When embarking on a digital business transformation, too often organizations ignore the need to change the mindset of their staff, according to Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com). A technology shift not backed up by a corresponding cultural shift puts the success of a digital business initiative at risk.

"For any transformation to be successful, people need to buy into your vision," said Aashish Gupta, research analyst at Gartner. "The culture aspect and the technology demand equal attention from the application leader, because culture will form the backbone of all change initiatives for their digital business transformation. Staff trapped in a "fixed" mindset may slow down or, worse, derail the digital business transformation initiatives of the company.”

While every organization has its own unique culture, it must understand the nuance of attracting and retaining talent with values and mindsets aligned to the mission and culture of the organization. "This requires a healthy and psychologically safe team environment within a growth mindset organizational culture," said Gupta.

"Psychologically safe" means making co-workers and team members feel that they will not be punished or humiliated when taking interpersonal risks, such as asking for help, admitting mistakes and vulnerabilities, or expressing concerns. Applying a growth mindset culture has been a success in well-known online companies.

Gupta says an online clothes and shoe retailer instructs all of its new hires to experience its call center. The involvement, which includes training and time spent on answering customer calls, allows employees to gain a holistic view of the business and understand that customer service is the backbone of it.