“Leadership is not about being in charge. It's about taking care of those in your charge.”

Simon Sinek

Digital transformation is no longer optional — it’s essential. For many business leaders, however, the path to a fully digital organization can feel unclear and overwhelming. Questions about strategy, technology, and people arise at every step, often causing delays or missteps. But the key to success isn’t chasing the latest tech trend; it’s building a solid foundation of planning, cultural adaptation, and actionable tools.

In this article MDCplus team brings together a collection of guides that break down the process, offering practical insights, proven methods, and real-world examples. Whether you’re a CEO shaping the vision or a manager driving the change, these resources will help you confidently navigate digital transformation.

1. Digital Transformation at Scale: Why the Strategy Is Delivery

• Author: Andrew Greenway

The authors draw from their extensive experience, notably with the UK's Government Digital Service, to offer insights into overcoming the challenges of bureaucratic inertia and legacy systems. The book emphasizes that strategy must be tightly coupled with delivery, and digital teams must remain agile, responding to user needs while managing risks within multidisciplinary product teams that can evolve over time to keep up with the complexities of scaling digital services.

2. Measure What Matters

• Author: John Doerr

Through stories from companies like Google, as well as organizations like the Gates Foundation and Bono's ONE campaign, Doerr illustrates how OKRs can help businesses set and achieve ambitious goals. It's particularly useful for leaders and organizations ready to adopt this goal-setting methodology for scalable success.

3. The Phoenix Project: A Novel About IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win

• Authors: Gene Kim, Kevin Behr, and George Spafford

4. Building Digital Culture: A Practical Guide to Successful Digital Transformation

• Authors: Daniel Rowles and Thomas Brown

5. Great Boss - Dead Boss

• Author: Ray Immelman

This book is a powerful resource for those seeking to understand the complex interplay of leadership, culture, and change within an organization. Leaders must understand how to create a culture where everyone feels secure and valued, not only to maintain current performance but to sustain continuous improvement (POOGI). And if you are spearheading the change, support your tribe and sharpen your spears!

 

6. The Technology Fallacy: How People Are the Real Key to Digital Transformation

• Author: Gerald C. Kane

A crucial read for leaders who want to manage digital transformation effectively by understanding how to evolve not just their technology, but the people and processes driving it. Through research conducted with MIT and Deloitte, the authors suggest focusing on developing agile and experimental cultures rather than simply selecting and implementing the latest digital tools. This was also a part of our recent MES study guide, where we show how to understand your needs for implementing the system. 

7.  Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don’t

• Author: Verne Harnish

The book is known for offering practical advice for entrepreneurs and executives, making it valuable to both newcomers and experienced business leaders looking to scale their businesses. With real actionable tools, it centers around four key decision areas - People, Strategy, Execution, and Cash - that businesses need to focus on to achieve successful growth, including updated versions of the One-Page Strategic Plan and the Rockefeller Habits Checklist.

 

8. The Agile Leader: How to Create an Agile Business in the Digital Age

• Author: Simon Hayward

It explores how adopting agile practices can lead to a responsive, innovative, and resilient culture. Drawing on global case studies, the book offers practical insights on decision-making, team collaboration, and prioritization to help leaders drive growth in a rapidly changing business environment. It's particularly valuable for those aiming to lead successfully through digital transformation​

 

9. Digital Transformation Game Plan: 34 Tenets to Achieve Real Business Impact

• Authors: Gary O’Brien, Guo Xiao, and Mike Mason

This book outlines 34 principles focused on aligning business operations, building agile organizations, and leveraging technology as a competitive differentiator, and is especially useful for leaders looking to implement sustainable digital changes that impact the bottom line. 

 

10. The Lean Enterprise: How Corporations Can Innovate Like Startups

• Authors: Trevor Owens and Obie Fernandez

This book shows how traditional enterprises can apply startup principles to stay competitive in the digital age. The book focuses on organizational change, breaking down silos, and encouraging fast iteration. It is beneficial for it’s practical approach, providing actionable strategies to implement lean practices and fostering a culture of continuous innovation

Editor’s choice special:

HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management

• Author: Harvard Business Review

A collection of short articles focusing on leading change, featuring John Kotter's foundational work, alongside other impactful pieces that focus on overcoming resistance, engaging stakeholders, and maintaining momentum during transitions. It is worth reading because of the size-impact ratio, and can empower your business thinking just by 5-10 minutes a day.

 

Afterword

Digital transformation is a journey, not a destination, and the right guidance can make all the difference. Success in digital transformation doesn’t come from adopting technology alone — it requires a clear strategy, a supportive culture, and a focus on measurable outcomes. By leveraging these practical guides, business leaders can make informed decisions, overcome challenges, and unlock the full potential of digital innovation. And if you want to learn more about basics - our Top 10 Essential Books to Understand Core Principles of Digital Transformation is out in our blog.