Organisations large and small, across all industry sectors are implementing transformation programmes, driven by market influences, advances in technology, unlocking talent, improving logistics and distribution, and reducing operational risk. Ultimately organisations want and need to be competitive, increase market share and profitability.
Business Transformation is typically driven by a desire to improve organisational effectiveness and improve the overall capabilities of an organisation. Boards and CEOs are redefining their organisation's business strategy and vision and implementing transformation programmes to better align their activities to the goals they have set out.
Whilst transformation programmes are often driven by a sense of urgency, they may take anywhere from 6 months - 5 years to implement, depending on the scope and complexity. It is, therefore, no wonder that organisations hire, promote and use the secondment of staff to create transformation offices, and that the scrutiny from the Board, C-suite and, in some cases shareholders, is high. It is for this reason that many CEOs consider bringing in a specialist business transformation advisor, who can provide guidance, direction and coaching to the team and report upwards with an impartial and expert view. A business advisor can be brought in at any stage of a transformation programme, and arguably should be brought in from the programme’s inception and then consulted frequently and especially at key milestones.
In the main, these programmes involve changes to processes, people, and systems. They almost always touch all functions of an organisation and there is a great need for buy-in from the staff, which must be achieved through consultation, sharing of information, stakeholder management, and underpinned by early and regular communication.
Transformation programmes are often sequential in their roll-out through different regions, geographies and functions, which can allow for learning, changes to be implemented, and best practices to be recorded and shared. It is challenging to predict and mitigate every risk and issue that will be encountered during the programme, and there will undoubtedly be stumbling blocks and course-corrects.
Working with a business transformation advisor can be hugely beneficial in terms of the value an advisor can bring, the agility and collaborative nature of the approach, and the speed, quality, and sustainability of the results they can help your business transformation programme to achieve.
Good things come in threes
The best business advisors interact with an organisation in several guises. They can be a mentor, a coach, and a consultant. Importantly they will perform all three roles depending on the intervention and the client's needs. The mentoring element is about sharing their knowledge, skills and practical business transformation experience with individuals or teams to help to guide them to the required goal. The coaching element helps teams and individuals to apply their skills and capabilities most effectively. They help to identify areas to focus on, how to achieve the goals and roadmap that have been set for the programme and can identify behavioural changes that might be required. The advisor will work on developing the performance and behaviours of the individuals and the team. This could be in areas such as problem-solving skills and stakeholder management. The consultant element encompasses supporting the transformation office to design the change strategy, assess stakeholder impacts and organisational readiness, recommend appropriate communication, training, and measure effectiveness and impacts, ultimately to enhance the organisation, the group, and an individual’s performance.
Value proposition
Transformation programmes can be costly to the business in terms of implementing new systems and processes, the outlay for new technology and software such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), and a short-term reduction in business productivity as staff are taken away from their day jobs for planning, testing, and training. However, when a transformation programme is done right, one of the biggest outcomes is saving on costs and/or an increase in productivity, revenue and profit. Engaging a business transformation advisor (as opposed to a Big Four consultancy) offers a great opportunity in terms of the value they can deliver for the cost. They can enhance, supplement, and upskill the leadership, business, technical and people skills of an organisation’s transformation office. The focus of a business advisor is to deliver a successful transformation programme within the parameters of the organisation’s own resources, rather than by bringing in teams of consultants at great cost.
Building internal capability
A business advisor can help to build an organisation’s internal capability, by imparting their skills, knowledge, and practical experience to those working in the transformation office. Using a collaborative and guiding approach, the advisor will work with the team to develop plans, identify and evaluate risks, plan contingency and address issues. Rather than simply direct and instruct, a good business advisor will demonstrate and informally train the team through 1:1 coaching, and by actively taking part in key meetings and workshops. As opposed to some consultants who are solely tasked with delivery, a good business advisor with a coaching mind and skillset has a desire to help people develop and grow in their capabilities. A successful outcome for a good business advisor will be two-fold: the successful implementation and delivery of the transformation programme and strengthening the capability of that organisation to manage all aspects of ongoing transformation.
Agile approach
Organisations who choose to engage a business advisor rather than a larger consultancy are less constrained by strict procedures and processes. A good business advisor will work with the organisation’s existing tools, templates, and data sources reducing the time required to start working and adding value. They may introduce suggested ways of working to improve efficiency and outcomes where appropriate but will not impose restrictive ways of doing things or request that large volumes of data be transferred into their own templates for analysis. A good business advisor will become a recognised face and trusted voice in the transformation office but will not invade the workplace. Unlike those teams of Big Four consultants, who require meeting rooms to be block booked for months on end, the business advisor will come and go as necessary in a more flexible way and in tune with the ebbs and flows of the programme. They will respect and work within the cultural norms of the organisation, rather than dominate with their own brand.
Organisations who engage the services of an experienced business advisor are giving their transformation programmes a greater chance of success and enduring change. Success, because a business advisor’s depth of experience and impartiality allows them to rapidly identify challenges, as well as strengths that can be harnessed, provide guidance and practical advice. The business advisory approach is agile and collaborative, which directly correlates to the behaviours required to implement a successful transformation programme within any organisation. By working within the parameters of the organisation’s systems, processes and resources, the advisor can deliver great value and at speed. Enduring change comes from the business advisor’s strength as a coach and mentor, and the desire and remit to upskill and build capabilities within the organisation so that new and continual transformation can be sustained.