Three years. That’s how long a major American manufacturer — whose products you’ve likely touched today — has been evaluating digital transformation solutions. They’ve formed a committee, vetted vendors, and reached unanimous agreement that change is urgent. And yet, operations are still run on clipboards and spreadsheets from the 90s. 

This isn’t an outlier. It’s happening across manufacturing — and across industrial sectors globally. Well-intentioned decision-makers are stalling progress in search of the perfect solution. The risk of choosing “wrong” feels too high. So they choose nothing at all.

Here’s my recent piece in Smart Industry exploring this topic: https://www.smartindustry.com/benefits-of-transformation/digital-transformation/article/55294673/epidemic-of-corporate-caution-gridlocks-digital-transformation

I’m not arguing against thoughtful planning. Far from it. I’m pushing leaders to prioritize movement. To start small. Pilot. Learn. Improve. That’s how real transformation happens.

I’d love to hear from you:

If your team has ever been trapped in “decision paralysis,” what finally pushed things forward? Or — what’s what small step you took (even before you felt fully ready) that turned out to be the right move?