Presentation used for the webinar organized by the Singapore Training And Development Association (STADA). Watch the webinar here : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE40GJZ0ONM. Executive summary of the research & more here http://www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/

1. How Middle Management Copes
with Digital Transforma7on
STADA Webinar
16th September 2016
Cécile Demailly

2. How Middle Management Copes
with Digital Transforma7on
We researched mul=na=onal
corpora=ons (>2000 employees) to
analyzes middle manager’s views of
their companies strategic fit when
it comes to digital transforma=on,
their involvement in the change
and their evolving role.
More: www.earlystrategies.com/
midmgtanddigitaltransf/
46 pages report, free execu=ve
summary
Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

3. Par7cipant’s corpora7ons
Air Liquide, Alcatel Lucent, Alix Partners, Alstom, Areva, Artelia, AT&T,
Atos, Avanade, AXA, Bearing Point, BNP Paribas, Bri=sh Columbia Public
Service, BT, C&A, Capgemini, China Ting Holdings, Cisco, Daimler, Danone,
DBApparel, Deutsche Bank, DSM, EMC, Engility Corpora=on, Ernst &
Young, Faurecia, Fiat Chrysler Rimaco, GE Healthcare, Gemalto, General
Motors, GP Strategies, Huawei, IBM, KPMG, La Mutuelle Générale, Lafarge
Holcim, Lloyds Banking Group, McDonald's, Merck, Microso`, Mölnlycke,
Orange, Orange Business Services, Philips, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Publicis,
PWC, Renault, Right Management, Rockwell Collins, Safran, Saint Gobain,
Salesforce, Sanef, SAP, Schneider Electric, Shire, Siemens, Sodexo, SSE, Sun
Chemical, Tata Communica=ons, Tata Consultancy Services, Technicolor,
ThyssenKrupp, Total, Transdev, Ubiso`, United Guaranty, United
Technologies, ZenithOp=media.
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

4. Demographics
16%
13%
11%
10%
10%
10%
9%
7%
5%
4%
4%
CIO / IT
Sales
Marketing
Alliances / Business dev.
HR / EHS
Operations / Production
Finance / Accounting
Engineering / Research
Innovation
Communication
Customer support
CSR
Purchase
Job areas
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016N=94
below 30
30 - 40
40 - 50 50 - 60 above 60
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Respondents age range
N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016
10%
10%
23%
20%
37%
Respondents' organization size
2000 - 5000
5000 - 10.000
10.000 - 50.000
50.000 - 100.000
> 100.000
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016
Employees
N=94
35%
12%
10%
6%
5%
5%
5%
4%
4%
3%
IT / Telecomunica.ons
Bank / Finance / Insurance
Consul.ng / Educa.on
Energy / Water Mngmnt
Healthcare / Care Services
Manufacturing NGO
Transporta.on / Tourism
Aerospace / Defense
Retail
Adver.sing / Marke.ng
Chemicals
Oil / Gas / Steel / Mining
Pharmaceu.cal
Food (other than Retail)
Government
Publishing / Medias
Sectors
N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar
55%
9%
7%
6%
5%
5%
3%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
France
Germany
United States
United Kingdom
Canada
Switzerland
Belgium
China
Argentina
Brazil
Hong Kong
India
Italy
Netherlands
Respondent's countries
N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016

5. Digital tools middle managers use
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

6. Digital transi7on deeply changes
middle managers’ role
1. ShiL from tradi7onal management to
leadership
2. Downsides: power, status and legi7macy
are not ‘a given’ any more
3. New organiza7onal focus: managing
more complexity and uncertainty
4. New skills for the future:
rela7onal, more than technical
or organiza7onal
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

7. 1 - ShiL from tradi7onal management to leadership
Before: direct and control
• tradi=onal management role
consisted of direc=ng and
controlling people, and
‘spreading the word’
Now: guide and influence
• “facilita'ng the organiza'on”
• Be a sponsor, be exemplary,
convince and mo=vate employees
and the different stakeholders,
influence them in the posi=ve
sense, help to find solu=ons
è The transi=on may seem abrupt
“Middle managers need to reinforce
what makes them outstanding:
exper'se in managing teams,
capability to drive and act as engine
belts of/in the organiza'on”
“Managing has deeply changed
because of informa'on/knowledge
sharing. In the past, knowing was the
main management value. As we now
share everything, leadership has
become the main management
value.”
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

8. 2 - Power, status and legi7macy
are not ‘a given’ any more
Power
“access to informa'on is not a
differen'ator any more”
“Their power is challenged as informa'on
is more easily accessible, and because
collabora've work bypasses hierarchical
structures.”
Status
“no Personal Assistant anymore”,
Some tasks are not delegated any more
Con=nuously working, not possible to
“hide” any more, “No 'me to lounge
around, one needs to be reac've”
“they must guide skills development in
their teams, without having all the
competencies themselves; they
some'mes manage more skilled people”
“Millennials may look at middle
managers as dinosaurs if we happen to
not adopt tools that they consider as
na've.”
Legi7macy
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

9. 3 - New organiza7onal focus: managing more
complexity and uncertainty
Digital transforma=on creates new processes
and jobs, some=me faster than what can be
absorbed. It also requires middle managers
to be ready to answer any kind of ques=on.
“a need to determine beneficial scenarios for
my team to become more efficient and
fulfilled”
“middle managers have to get more skilled
on a lot of new topics via new digital tools:
finance, legal, HR, marke'ng. It brings more
empowerment but also more stress as it is
difficult to always be skilled and
well trained on so many topics.”
More visible
and exposted
than before
63%
Less visible
and exposed
than before
16%
Don't know
21%
Middle managers visibility &
exposure
N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016
yes
55%
no
32%
don't know
13%
As a middle manager, is it easier now
to influence, share your ideas, than
before?
N=94
Middle managers versus digital transformation
Research © Early Strategies – April 2016
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

10. 4 – New skills for the future: rela7onal, technical or
organiza7onal?
www.earlystrategies.com/midmgtanddigitaltransf/Cécile Demailly – 15 Sept. 2016 – STADA Webinar

13. Thank you
Cécile Demailly, Early Strategies
cecile@earlystrategies.com
Twimer: ceciledemailly