Transformation Article - Why Transformation Programmes are best avoided
Copright © 2010 Transformosys Limited. All rights reserved.
In our experience, gaining access to expert leadership is the single biggest lever available to any transformation programme to maximize the probability of a successful outcome. Expert leaders ‘know what good looks like’ and therefore will ensure that programmes are properly established, and then that they are conducted with the necessary rigour. Moreover, they also have the experience and the ‘tools in the toolbox’ to manage through the challenges which are certain to arise during the life cycle of such an initiative, since to use a military analogy ‘the plan never survives contact with the enemy’.
Obviously, there are various ways of gaining access to this expertise where it is not directly available in house – which it often isn’t. However, considerable thought and caution needs to be exercised when deciding how best to do this. Options include taking on additional personnel, although this can prove expensive if the roles are needed only as long as the programme is under way, accessing the interim and contractor market, which may pose something of a managerial challenge for the hosting organization, or engaging with one or more third party vendors, which likewise raises numerous issues. In particular, not all such supplier organizations really do have deep end to end transformation programme expertise, so for example, some specialise in the strategy and pre-programme phase, whereas some focus primarily on the delivery phase. Likewise, in our experience the number of such suppliers having deep expertise in programme management, as opposed to project management – where programme management involves the oversight and co-ordination of a number of separate but interdependent component projects, as distinct from the project management of a single discrete initiative - is quite limited. We have also found that even where the Third Party is unambiguously expert at the core technical and IT delivery activities, they nevertheless may struggle with some of the more complex human dynamics and organizational change aspects of such programmes. Additionally, the calibre of the individuals who are made available by the supplier to the initiative in question can also vary quite significantly – inevitably not every client, and not every programme, can get the ‘A’ team.
The onus in these situations is of course on the host organization to ensure they manage the third party rigorously and effectively – but obviously this is problematic if the host lacks the necessary expertise. Something of a vicious circle is at play here, in that the Third Party has been engaged because of gaps in an organization’s skills, but this lack of expertise means that they are unable to manage and oversee the Third Party’s activities effectively, or to make an informed judgement about any advice provided by the Third Party. Thus, even where one of the larger, well-established vendors is engaged as a delivery partner for such an initiative, there nevertheless remain considerable advantages for the client business in ensuring access to other, independent sources of transformation programme knowledge and support.
All of which serves to reinforce the fact that Transformation initiatives are best avoided. But if despite this you choose still to go ahead, then you should only do so with your eyes wide open, with a full appreciation of what you are taking on and of all the complexities and challenges and risks involved, and with access to the right expertise to ensure the initiative is set up properly and conducted with the necessary rigour.
Because this is not an arena for the amateur, no matter how gifted.
END