Recently, our very own Jenny Simmons was joined by Paul Sambhi and Haig Tyler, who delivered a fantastic breakfast roundtable session on the topic of “What drives a successful transformation?”

The event was a great success and contained a plethora of insights that can be applied to any transformation, no matter how complex.

To refresh those who attended and to provide those who didn’t with a glimpse into what they missed, we’ve pulled together four of the key transformation learnings that Paul and Haig shared during the session below.

Make sure expectations are realistic and aligned

“If you’re not aligned, you’re going to get so much pushback. You need that single aligned vision of what you’re trying to achieve.” – Paul Sambhi, Global Transformation Programme Director.

Business transformations can be difficult at the best of times, but if you’re also having to contend with internal chatter and pushback from teams or leadership, they can seem almost impossible.

That’s why Paul and Haig stressed how crucial it is to ensure that before even beginning a transformation, all parties should understand exactly what the process requires and what value it’ll drive for the organisation on the other side.

To do so, you need a clear structure and framework of what’s being undertaken and what you need from all stakeholders, whether internal or external.

If this isn’t properly considered, disconnects between these groups will appear, which will lead to a clash of interests and, in the worst scenarios, would see them occur at the 11th hour, just before a transformation gets rolling.

Have a wealth of evidence when it comes to your budget

“Some transformations appear as if they’re a lot of money for not a lot of achievement, but the reality is if you don’t carry them out, you’ll be left behind both in terms of processes and technology.” – Haig Tyler, Ex CTO at HSF.

Budget discussions and sign-offs can often be a point of contention within transformations, and the last thing you want is to be laughed out of a meeting because you didn’t bring enough supporting evidence for your budget request.

The only way to avoid these situations is to prepare a swathe of data and information that showcase the value that the transformation will generate, especially when it comes to cost and time savings across processes and teams.

In these situations, it’s always better to over-prepare; that way, you have a much better chance of getting buy-in from stakeholders who would otherwise oppose your proposed budget. It also helps you handle finance objections that crop up as the transformation unfolds.

Always consider the human factor of transformations

“Leading a successful transformation is just as much about winning hearts as it is winning minds.” – Paul Sambhi.

When you start getting into the numbers, it can be easy to forget that all transformations have a human element to them. If a transformation looks great on paper, you still need to consider how it’ll affect teams and the processes they utilise.

For example, if you’re looking to implement a brand-new technology that completely alters how your people work and communicate, you’ll need to be able to convey how the transformation will benefit them both in the long-term and in their general day-to-day actions. If you don’t, you’ll have to navigate a tidal wave of pushback when refined processes are replaced with something that’s unfamiliar and straight out of the box.

Taking the time to have these conversations and listen to any concerns or grievances will allow you to tackle problems before they pose a risk to your timeline for delivery. You’re also more likely to have stakeholders championing the process at all levels, which is crucial if you want a smooth and timely rollout.

Utilise the MOST Model to cover all bases

Connecting the overarching aim and day-to-day actions of a transformation project is a tremendous task. One useful framework that can help you maintain this link, which was mentioned during our session, is the MOST Model, which breaks projects down into Mission, Objectives, Strategies and Tactics to simplify reporting, monitoring, and maximise buy-in.

By implementing and connecting all four of these layers within the MOST Model, you give your team a much clearer overview of what’s going on with a transformation and avoid any instances of confusion which can occur when a rigid framework isn’t provided. It's a brilliant model that we recommend applying to any and all transformations, no matter how complex.

These are just a handful of the brilliant insights that were shared at our roundtable from all who attended, and we’d thoroughly recommend reaching out to Jenny Simmons if you’d like to attend our next event, as we’re always looking to connect you with our extensive network of transformation professionals.

If you’re looking to carry out a business transformation of your own and want to find out how we can help, you can contact us by clicking the link here.