Last week I was one of the keynote speakers at the Executive Forum 2026 that the successful German Microsoft Dynamics 365 partner GOB Software & Systeme GmbH organised in her Krefeld offices.

The overall theme of this event was Shaping the digital future: Guided with confidence, moving boldly forward. The company created a strong agenda that attracted many customers.

The main message in my session was that technology is the least important part of a Digital Transformation project. And that buying the licenses is one of the easiest tasks. 🙂

In the end, achieving Project Success comes down to the courage, the will and the ability to step out of your comfort zones and really change. Your organization, your business processes and your collective mindset. 🚀

So, less focus on the 'digital' in digital transformation. And instead, much more emphasis on the transformation part.

This is of particular importance within the German business culture, where the emphasis traditionally lies on ‘keep it up’ (in German: ’weiter machen so!’).

These are some of the topics we’ve discussed: 

• Why customers are both success and fail factor number one 
• Why buyers must define strategy before attending demonstrations
• What is the business impact of project failure? And who gets the blame?
• Why reducing complexity is wise
• Why it’s important to do small experiments to learn quick(er)
• Why a strong project sponsor significantly increases success chances
• Why a minimum budget is more effective than a maximum budget 
• Why an implementation should be considered as a Formula 1 pit stop
• And finally, why (over-)customisation is like peeing your pants 

Together we collected new insights, had good discussions and luckily also had some fun. 😊

This is what GOB’s CEO @Robert Kupper said about my contribution:

“Your presentation was thought-provoking, struck a chord and clearly articulated a truth about digital projects that everyone knows but is far too rarely spoken openly about. Digital transformation only succeeds when there is clarity about the true destination. What matters is a clear vision and the intended benefits. Not the timeline and the budget.

Your direct and clear language was particularly compelling. No evasiveness, no sugarcoating, but a very precise assessment of what truly matters in digital transformation. The feedback we've received from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you Guus.”

I want to congratulate GOB with this great event. And I wish Robert and his team success with the follow-up.

👉 What do you do to educate and inspire your customers?