INSTITUTING A STRUCTURED TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

Often expounded in corporate business circles are the words, TRANSFORMAION and INNOVATION. Seldom seen or known are companies achieving transformative and/or innovative thrusts. Donning the desire to drive a major change toward an identified destination forms the initiating simple step. Then, formulating a structured process to take the endeavour through constitutes the onerous and lengthy next prime step, which is essential for reaping success. For example, the next prime step should decide what specific projects to embark on. The decision itself emanates from detailed analyses and intense deliberations by relevant parties. This relates to sagacious leadership empowered to activate such moves.

I have had often heard of top leaderships launching major change programmes for their respective corporation but sad to say most were without salient impactful results. Obviously, these leaders were not cognitive what it would take to formulate the implementation process. They might not even comprehend whether the intended programmes were the right ones befitting to uplift the status of their corporation – perhaps they merely plucked an idea out of the blue for purpose of portraying a new branding feel to its business. Having the noble intent for transforming is only conception; the ability to drive the change projects immaculately represents the delivery mould. Any clarion call for transformation or innovation without any formal structure will likely end up uneventful.

First thing first, a corporate directional overhaul must be propelled by the topmost decision makers and drilled downwards to all echelons. Board of directors and the chief executive are the main protagonists for calling a major facelift. Once decided upon, they may then appoint the transformation leader (if not the CEO himself) and team, which must be empowered. Besides being empowered, the team must comprise the right leader (with the right characteristics, knowledge and experience, acting as the specialist) to guide the right team members in order to be effective. 

A transformative intent is always initiated by the topmost echelon in an entity, then engineered by the selected empowered team to pave the driveway – this is the beginning. The engineering sequel reflects the bane (work strain) before the boon (beneficial results), constituting an orderly procedure for efficacious execution. May I now share my recommendation for structured follow-through by the empowered team:

·         RESEARCH & DIAGNOSE

To identify the right direction for embarkation, research is essential to fully realise the prevalent situational overview faced by the entity concerned. The task involves studying all pertinent facts and data pertaining to the current situation - like where the organisation stands now in comparison with competitors, what is the progress attained thus far over the years, the hurdles etc. Only when the important details are at hand after a cumbersome research, can a proper diagnosis be done on why progress is stymied.

I am an ardent believer of the SWOT model (originated by Albert Humphrey) for diagnostic exercises. It helps to officially document the corporate strengths (S) and weaknesses (W) of an entity. It also outlines the potential opportunities (O) while noting the looming threats (T).

Top executives in any large entity should aptly understand where its strengths lie so that they can capitalise on the strengths; they ought to recognise its weaknesses, to implement improvements on the weaknesses (albeit not possible to eradicate all weaknesses in one go). They should garner the strengths and improvements on weaknesses for tapping the potential opportunities and circumventing imminent threats pacing at the corporate doorsteps. Such analytical efforts of its empowered team entail intense diagnostic information for viewing by all pertinent officers.

·         BRAINSTORM

This activity comes in after having obtained all pertinent facts and data on the current scenario. A brainstorming exercise is aimed at depicting the new corporate vision and mission (i.e. the objectives) which signal the type of major changes to be materialised. Normally, vision and mission statements are composed as part of the exercise to outline the coveted changes, reminding all personnel where the destined journey will head to.

While the empowered transformation leader and team play as facilitator and moderators respectively, all senior officers, department heads and deputy/assistant heads should be included as active brainstorm committee participants. Ground Rule 1: Encourage inputs from all and list out their suggestions. Ground Rule 2: Discuss the suggestions and identify the workable ones based on majority consensus. The stage is then set for the following:

# Set the concurred targets and overall tenure for fulfilment, say 3-year plan.

# Outline the special actions and programmes that the committee has propounded for implementation, that would drive toward the objectives/targets. Indicate the timeline for each item.

# Identify the RR “punch”: - RR stands for Required Resources, viz. (a) manpower resource (type of manpower), (b) budget resource, (c) facilities resource.

# Table a working paper or blueprint containing the points derived from both the diagnostic and brainstorming episodes to the board of directors and chief executive for endorsement. The working paper must be pristine, which means requiring documenting, writing and presenting skills of the transformation team. Once the full buy-in of the topmost echelon is secured, the empowered team pursues the next phase below.

·         MONITORING, EVALUATION, REINFORCEMENT

Execution entails detailed measurements critical for underpinning the on-going progress levels attained at set timelines. An immaculate template for recording the periodic progress plus providing update reports at different timelines should be drawn up. The recorded contents and summarised update narratives serve as the master overview of how the launched projects are faring as at selected schedules; for example, where the shortfalls lie and how far behind the targets etc. The update summary should recommend reinforcement actions to close the gaps quickly. Comprehensive periodic overview updates will support the topmost echelon to endorse the catchup recommendations proposed by the team. (Free samples of such templates can be retrieved via google search. Modification should be made to fit the specific scenario of the entity concerned.)

·         IMPLEMENTATION ROLLOUT

Here comes the crucial final phase. Despite all the preparatory due diligence (as above), unperceived risks or flaws may still possibly emerge during implementation. For example, if a new system to facilitate major changes is incorporated, there is no guarantee it is initially fool proof. To play safe, transformation protagonists prefer to first conduct a pilot/trial run, i.e. mini rollout. Four areas are aimed at during the trial: * Make observations whether the run goes smoothly or with hiccups. ** Gather feedback from selected focus group of stakeholders. *** Identify the lessons learnt. **** Identify what elements should be improved – this may or may not need approval from the chief executive, depending whether the proposed touch-up improvements pertain to major or minor considerations like on additional costs.

Finally, after some fine-tuning based on lessons learnt from the pilot run, time to roll out the main launch. But hold on……it is not yet the real finale. Bear in mind periodic reviews must still be conducted at the set timelines of the entire implementation tenure. Tweaks may be needed along the way to ensure efficacious end results.

Again, I re-emphasise the four key prerequisites for a successful transformation drive: (1) The transformation team must be proficient to handle the special change projects. (2) The team must be empowered by the topmost management of the entity concerned to coordinate with relevant internal stakeholders and to rope in their participation. (3) An intensive monitoring cum review system is put in place for progressive measurements and new side recommendations during the entire tenure. (4) Whole-hearted support from the topmost management to the transformation team. Overall, the endeavour is a concerted and tedious process but ultimately necessary, otherwise all efforts will turn out futile………waste of time!

My own quotes……..

Transformation is not a superficial or showy activity; it is a practical process of reality.

A smart leader knows generally what his company needs and issues directions to fulfil the needs. A prudent leader comprehends fully what his company needs and advises how to deliver the needs.


Now, a cartoon in jovial vein.......