Effectus
Your business transformation is your business!
Jan 2018
EFFECTUS’ ADVICE FOR MANAGING TO SUCCEED!
By Raymond Ortiz - Effectus President (rortiz@effectuspr.com)
Volume 1 / January 2018
JOURNEY TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION
Accept It, Embrace It and Move on
A real Transformation begins by having the organization recognize their opportunities. You all need to be realistic and objective if you want to understand what has happened and the actual outcome or consequences as a result of their decisions. That is the only way you will be able to understand your environment and to get everybody focus.
First, you need to understand that you have the power to transform your organization, is embedded in your DNA. But even knowing that, you need to make sure that you have “an unclouded vision” of what you want to achieve: and you need a PLAN. This also applies to your organization. They need to understand what is it that you want to do and why. They must buy into the idea so in the future they do not become an obstacle. Which also applies to your management. Yes, we all have bosses. Even if you are the CEO, you report to your Board of Directors and they report to the shareholders.
However, is very important for your organization to assume responsibility for the status quo. Otherwise you are destining to fail. In the same way, your managers and their teams need to assume responsibility for the results achieved once the exercise is completed.
Accepting the status quo will help you embrace your reality in order to be open and positive to what’s to come. You need to be open minded which is key if you want to have a “clear canvas” on which you will draw the future. As a leader you also need to recognize your strengths and opportunities as well.
Before you begin your Journey
-
You need to have strong support from your Executives. Not only they have to support you, but they need to clearly demonstrate it by saying it out loud in front of your team and specially your peers.
-
Need to have clarity on Goals, Expectations and Requirements. No surprises.
-
Do the exercise and have a clear picture of what your REAL ISSUES are; what is it that you want to address and not the issues that you WANT TO have. Your will be surprise with the agendas of some people in the organizations.
-
Develop an Integrated Master Plan: No Silos.
-
Have clear Roles and Responsibilities. Everybody should know what is expected from them. No excuses.
Before you begin your Journey
We can give you a few pointers that will help you excel and add value to your organization. We can start with, and you got it!
-
Manage the extension of the transformation. Knowing your organization, you should be able to anticipate behaviors and they can or cannot do.
-
Look for organizational excellence. Need to identify the skills they have, what makes them different. Know your business competences.
-
Manage the business capacity as well. Not only you have excellent people in your teams, but you also need to feed that process with input from key business partners. Those that will become or currently are your strategic alliances.
-
Bring innovation. But careful! Innovation does not always mean modern technology or machinery. Sometimes it has to do with the way you do things, applying LEAN Sigma or other methodologies or frameworks.
In a nutshell:
a) Run your Transformation program like you run your business. Add passion on what you are doing.
b) Innovate, take advantage of industry best practices, methodologies, etc.
c) Develop business alliances and take advantage of your partners technical mastery or business acumen.
d) Measure, Measure, Measure. You always want to know where you are in your program. And is OK to go back and revisit your plan. Better than to be sorry at the end.
e) Always involve your team. Let them play and listen.
CLOSED MINDS AND PERSONAL AGENDAS ARE NOT WELCOME!
Watch for Risks that could jeopardize our transformation program
There are many risks that can put at risk our transformation initiatives and even the whole program. Here are some for you to consider;
-
When you do not pay attention to the Organizational Culture and their push back to changes. Do not forget people and culture. Extremelly important.
-
When you as a leader do not have the appropiate support at a functional or executive level.
-
Un-realistic schedule or budget.
-
Not identifying requirements and potential gaps.
-
Not doing some kind of Risk Assessment. At least something simple has to be done.
-
Lack of consensus about the amount of time that your program will take and the benefits that will be obtain as a result of the process.
-
When not qualified resources are assign to the project only because they are available You cannot accept that.
-
Always happens: Leaders not always determine the right amount of people needed for the project considering that there are other possible “priorities” that will be competing for the same resources at a later time. The business needs to keep running….
-
Not thinking of external factors. Remember this, “Shit Happens!”.
-
Trying to do everything at once. Need to break programs into projects and projects into manageable sub components or phases.
-
Not using a standard Project Management methodology.
Let us give you a few tips for your program to become a success story or business case
-
Do not commit to “Numbers” when you are still at the design phase.
-
Trying to be “likeable” from day one. Is not always necessary to win people’s hearths and souls at the very beginning of your program. Results will be “doing the talking” for you later.
-
Take advantage of “Quick Wins“ to show management results fast. You need to become a marketing guru as well.
-
Own communication. Communication cannot be split among resources through out the transformation program. It might sound bad but you need to presume people are not communicating to each other. That way you, as a leader, will.
-
Do not waste time revisiting the “Status Quo”. You have identified the opportunities already, so focus on the goal.
-
Take advantage of what already exists. At this moment there are people in other companies or other countries that have done what you are pretending to do, so believe in search and reapply.
-
Look for experts outside your organization, specially if you need to revisit your current business processes or other areas in detail.
Which “Wins” you can anticipate for your organization during a business Transformation program?
-
Cost reductions
-
Organizacional Flexibility
-
An improvement on the use of Industry Best Practices.
-
Maximize Technology Investments
-
A better opportunity to innovate and take advantage of synergies.
You should only attemp to begin a Business Transformation program only when the organizaiton understands that to continue doing what they are doing will perpetue their status quou which can only leave them vulnerable for the future.
However you can only run it if the organizaiton is robust enough and secure enough to spend some time “vulnerable” because they have the tools to continue with their day to day without fear to failure.
More than anything else, enjoy the ride and have fun celebrating success with your peers, management and specially with your team. You all deserve it.
About Effectus
Contact Us
Effectus Corp.
1357 Ashford Ave. PMB 290
San Juan, PR 00907
eMail: rortiz@effectuspr.com
eMail: dlazaro@effectuspr.com
WebSite: http://www.effectuspr.com
Follow us:
Effectus focus on providing “first class” WEB and Software Solutions, Information Technology Governance, Project Management and Operations / Process Improvement Services to customers interested and in need of Consulting Services without having the capital investment burden or high operational expenses. For instance, having a strong IT Governance Structure in place brings the opportunity for Effectus’ Customers to decide on priorities that are aligned with Management's vision while IT becomes an enabling function focused on optimization. Effectus is a company that offers, through its employees and partners, different cost effective and dependable solutions. Our customers will benefit from Effectus’ services, with the security and satisfaction that they can only get from a team of experienced individuals working together to enhance their customer's experience.
Today’s market demands speed to be competitive on their Go to Market strategies. Companies need to demonstrate that they are innovative and creative, showing a Business Model that takes advantage of technology and market best practices. They need to focus on their core business to avoid distractions. Effectus takes advantage of methodologies and best practices like Six Sigma, LEAN Sigma, ITIL and Project Management, to help provide customers with structure.
Going Far, Together!