The ability to draw talent by telling a great story about how you plan to change the world is a starting point. The secret is your story, your conviction and your personal reputation. I’ve found that if all are strong, it is very possible to attract the right talent to fill the most difficult roles. Thomas Davenport and Thomas Redman, experts in the field of digital transformation, recommend that we pay particular attention to four key areas: organisational change, process, data and technology.

To them, technology is the engine of digital transformation, data is the fuel, process is the guidance system, and organisational change capability is the landing gear. You need them all, and they must function well together. The lack of talent in these areas is one of the contributing factors in failed digital transformations. Even if you find the right talent, there is a constant need to grow and develop them to keep pace with changes. This figure shows one approach to get better at inspiring and attracting the talent you need. We start at the centre, your mission. The key is to make it a noble calling that will serve the greater good. The next step is your ambition, depicted in the outer circle. It answers the question, “If we serve our purpose extremely well, who should we aspire to be?"

If you articulate your mission and vision well enough, you should get the attention of the candidate who answers to this calling to do something different and meaningful. If not, then maybe he or she isn’t the right person. You then need to follow up with how you plan to get from your purpose to your ambition. To do this, articulate the values and behaviours you will foster to create an environment that will be very conducive to achieving that aim, your strategy and key tactics, and how you will measure your success along the way.