KPMG's Digital Mindset Framework: balance between change and control

At the Leadership in Digital conference on March 28, 2025 KPMG directors Guido Soonius and Carlijn Hattink presented the Digital Mindset Framework they developed, which should give digital leaders a foothold in the journeys through their digital transformations. They address the four quadrants around the intersection of the vertical axis between control and change, and the horizontal axis between inside out and outside in. Each quadrant represents a critical element in digital leadership.

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Chris Napis freelance journalist en tekstschrijver. ketnocontent@gmail.com.Meer van deze auteur

KPMG-keynote op Leadership in Digital 2025 — Guido Soonius (links) en Carlijn Hattink, KPMG

AG Connect, Robert Tjalando

Connecting end-to-end

Connecting end-to-end is the first quadrant and represents the ability to make connections between technologists and business people, different layers in the organisation and with external stakeholders. Bringing teams and departments together into a shared innovative and experimental environment, empowering people and getting the organization on board by leading by example. The presentation features many inspiring examples of digital leaders. For example, Alexander Kousbroek, the CFO of Talpa Network, is a great example of a good connector who is able to make an innovative culture flourish, according to Soonius, Director Digital Strategy at KPMG.

Foster a Growth Mindset

Carlijn Hattink, director of Digital Transformation at KPMG, addresses the second quadrant, fostering a Growth Mindset on a personal level. She gives as a telling example the coaching style of soccer coach Johan Cruijff, who instead of telling his players how to do something, gave them the space to discover for themselves the best way for them to get something done. The digital leader's courage to act and challenge is the focus of the third quadrant. Dare to speak out as a leader, to make decisions and to question things that are habitually fixed.

Courage to act and challenge

Hattink gives the example a CEO who dared to be vulnerable after some dramatic conclusions about the organization's leadership emerged from an employee satisfaction survey. “He lay awake because of it and didn't know what he was doing wrong, and engaged in personal conversations with all kinds of employees to change. He encouraged people to challenge him. That was very brave of him.” Finally, a leader must give everyone the opportunity to be an innovator, which is the fourth quadrant. The personal touch of the digital leader is not missing from the Digital Mindset Framework; it is central to it. To create partnerships and networks, a leader needs relational intelligence, Hattink says. “After all, he needs to get all the noses in the same direction.”