The Human Side of Digital Transformation: Redefining Expectations
When my son was an infant, we discovered he needed a feeding tube because 90% of his food was going into his lungs due to a laryngeal cleft. The morning after the surgery, a resident and six interns crowded into his room, eager to discuss his chart and next steps. Overwhelmed by the weight of the situation, I found myself in tears.
Sobbing, I told them that in three months, we had been in the hospital more than we'd been home, and I didn't know how to do this. The resident sat next to me and, with a gentle voice, offered heartfelt reassurance and empathy.
In that moment of vulnerability, she shared wisdom that I'll never forget:
"You have a chronically ill child and have to adjust your expectations. Celebrate the small wins. Every day you aren't in the hospital is a win. Someday, you'll go months without being here."
Her words became a lifeline, guiding us through the turbulent waters of hospital stays, surgeries, and feeding therapy. Though I didn't catch her name and our paths never crossed again, her kindness left an indelible mark on my heart.
Fast forward through years of medical challenges and countless hospital visits, and I'm filled with gratitude to say that my son is thriving. Along the way, I learned something unexpected: how to adapt, pivot, and embrace the unknown. Those lessons didn’t just shape me as a mother; they shaped the way I think about life, work, and technology.
Because here’s the thing: transformation, whether personal or professional, is rarely about the modern tools we adopt. It’s about the people, the mindsets, and the ability to adjust expectations and celebrate the wins, even the small ones.
So, last week, when I found myself making a rookie mistake of taking my son to the ER unprepared, without a tablet, phone charger, stuffed animal, blanket, pajamas, or every comfort item I normally pack like a mother prepping for the apocalypse, I was celebrating the win.
Because the feeding tube is gone, and for the first time ever, we made it one year, one month, and nine days without a hospital visit. The longest stretch ever in his nine years of life.
And after hour three, when it became clear that it was going to be a late night, I texted my boss: "I’ll be working from home tomorrow. Here’s the situation."
His response? "All good, take care. Let me know if you want the day off."
This moment, simple as it was, reinforced why I’m so passionate about digital transformation.
Because if this had been the ’90s, I would have had to:
Wake up early.
Call my boss on a landline (remember those?).
Take a whole vacation day just to sit at home and watch my kid sleep.
Mourn the fact that I had to use paid time off on this instead of something fun.
But this is not the ’90s. I didn’t have to call my boss on a landline at the crack of dawn. I didn’t have to use my vacation.
Instead, I just sent a text, got approval in seconds, and then worked from my bed, in my pajamas, like a civilized human being.
And that, my friends, is the magic of digital transformation. It’s not about cell phones, software, automation, or efficiency metrics. It’s about how technology enables us to show up for our lives in ways we couldn’t before. It’s about the flexibility to balance the personal and the professional. It’s about making space for what truly matters.
We don’t just change the way we work; we change the way we live. Reflecting on this journey, I'm profoundly grateful for the strangers who lifted me up with kindness and offered perspective in my darkest hours.
