12 years of digital transformation - what NO ONE tells you (and what I wish I’d known sooner)

Gabriel Amine Ghalleb
Jul 8
2 min read

Twelve years in the digital transformation trenches, and I’ve seen it all. I learned some hard truths that nobody warned me about when I started out. So here are seven untold lessons I wish I’d known from day one - served up with a wink, a nudge, and hard-earned insight. Buckle up, this will challenge a few preconceived ideas!

1. Quick wins are worth more than grand visions

I pulled all-nighters crafting perfect masterplans… only to have the higher-ups ask for results in three months. The lesson? Start small, show value fast, and be ready to pivot. Quick wins build trust; the rest is just PowerPoint.

2. 80% of the problems are people (not technology)

Think tech is the real challenge? Wrong. The blockers are usually fear of change, ego, or the classic “we’ve always done it this way.” The key: listen, reassure, bring everyone on board. Sometimes a good coffee chat is worth more than the best framework.

3. Budgets always blow up (and that’s normal)

The first budget estimate? Forget it. Between inflation, new requirements, and technical surprises, everything will change. Your mantra: anticipate, document, communicate. Forewarned is forearmed - and that goes double for your sponsors.

4. Success is 10% ideas and 90% execution

It’s not the best ideas that get rewarded; it’s the people who make them happen. So get to work: test, fail, retry, repeat. In the end, the doers always win.

5. Transformation is also about Green IT (more than you think)

By 2025, ignoring your carbon footprint is basically shooting yourself in the foot. Bake digital sustainability into your plans from day one. It’s good for the planet, for your image, and… for the budget too.

6. You’re never ready for the next crisis

COVID, cyberattacks, mergers, AI… one thing is constant: the unexpected. Stay agile, train your teams, document everything.

7. The real heroes are invisible

Architects, project managers, ops… the people working behind the scenes are the ones who make all the difference. Celebrate them publicly. Even a simple LinkedIn shout-out can boost a whole team!