A Change in Conversation

A Change in Conversation

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A Change in Conversation episodes

  • 19_Protecting the business case: What 30 years as CIO teach about IT transformation | Christian Graf (ex-CIO Schüco)
    Why IT transformations still miss their business case, why the board has to own them, and which early warning signs every tech leader must act on.

    Problem

    Most large programs have governance, stage gates and training plans. Under delivery pressure, the evidence gets bent: good news gains weight, bad news gets explained away, and a program can pass its gates while people are far from ready. After go-live, the business case erodes in decisions nobody wants to take.

    Why it matters now

    AI has put data, processes and IT's contribution to value in front of the board. That raises the bar for CIOs: the question after a transformation is what changed in the business, well beyond whether the system runs

    What you’ll learn

    • Why big IT transformations such as SAP programs need the CEO as sponsor from day one
    • How delivery pressure distorts evidence at stage gates
    • Why training attendance can hide missing readiness
    • Why customers and suppliers are often the forgotten audience
    • Why business cases erode after go-live, and why IT often takes the blame
    • What to settle before a program starts: processes, data, infrastructure and the future operating model
    • Executive takeaway

      Define success before kickoff, question the evidence at every gate, and keep measuring long after go-live.

      CTA

      The full conversation with Christian Graf, former CIO of Schüco:

      https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4

      * More about Christian *

      ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-a-graf/
      ➡️ https://www.nexustechturn.de/

      * More about COSYN*

      ➡️ Website Change Playbook
      ➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
      ➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up

      38 min
    • 19_Warum scheitern immer noch so viele IT transformationen? | Christian Graf (ex-CIO Schüco)
      Why IT transformations still miss their business case, why the board has to own them, and which early warning signs every tech leader must act on.

      Problem

      Most large programs have governance, stage gates and training plans. Under delivery pressure, the evidence gets bent: good news gains weight, bad news gets explained away, and a program can pass its gates while people are far from ready. After go-live, the business case erodes in decisions nobody wants to take.

      Why it matters now

      AI has put data, processes and IT's contribution to value in front of the board. That raises the bar for CIOs: the question after a transformation is what changed in the business, well beyond whether the system runs

      What you’ll learn

      • Why big IT transformations such as SAP programs need the CEO as sponsor from day one
      • How delivery pressure distorts evidence at stage gates
      • Why training attendance can hide missing readiness
      • Why customers and suppliers are often the forgotten audience
      • Why business cases erode after go-live, and why IT often takes the blame
      • What to settle before a program starts: processes, data, infrastructure and the future operating model
      • Executive takeaway

        Define success before kickoff, question the evidence at every gate, and keep measuring long after go-live.

        CTA

        The full conversation with Christian Graf, former CIO of Schüco:

        https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4

        * More about Christian *

        ➡️ https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-a-graf/
        ➡️ https://www.nexustechturn.de/

        * More about COSYN*

        ➡️ Website Change Playbook
        ➡️ Arne on LinkedIn
        ➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up

        38 min
      • 18_How to build AI adoption without hype | Philipp Günther (Bosch Climate Solutions)
        Philipp Günther, Director AI Enablement & Adoption at Bosch Climate Solutions, on how to turn AI curiosity into real usage, leadership role modelling, and measurable business value.

        * Problem*

        Many organisations approach AI adoption as a tool and training challenge: provide access, explain the basics, and expect usage to follow. Philipp Günther argues that this misses the real issue. People are already flooded with tools, information, and training. What they often lack is trust, confidence, time, and permission to try.

        * Why it matters now *

        AI will affect work across the whole organisation, including leadership. If people do not lean in early, companies risk slow adoption, wasted licenses, and missed value.

        * What you’ll learn*

        Why access alone does not create adoption

        • How Bosch builds trusted ambassador networks
        • Why leaders must show their own learning
        • How low-barrier formats reduce hesitation
        • Why broad adoption beats isolated expert pockets
        • How to assess ROI without over measuring
        • * Executive takeaway*

          AI adoption does not mainly fail because people lack information, tools, or training. It fails when organisations do not create the trust, encouragement, and practical entry points people need to experiment, learn, and apply AI in real work.

          * CTA*

          Listen now to learn how Bosch builds AI adoption beyond hype — and how CIOs, CDOs, and AI leaders can turn curiosity into measurable business value.

          44 min
        • 17_Beyond Consultants and DIY AI: A Third Way to Drive Tech Adoption
          Empower your internal project teams to build culturally aligned tech-adoption strategies that protects your ROI – without risking consulting dependency or AI-slop.

          Problem

          CIOs leading multi-million-euro transformations are currently trapped between two flawed extremes for driving user adoption: slow, expensive consultants who create long-term dependency, or generic AI tools that lack the cultural context to actually land the change. Both options fail to bridge the 'adoption gap,' leaving organizations with technically perfect systems that employees simply ignore. This failure quietly erodes ROI and creates unpredictable noise long after go-live.

          Why it matters now

          With employee willingness to support change collapsing to just 38%, you can no longer afford to outsource your most critical asset: stakeholder trust. Protecting your technology investment requires a decentralized approach that builds internal muscle rather than perpetual vendor reliance.

          **What you’ll learn **

          -In this episode, we break down the "third way" to drive adoption using the Change Playbook – a codified protocol that enables your team to:

          -Build and lead an adoption strategy entirely in-house
          -Eliminate long-term dependency on external change consultants
          -Secure global stakeholder buy-in using local multipliers
          -Replace guesswork with data to measure behavioral readiness early
          -Combine AI efficiency with battle-proven human frameworks

          Executive takeaway

          True ROI on technology depends on moving beyond sourcing change support to building a permanent internal muscle for tech adoption through the Change Playbook.

          **Listen now to learn how to lead your next high-adoption rollout without the risks of consulting dependency or AI-slop. **

          31 min
        • 16_4 things CIOs must get right to build influence
          AI puts IT at the centre of business change – now CIOs must turn that moment into influence.

          Problem

          CIOs have long wanted IT to be seen as more than an operational provider. But influence is not earned through technical delivery alone. It depends on whether business stakeholders understand the direction, trust the guidance, adopt the technology, and see the value.

          Why it matters now

          AI and data have moved IT into the centre of business change. This creates a rare opportunity for CIOs to strengthen IT’s strategic role — or miss the moment.

          **What you’ll learn **

          -Why technical delivery is no longer enough
          -How CIOs can create strategic clarity
          -Where stakeholder trust breaks down
          -Why adoption shapes IT’s reputation
          -How to tell a stronger value story
          -What IT must do differently now

          Executive takeaway

          CIO influence grows when IT becomes a trusted guide for business value, not just a provider of systems.

          **Listen now to learn how CIOs can turn the AI moment into greater visibility, stronger tech adoption, and more influence where decisions are made. **

          31 min
        • 15_Building trust with credibility:How to move IT from firefighting to trusted business partner/Linda Söderberg (Sysmex)
          A practical CIO perspective on reducing operational noise, rebuilding IT confidence, and creating the conditions for tech adoption.

          Problem

          Many IT organisations are still trapped between operational firefighting and rising business expectations. When noise, unclear priorities, and constant demand dominate the agenda, IT struggles to create room for innovation, strategic partnership, and long-term credibility.

          Why it matters now

          CIOs are under pressure to keep the business running while preparing for AI, automation, and new digital demands. Without focus and trust, even strong IT teams risk being seen as reactive rather than value-adding.

          What you’ll learn

          -How to reduce operational noise

          -Why credibility starts with reliable basics
          -How to balance steady state and innovation
          -Why customer centricity matters in IT
          -How communication strengthens the IT brand
          -Why trusted partnership is a long game

          IT becomes a trusted business partner when it creates focus, communicates clearly, and consistently proves its value through credible delivery.

          **Listen now to learn how Linda Söderberg moved IT from firefighting mode toward stronger trust, clearer priorities, and a more strategic role in the business. **

          42 min
        • #14_Stakeholder buy-in at scale:How to mobilize 80 countries behind one SAP transformation |Jorge Lopez (Syngenta Group)
          A reverse, customer-led approach that turns early stakeholder engagement into stronger ownership, faster adoption and less resistance.

          Problem

          Most SAP programs still treat rollout as a deployment problem. The result is familiar: late stakeholder pushback, weak local ownership, uneven adoption and endless Hypercare phases. In this episode, Jorge Lopez explains why large-scale transformation only works when program leaders build business commitment, strong team alignment and clear governance long before go-live.

          Why it matters now

          Global programs are under pressure to standardise faster while proving value earlier. If adoption lags, the business case weakens quickly.

          What you’ll learn

          -How to build buy-in across 80 countries

          -Why early regional involvement changes adoption

          -How to balance standards with local realities

          -What strong program teams do differently

          -Why data readiness shapes rollout credibility

          -How partners can strengthen execution

          Executive takeaway

          Technical delivery is not enough; adoption improves when leaders align stakeholders, team, governance and business value from the start.

          Listen now to learn how to reduce resistance, strengthen ownership and improve adoption in a complex global SAP transformation.

          29 min
        • #13- When to start your stakeholder engagement
          Early engagement protects adoption, program credibility, and ROI.

          Most ERP programs start stakeholder engagement too late. By the time questions, frustration, and local pushback become visible, the program has already lost time, goodwill, and part of its adoption potential. What looks like a communication issue is often a business risk: weaker adoption, slower stabilization, and an ROI story that starts to crack.

          Why it matters now

          This matters now because large tech programs are under more scrutiny than ever. CIOs and program leads are expected not just to go live, but to prove usage, value, and control across the full journey. 

          What you’ll learn

          -What leaders can influence early

          -When stakeholder engagement really needs to start

          -Why technical readiness does not equal adoption

          -How hidden concerns form in each phase

          -Where passive resistance starts building

          -How to protect credibility beyond go-live

          Early stakeholder engagement is not support work around the program; it is part of how you protect adoption, reputation, and ROI from the start.

          Listen now to learn how to engage earlier, reduce resistance triggers, and lead your ERP change with more control.

          https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4

          21 min
        • #12- The 4 forces behind tech adoption
          Why users resist, where adoption breaks down, and what leaders can do early to protect ROI.

          Most tech programs do not lose value at go-live. They lose value in the weeks and months after, when usage drops, workarounds appear, and local teams quietly disengage. The issue is rarely the system alone. Adoption is shaped by four forces that either reinforce behaviour change or weaken it before the rollout has a real chance.

          Why it matters now

          This matters now because CIOs and program leads are under pressure to show ROI faster, reduce disruption, and move programs into business as usual without extended support costs or reputation damage.

          What you’ll learn

          • Why go-live does not guarantee adoption
          • -The four forces shaping user adoption

            -Where hidden concerns start to build

            -Why workarounds spread after launch

            -How stakeholder response affects ROI

            -What leaders can influence early

            Adoption is not a communication afterthought but a leadership variable that can be managed early to protect value.

            Listen now to build your program’s immune system.

            https://open.spotify.com/show/1iJW0dI3XFcG4kehBMf8J4

            17 min
          • #11 - Why recognition is the fuel that will power your team through the ERP marathon
            Discover why recognition is your program’s "immune system" and how to operationalize it to sustain performance.

            ERP programs are marathons where recognition often disappears between stage gates, creating a dangerous "Rush & Drop" cycle. This oversight isn't just about morale; it's a delivery risk that erodes the resilience your team needs for critical phases like UAT and cutover.

            Why it matters now

            Recognition acts as your program's "immune system," protecting delivery capacity and preventing expensive talent churn in high-pressure, multi-year projects.

            What you’ll learn

            • Avoiding the "Rush & Drop" engagement trap.

            • Why generic project swag rarely builds commitment.

            • Embedding recognition into your standard operating rhythm.

            • Empowering Stream Leads and Local Leads as multipliers.

            • Scaling "micro-celebrations" across global locations.

            • Recognition is not "soft HR work" – it's a strategic performance lever that sustains momentum across multi-year timelines.

              Listen now to build your program’s immune system.

              ➡️ Website Change Playbook

              ➡️ Arne on LinkedIn

              ➡️ Book free 15-min catch-up

              15 min

            About A Change in Conversation

            From the publisher's feed

            Leading a complex tech transformation across multiple countries? Struggling to keep stakeholder engagement on-brand, on-message, and on-time—while making your program stand out in a noisy workplace?