The Octopus Organization

Digital transformation doesn't work, because it's rooted in 20th century management structures that no longer make sense. A better operating model for companies is one that allows for continuous, small-scale, autonomous transformations controlled locally throughout and organization, a living operating model that breaks with the past an creates a new way of managing an organization. This book shows you how to do it.- Grounded in practical advice. This book does not describe a perfect end state, but instead inspires action that is meaningful and manageable. Thought starters, and questions help drive to action.- Timeless. Not focused on any particular transformation (say, AI) but rather on the idea of it and how to manage whatever technology emerges that demands some kind of transformation.- Realistic. Does not make process seem like magic, shares what to expect when going through this process.- Succinct and snackable. Formatted around "anti-patterns" which are behaviors to identify and correct to become as very short vignettes allows reader to dip in and out of chapters based on current needs or to read end-to-end. It is intended to be concise while not skimping on context.- Serious subjects made engaging, positive, and accessible. Story-telling and real-world context setting help make the "how" easier to accept and execute.- Weasel word free. Throwaway phrases such as agile, digital transformation, and data-enabled are not used without being precise on what we mean by them. Audience: Leaders, team leaders, change managers, managers, CTOs, COOs, operations managers, consultants, digital transformation experts.

Phil Le-Brun is an enterprise strategist at Amazon Web Services and a former corporate VP and international CIO at McDonald's Corporation. At McDonald's he co-led the consolidation and modernization of technology across thirty-eight thousand restaurants globally. In his current role, Phil engages with Fortune 500 executives and their teams and with public-sector customers to mentor, advise, and guide them on their journeys to become more adaptable organizations. He is a sought-after speaker and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian. Jana Werner is an enterprise strategist at Amazon Web Services, where she guides the executive teams of Fortune 500 companies in building adaptive customer-centric organizations. Her insights are forged from a career at the intersection of business strategy and technology: leading major digital transformations in financial services, guiding and scaling tech startups to growth and acquisition, and advising on complex global change at DHL. Her academic background in uncertainty dynamics grounds her practical advice for leaders navigating complex environments and building resilient organizations.