Business Originals

Practical Insights for Organizational Success in the Digital Era

Why does every digital project need a “project saboteur” to succeed?

Key takeaways of this session:
  • ✔
    Learn to identify misaligned interests early and address resistance before it impacts project outcomes.
  • ✔
    Gain a clear framework to shift digital initiatives from IT-driven programs to information-driven business change.
  • ✔
    Understand how leadership, collaboration, and simulation help manage growing organizational and digital complexity.
duration 32 minutes
who is this webinar for CIOs, IT Directors, Digital Transformation Leaders, Information Managers, Enterprise Architects, Strategy Managers, Change Managers, Program and Portfolio Managers.
Summary
Many digital initiatives stall because organizations focus on technology while ignoring human interests and information ownership. In this session, Dion and Jeroen explain why soft controls, leadership vision, and information-centric thinking determine digital success. Learn how recognizing resistance, aligning interests, and shifting from technical to informational thinking helps leaders steer digital transformation more effectively.
Speakers
 
Jeroen Simons
Grey Matter Matters
 
Hans Mulder
Antwerp Management School
 
Dion Kotteman
Grey Matter Matters
 
video Chapters
02:10  What a 'project saboteur'really signals
10:45  Why information matters more than technology
18:30  The three stages of digital transformation
25:40  Leadership, complexity, and simulation with AI
In partnership with GMM_logopakket__GMM-logo-normaal

 

From Technical Execution to Informational Leadership

An overview of how digital success depends on mindset, soft controls, and treating information as a core business asset rather than a technical by‑product.


solutions
Technology-First Thinking Blocks Change

Projects often fail because organizations rely on technical controls, static documentation, and formal governance while ignoring human interests. Resistance is labeled as obstruction instead of insight. This leads to delayed decisions, hidden opposition, and initiatives that look correct on paper but stall in daily operations due to misaligned incentives and unclear ownership of information.

problem-solving
Complexity is Increasing Faster than Leadership

Organizations face growing societal, organizational, and digital complexity. Leaders can no longer oversee every detail, yet digital initiatives demand direction and coherence. Without a clear informational vision, incremental digitalization creates fragmentation instead of progress. Waiting reinforces silos and prevents organizations from responding effectively to ongoing change.


exclamation-mark
From Systems to Information Flow

The shift is from managing technology components to managing information as the core of the business. This means integrating strategy, vision, and collaboration into daily operations. Digital transformation succeeds when organizations stop compartmentalizing change and allow information to directly guide processes, decisions, and supporting technology.

not-equal
Simulation Clarifies Decisions Earlier

By combining collaboration with simulation, organizations can explore scenarios before committing to change. The speakers explain how simulation - supported by emerging AI capabilities - helps leaders understand consequences earlier, instead of discovering issues months later during execution. This reduces uncertainty and improves strategic decision-making in complex environments.

“Recognizing a project saboteur is often an early warning
that change is coming”

FAQ's

What is a 'Project Saboteur'?

A project saboteur is someone whose interests do not align with a project’s direction. This is not necessarily negative behavior. It often highlights underlying concerns or conflicting priorities. Treating this resistance as input rather than disruption allows organizations to address issues early and improve project outcomes.

Why is information more important than technology in digital transformation?

Focusing purely on technology leads to poor alignment with business objectives. Information reflects how an organization operates and makes decisions. Structuring IT around information - rather than treating it as a technical layer - enables better control, clearer ownership, and more effective transformation outcomes.

What are the three stages of digital transformation?

The three stages are digitalization, digital transformation, and mental transformation. 
Organizations typically start with digitalization and move toward digital transformation, where processes are harmonized and digitalized. The final stage is mental transformation, where change is approached from a business perspective instead of a technical one.

How does leadership impact managing complexity?

Leadership provides direction when systems, processes, and organizations become too complex to oversee fully. A clear vision, combined with collaboration and structured approaches such as simulation, helps leaders make informed decisions and guide organizations through uncertainty and continuous change.