Giant Eagle CIO Kirk Ball’s recipe for digital transformation success

Just like no one would ever say, ‘We need to align finance with the business,’ it doesn’t make sense to talk about technology in those terms. Technology is the business. That being said, you use the term alignment differently when it comes to the digital journey. Can you talk about what you mean by alignment in that context?

I believe we have entered an era where technology is no longer a cost center and a support activity; it’s a key part of the business fabric. The technology organization and what it delivers are essential for the business to achieve and exceed its goals. This is why technology teams should be working alongside the retail operations, finance, marketing, merchandising, supply chain teams, and others to understand what those different areas of the organization are trying to achieve, individually and collectively. Then they should be developing, in partnership with those teams, a comprehensive set of technology projects and activities that are required to meet the objectives of those areas — really working as just another component of the business fabric required to achieve business objectives.

This takes a significant partnership between the technology organization and the other aspects of the enterprise, and it must be constantly strengthened by continual interaction across all aspects of the organization, from senior leadership through the ranks of individual contributors.

Today, we have all the tech we need, but no time to stop and think and build relationships and be strategic. How do you overcome this dynamic, and how do you help your people with this?

I think a mix of digital collaboration capabilities and face-to-face interaction is a powerful combination for building strong relationships and continuing to stay in alignment with all areas of an organization.

I have a rich tapestry of approaches I take to build relationships and stay in alignment with my peers. First, I spend consistent time with team members from all other organizations. I spend time with each area understanding what their objectives are and understanding the strategies they are employing to achieve those objectives.

I and others in the technology team regularly spend time with other organizations in their areas of the business. In our organization that means visiting grocery stores, convenience stores, pharmacies, fuel centers, and distribution centers with the team members that manage those aspects of our business. We are seeking to understand the progress they are making in achieving their objectives and how the technology solutions we deliver are enabling their progress.

I consistently encourage technology team members to spend time in these areas seeking feedback on the technology solutions we create: Are those solutions working? Can they be improved? What additional, future enhancements can be made to increase effectiveness? In addition, I have meetings with the managers and individual contributors to seek feedback on what they need in order to deliver technology solutions to enable all areas of the enterprise.

It is imperative that the other business areas have confidence that the technology team understands their objectives, challenges, and needs. And it is imperative that the technology team consistently delivers technology solutions on time, with high quality, and within budget to meet their needs. It is imperative that the technology team has the tools they need to deliver.

I also think it is important to be intentional about taking a small amount of time on a regular basis to collaborate with others to strategize about today and the future. We cannot afford to get trapped into focusing all of our energy and time on tactical activities. Paying attention to both tactical and strategic activities creates the needed balance to ensure the technology team is effective today, tomorrow, and in the future.

One of mantras you operate by is ‘don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress.’ Why is that an important guiding principle of your leadership?

That phrase has helped me make sure that I find the balance between having the courage to make choices and move at a pace that matters to the business and ensuring that quality is delivered in the solutions that are built. There are always a number of factors affecting the projects or strategies that are being delivered. This is about finding an optimal balance across all of the factors that are influencing what you are working to deliver, whether that is a project, a strategy, or a tactical activity.

In other words, don’t be afraid to make a decision, don’t be afraid of making mistakes, and move at a pace that matters. Very rarely will what you work on be perfect, but almost all the time what you deliver will be very good, will be delivered at a pace that matters to the business, and will have high quality. 

What advice would you give to those that are just starting in the technology field?

• Be the kind of teammate that helps others succeed. 
• Take care of the team and they will take care of you.
• Be constantly curious. Be a lifelong learner about leadership, technology, organizations, and whatever else interests you.
• Life is more than your job. Find balance in all aspects of your life, and the professional portion of your life will benefit.
• Enjoy the journey as much as the destination in your career.
• Develop relationships across all areas of the enterprise in which you ply your trade. Those relationships will be key in helping to get initiatives completed.
• Develop relationships with vendors, mentors, and leaders in other organizations. You will learn from all of them.
• Learn from the successes and learn from the times when the objectives aren’t met. Both will provide lessons that will be useful in the future.
• Seek feedback. Others see things you sometimes cannot.
• When you teach you learn. Be a teacher and you will learn a lot.
• Happiness is an ‘inside job.’ Life is too short to be unhappy. Find your joy.

I could go on, but these are some of the key pieces of advice I would offer to others.

For more words of wisdom and leadership insights from Kirk Ball, tune into the Tech Whisperers podcast.