delivering operational transformation

Supply Chain & Operations | Technology | Project & Program Management

While managing and reducing the complexity of operational change is hard, research shows that following a

human-centric change roadmap that over-arches all technology deployments enhances the chance of success.

My approach is to work with leaders to plan and execute Supply Chain and Operational transformations that are achievable and pragmatic, and scaled to suit their organisation's ability to deliver. If you're a senior leader with an Operational Transformation challenge I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can help.

Scoping and sizing operational change is one of the toughest challenges facing leaders today. Most organisations have an existing heartbeat - "how we do things around here" - and changing the rhythm of that heartbeat can be hard, but it's certainly not unattainable.

Senior leaders need to outline the future vision to their people in an understandable and relatable way, and then lead by example.

Operational transformation is first and foremost a cultural and performance objective, usually driven by the need to be faster, more adaptable and resilient, and more relevant to your customers. It may even be a matter of organisational survival.

Almost certainly your transformation will involve technology, a focussed approach to data, some projects, change management, process and organisational redesign, and pain. These are the enablers or components of transformation and not the transformation itself, and before you begin implementing you should ask a few questions.

Why do you want to transform your organisation?
What do you want to change your organisation to?
Who is the organisational owner of the change?
What's the payoff?
When do you want to complete the change program?
Are you planning to change the whole business or a particular functional area?

I'm still surprised to come across organisations that are embarking on a change program with significant human and business risks where formal risk and outcomes planning hasn't taken place; let alone planning that's been sponsored and owned by the Executive Team.

Before any significant change or transformation program is launched it's critical that the leaders of the business agree and document the objectives, along with the principles the organisation will live by to get there.

Moving straight into implementing change without appropriate assessment and planning by senior leadership runs the very real risk of cost and time overruns, poor deliverables and ongoing operational pain. Most importantly it risks disenchanting employees and customers. It doesn't have to be that way.