Building the right team for a business transformation project
Posted on: July 1, 2017 | By: David Kwo | QAD Business Process
Our experience over the past 25 years is that most executives prefer to delay major ERP Implementations or Upgrades, preferring to stay on older software versions as it is the devil they know. Understandably, this preference to stay put is driven largely by the high percentage of failures in business transformational type implementations and upgrades. They often over promise and under deliver. As we are often asked our advice as to what are the critical success factors that can drive a successful business transformation project, we have observed it is a combination people and culture.
Specific to people, it is imperative that you seek out A players. We have found some of the major characteristics of A players to be:
· Competent – A players have proven skills in the functional area you are asking them to support. Further, they have shown an ability to continue to learn and grow.
· Love to Measured – A players aren’t afraid of accountability, they welcome feedback and want their performance measured against the industries gold standard, not just within their own company.
· Coachable – They are not only open to feedback, they are secure enough in themselves to seek out coaching if they are not getting the results they’ve committed to or are unsure of how to do so.
· Problem Solver – When a problem arises, they show a tenacity and aptitude for solving them. Further, if they are unable to solve a problem or unsure of the best option, they come forward for coaching with two or three options that they have already thought through.
Specific to culture, it is as important as people. Even A players will struggle in a poor culture.
· Behavior and Language – How do we speak to each other and how do we speak of one another when they are not in the room? Do we treat each other with courtesy and with respect? One rule of thumb we coach our consultants on is if you are speaking of someone not in the room, pretend as if they are sitting right next to you.
· What we expect of one another – It is often said that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The same can be said in creating the right kind of culture. If we see others missing commitment and that becomes the standard, we have lowered the standard and thus worsened the culture. It is important to clearly define what is expected of each team member (no mutual mystification).
· The way we hold each other accountable – Treating each other courtesy and respect does not mean you avoid difficult conversations, especially one someone is not executing as agreed. Leaders call it tight, the sooner inferior performance is identified and called out, the sooner it can be corrected. I recently attended a terrific seminar where a very wise man said, “nothing can change, until the unspoken is said.”
Of course, there are many other factors that are also necessary to succeed in a major systems business transformational project. Having the right people and the right culture are two boxes that must be checked.