Yesterday evening, I had the privilege of attending an event organized by the KTR Circle – Transformation Capability, held in the sumptuous setting of the Purple Lounge at the Senate. This historic venue was the ideal backdrop for a collective reflection on the dynamics of change sweeping through our organizations.
From the very first moments, the atmosphere promised depth: sincere testimonials, intellectual rigor, and the manifest pleasure of thinking together about complex issues.
Three Structural Lessons
1. The Weight of History in Transformation
I deepened my understanding of David Teece's work on dynamic capabilities. These capabilities define an organization's aptitude to integrate, develop, and reconfigure its resources to adapt to a shifting environment. It is a powerful concept, but one that only takes on its full meaning when articulated with the notion of path dependency: an organization's history weighs heavily on how it envisions the future.
A striking example was raised: a ministry that has long managed real estate and technical issues will approach digital transformation through this "building-centric" lens. We often wish to move faster by turning the page on the past, but the past inevitably conditions how change can occur.
2. The Target is Moving
Another essential point: transformation does not have a fixed target as its horizon. Technologies evolve, talent expectations shift, and society constantly re-interrogates priorities. In this context, an organization must regularly reaffirm its vision and objectives. Without this, it risks losing its bearing, like a ship diverted by successive currents.
3. Formal Organization is Not Enough
Finally, debates focused on organizational structures. The hierarchical pyramid—which can count up to 26 levels in certain ministries—mechanically curbs risk-taking and reduces adaptability. But a so-called "flat" structure is not necessarily a guarantee of better cooperation: in practice, defensive logics persist, with each actor fearing to appear behind.
This is a crucial lesson: cooperation and trust do not flow from the shape of the organization; they must be cultivated. It is a skill in its own right, one that should be taught from school and continued throughout professional life.
Culture and Collective Dynamics: The True Engine of Change
These lessons echo the work of Edgar Schein on organizational culture: inherited values and routines structure an enterprise's capacity to transform in depth. It is not enough to decree a new strategy; one must also align practices, behaviors, and managerial culture with the ambitions of change.
A Circle of Exploration and Learning
What we experience within the KTR Circle illustrates well what we seek to build in organizations: a place where collective intelligence, listening, and cooperation create a space conducive to innovation and transformation.
A personal note of appreciation: My husband gifted me the new book by Marc Berreta - Management in Diagrams. It is a clear and pedagogical work that links concepts and practices, and I already consider it a reference for anyone wishing to think about and drive change with rigor.