of from the customer's perspective"

The transition we are in requires us to accelerate. Let's remember that the bulk of the French economy is built on SMEs and mid-sized companies, most of them patriarchal in model, with entrenched practices that won't be questioned as long as "business is doing fine." For these, regional bodies are making efforts and offering a range of services — such as the "ma solution numérique" platform for Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, or the national hub dedicated to Digital Transformation activators: @FranceNumFr.

Some institutions, like the Caisse des Dépôts, with the launch of its digital experts committee, the CDC² — are committed to supporting companies and local governments in their transformation across the entire country. And that is a remarkable indicator.

As for large legacy companies, Michelin stands out as a model for advanced initiatives, such as the symmetry of attentions: for Michelin customers and teammates, as well as for employees, through accompaniment toward digital manufacturing with the best collaborative tools. Returning to our focus: the impetus is carried by Jean-Dominique Senard and led by the CDO. But, as Yves Caseau CIO of the Group concludes: "It truly involves everyone, with a very pragmatic approach."

What do employees expect? Why and how do you maintain team motivation in a digitalized world?

Employees are tired of hollow corporate messaging. Tired of posturing and cosmetic announcements. For example, when a new hire finds a desk phone on their desk on day one, they immediately sense the disconnect — and disengagement is latent. Employees want to work with the benefits of digital. Just as they have adopted it in their daily lives as consumers, mobility and flexibility must be transposed into the workplace.

Let's start with the basics: training employees on digital. There's a tremendous springboard there that companies have failed to invest in! Twenty hours of training allocated annually to drive a long-term cultural shift is wholly inadequate. The development of digital expertise is cited first (at 54%) among the barriers hindering access to digital transformation. Leaders must give everyone the means to master all facets of digital. And above all, with proper support.

It's a dynamic trajectory — of information, openness, and exchange with the market — that must be instilled to nurture creativity in processes. It seems beneficial for every employee to benefit from this knowledge, in careers that are constantly shifting. For their company, they can prove to be among the best vectors — the most attuned to the professional environment.

Not everyone will come along — but the energy of the company must make this movement possible and energize it.

If you had one piece of advice to give businesses, what would it be?

Stay in step with our digital world, to preserve your capacity for growth and sustain prosperity!

*
* *

Want to learn more about the digital transformation of SMEs? Download our white paper: "Digitalisation: French SMEs at a crossroads."

Access the White Paper

In this 98-page document, you will find: the stakes and challenges of digital transformation, its specificities for each business function, and expert opinions on the post-COVID challenges. [BONUS: multiple expert views on the challenges facing SMEs in a post-COVID world]

Download