In a recent life-hack episode, Tim Ferriss talked about delegation and outsourcing personal tasks and the mistakes often made. What resonated with me most was when he said:
“A lot of people delegate because they don’t want to do the hard thinking. You have to do the hard thinking.”
This podcast got me thinking about Utilities entering the unknown world of digital. Often their first reaction is to bring in a bunch of consultants to develop the roadmap, write the business case, select the solutions or deliver the program.
Working with consultants can add value, but too often the Utility does not do the hard thinking first. The Utility must remember it is accountable for the outcomes and must know why they are going digital and what results they want.
Whether an executive on the steering committee, a member of the procurement team or the project manager, the Utility professional must invest the time to know the outcomes they want and know what questions they should ask, regardless of the role they play.
The transformation to a Digital Utility is not just another project. Can you afford not to do the hard thinking before you decide to outsource any part of the transformation journey?