Cloud Challenges Nobody Tells Execs

As a leader, you’re tasked with big moves and big changes. Aligning whole groups. Delivering on promises. Shareholder value.

Having success when guiding your organization through a technological shift is a big challenge, though. At Cloud Academy, we’re here to help spell out exactly how you can navigate a cloud transformation successfully.

There are going to be tech challenges. There’s gonna be financial blockers. There’s gonna be issues with buy-in. 

What follows is a clear list of three main factors to consider if you want to have a successful cloud transformation. With this info, you can clearly understand the challenges ahead of you and plan to overcome them.

So let’s go!

Challenge #1: The People Factor

Change is a threat

Cloud transformation requires a change in behavior, which can be a challenge for many people in your org. But it’s not enough to just say that, because the question is, “Why?” It’s often just basic psychology: people don’t like change and see the change as a threat – to their status, to their job, or just to their routine.

To tackle this challenge, it’s essential to provide personal motivation to individuals for why they should make the effort to do things differently. One way to do this is by highlighting the benefits of cloud transformation for their role, such as increased efficiency or improved collaboration.

Another helpful strategy is to provide training and resources to help employees learn new skills and adapt to new processes. It’s important to create a supportive culture that encourages employees to take risks and learn from their mistakes. This can be achieved by recognizing and rewarding individuals who are willing to try new things and embracing a culture of continuous learning.

Challenge #2: The Process Factor

Finance, operations, and other business units will need to work differently

Using cloud services often requires a different way of working, which can create friction points within existing processes. To ensure cloud transformation is successful, it’s crucial to identify and remove these friction points before they occur. This can be done by involving all relevant teams in the planning process, including finance, IT, and business stakeholders.

It’s also important to establish clear guidelines and procedures for working with cloud services. This can include developing a cloud governance framework that outlines roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes. This framework can help ensure that everyone is aligned on the goals and objectives of cloud transformation and is working together to achieve them.

Challenge #3: The Resource Factor

Moving toward Cloud Readiness

Cloud transformation requires significant time and effort, which can be a drain on resources. To avoid resource constraints, it’s important to develop a clear plan for how resources will be allocated throughout the transformation process. This plan should include identifying the necessary skill sets and expertise required for each phase of the transformation and allocating resources accordingly.

To ensure success, it’s also important to secure executive buy-in and support for the transformation. This can be done by clearly communicating the business benefits of cloud transformation and providing regular updates on progress and outcomes. By keeping stakeholders informed and engaged, you can build momentum and ensure the necessary resources are in place to achieve your cloud transformation goals.

Conclusion

We’re laying out the process simply here, and we’re going to give you help in spreading your message to your organization. Stay tuned for more resources to help guide you in your cloud transformation, plus deeper breakdowns with actionable insights.