In today’s corporate landscape, optics often precede outcomes, especially in technology-led transformations. Announcements of new platforms, AI-powered strategies, or “digital-first” pledges frequently come long before the underlying infrastructure to support them. That was Ted’s reality as the chief growth officer at a global bank when his CEO unveiled a high-profile “AI-Powered Growth Strategy” positioned as a bold leap forward.
The announcement made headlines and thrilled investors, but behind the scenes, the organization wasn’t prepared. Ted was given a skeletal team of two direct reports, a patchwork of third-party tools, and the mandate to partner with five global banking divisions serving more than 500 employees. He was expected to turn the AI vision into reality with little structural support.
This tension is common—and survivable. Leaders who maintain credibility don’t scrap such pledges or decry them. Instead, they manage the gap between promise and proof. A well-intentioned CEO may launch an initiative to signal innovation, but when systems or skills lag, ambition can outpace execution.
We—Jenny, as an executive adviser and learning & development expert, and Kathryn, as an executive coach and keynote speaker—have identified five strategies to help executive teams navigate these moments with integrity and strategic foresight, especially when the initiative is more symbolic than substantive in its early stages.
1. Balance bold aspiration with candid honesty
In the early stages of transformation, perception often outpaces progress. Stakeholders want visible proof that change is real. McKinsey found that 70% of digital transformations fail to meet their intended outcomes because senior executives either overpromise or disengage when early wins don’t materialize.
Those charged with execution must balance bold aspiration with candid honesty, communicating both the vision (“Here’s where we’re heading”) and gap (“Here’s what it will take to get there”) to maintain trust and momentum.
Behind the scenes, Ted allocated 20% of the budget to data cleanup and capability-building, unseen but essential work such as strengthening data quality and governance, building the pipelines and quality controls that support mission-critical AI, and elevating the organization’s baseline AI literacy. Within a year, three pilots validated the transformation narrative and quieted early skeptics. Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows that stakeholders extend grace when leaders communicate with clarity and consistency, not performative certainty. Credibility, not charisma, sustains momentum through uncertainty.
Try this: Balance vision with transparency. Use confident yet realistic language, such as “We’re learning in real time” or “This is a multi-year capability build.”
2. Map What’s Performative vs. What’s Possible
Not every element of a high-visibility initiative will yield immediate results. The key is distinguishing symbolic actions that signal intent from those that build lasting capability.
Theresa, chief digital officer at a consumer goods firm, launched a public “digital transformation week” with town halls and press coverage. She brought in her AI agency partners and major retail customers to show alignment and signal momentum, partnership, and focus. The event created attention, but she knew the real work would happen out of sight.
She used a short-horizon/long-horizon approach. The short horizon created urgency and rallied stakeholders, while the longer horizon anchored on execution. She reassigned 30% of her team to integrate legacy systems, clean priority datasets, and run joint sprints with her AI partners. That groundwork created a technical foundation strong enough to support advanced modeling. Within nine months, they delivered a demand-forecasting model that reduced inventory outages by 18%, transforming a performative launch into measurable operational value.
When mapping an initiative, clarify two horizons:
- Short horizon (0–6 months): What signals matter? (e.g., visible executive sponsorship, internal messaging, external storytelling)
- Mid / long horizon (6–24+ months): What structural enablers must be built? (e.g., data platforms, technology partnerships, governance, skills)
Visibility matters, but only when it’s paired with substance.
Try this: Separate the symbolic from the structural. Create a two-horizon map to test balance: “Which actions build momentum?” and “Which build capability?” Then ensure both are visible.
3. Leverage Visibility as Currency
When a high-profile initiative captures attention, use that spotlight to build political capital and secure future resources. Leaders who link early symbolic wins to longer-term learning sustain engagement and trust.
Julie, a chief marketing officer we advised, leveraged her company’s “Digital Reinvention” campaign to secure additional funding for employee upskilling, positioning it as the bridge between aspiration and execution.
Try this: Treat visibility not as validation, but as leverage. Ask, “What can this attention buy us: credibility, talent, or momentum?” That perspective turns optics from vanity to value.
4. Build Small Wins that Prove Real Value
Symbolic gestures lose power without substance. Once the spotlight fades, stakeholders want proof. Anchor your narrative in small, visible wins: projects, pilots, or behaviors that validate early promises.
Start with pilots that address real pain points: automate a reporting process, improve data access for a critical team, or integrate AI into a single workflow. For Ted, that meant delivering credible proof points—an AI-powered lead scoring model that lifted conversion rates by 12%, a unified customer insights dashboard, and a monthly “What We’re Learning” series to build internal momentum.
Small, visible progress converts skepticism into trust and gradually shifts perception from “It’s all optics” to “It’s starting to work.”
Try this: Start small, but make progress visible. Choose one pilot that solves a visible pain point within 90 days. Publicize lessons learned, not just the result, to show that momentum is real, even if imperfect.
5. Reframe the Narrative: From “Optics” to “Opportunity”
The best leaders don’t deny the optics, they reframe them as stepping stones to a larger transformation.
Gary, a nonprofit CEO we coached, introduced his first AI pilot as symbolic but necessary. It wasn’t yet transformative, but it sparked a mindset shift: leaders began talking about data ethics, digital fluency, and decision-making transparency. As he put it, “The project wasn’t about the tool. It was about changing how we think.”
Reframing is essential. Deloitte and BCG both show that real value emerges when strategy, technology, and human systems align. Symbolic gestures only matter if they lead to lasting capability and behavior change.
When leaders treat optics as openings rather than distractions, they turn visibility into belief. Stakeholders who see learning, transparency, and follow-through extend trust, and grant the runway needed for real transformation.
Try this: Name the signal and the shift. Say, “This initiative signals where we’re headed.” Then ask, “What new conversations or capabilities did this open up?”
In complex transformations, optics are not the enemy. They’re a catalyst for belief. What matters is how leaders use those moments to align teams, secure investment, and guide the narrative from promise to proof.
Integrity isn’t about rejecting optics; it’s about ensuring they serve a larger purpose. The most effective leaders turn visibility into accountability and symbolic beginnings into lasting systems.
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