Making Changes That Dramatically Improve Results

by Ron Snyder

"When a key element of the business isn't quite working, and nobody seems to own the problem, you don't have to just live with it. You can be an agent of change"

Are there issues that consistently get in the way of introducing products, entering new markets or competing effectively? Has your organization missed important deadlines or market requirements? Have you had significant cost over-runs?

If your organization is struggling with any or all of these issues, it can benefit from a practical approach to launching a strategic initiative to turn around a business problem and significantly improve critical results.

What is a strategic initiative… and why should I care?

Making critical change happen can be challenging in any size organization. Obviously, when a large company decides to make a significant change – as Intel, GE and Microsoft have in the recent years – it requires a coordinated, cross-functional effort to succeed. Even in smaller organizations that are light on their feet, changes that involve more than one group must be well orchestrated and have the active support of all of the groups involved.

A strategic initiative is one that:

• Responds to an issue that, when resolved, will have a significant impact on the organization’s results, and
• Requires cross-functional support to succeed.

You may say, “Yes, there is a change we need to make, but why should I be the one to sponsor it? I’m so busy as it is!” When a strategic change is needed, the results of each of the key functions, i.e. sales, marketing and product development are usually substantially affected. In order to achieve the results you know your organization is capable of, this change must be made… and you can be the one to make it happen!

Four steps to successfully sponsoring a strategic initiative

“OK,” you say, “how do I do it?” Here are four steps:

• Initiating the effort – Gathering support
• Launching – Agreeing on the approach
• Executing – Producing results
• Gaining momentum – Communicating results

1. Initiating the effort – Gathering support and buy-in

Identify the key people whose results are suffering due to the issue. Review the situation with them and the results being impacted, especially in their areas, to enroll their support. Branch out to engage the leaders of the other functions.

2. Launching – Agreeing on the approach, roles, and milestones

It is critical that there be a “meeting of the minds” in which the cross-functional management team discusses and agrees on:

• The problem to be solved
• The approach to solving it
• What each group will do to contribute to the effort
• Key people to be involved and their roles and responsibilities
• The intended results and how progress will be monitored, and
• Key milestones and when reviews, follow-up meetings will occur.

The deliverable of this meeting is a plan that everyone supports.

It is also important to identify what new information, skills, training and support structures are needed in order for people to develop any required new skills and adjust to the new approach.

3. Executing – Doing what it takes to produce the results

Naturally, it is critical to take the right actions to resolve the underlying problem and produce improved results. All involved (some of whom may not have been involved in the initial management session) must have a clear understanding of the objective, their role and what they need to do to enable the initiative to be successful.

Further, there must be on-going support for the initiative and people must know where to go for additional information and help. If there are new systems, methods or skills involved, there must be a clear plan for getting everyone up to speed on them as soon as possible.

4. Gaining momentum - Communicating results and garnering broader support

As progress occurs, it is important to communicate it to all who are affected by the initiative. This is central to reinforcing the support of those currently on-board and broadening support and interest across the organization and the ecosystem, including outside parties who contribute to the success of the program.

Cautionary notes

“That sounds good,” you say, “but I’ve seen initiatives go off course. How do I avoid that?”

Beware of the Six Deadly Sins involving underestimating the importance of:

1. Establishing a common objective and approach

It is tempting to skip this step in the interest of time. However, without a clear understanding of the common objective, it is difficult to coordinate the activities of multiple groups and many people.

2. Ensuring that leaders and participants buy in and make this a priority

Everyone is so busy, it is imperative that each person realizes the importance of the initiative and prioritizes it into their activities.

3. Persistently communicating the need for the initiative

Without this, the initiative and the actions associated with it slowly lose perceived importance, and people wonder if the effort is bearing fruit. When this happens, key activities will not get done and momentum wanes.

4. Providing sufficient support structures

It is tempting to cut corners in the arena of support. If people don’t have the needed support and it is difficult to do what they need to do, they can lose motivation and go back to business as usual.

5. Generating and communicating short-term results

Even if people are supportive at the beginning, they need to see that the effort is paying off. It is critical to communicate the wins in a way that people can relate to.

6. Establishing metrics, accountability and monitoring progress

It is hard to demonstrate the impact the initiative is having when metrics are overlooked. A loss of senior sponsorship and support across the organization may result. Further, metrics serve as an early warning system for swift course-correction.

The key Ingredient

“All right, what’s it going to take to succeed?” you ask.

As with any worthy effort, there are invariably bumps along the way. The key ingredient that really makes the difference in the end is the commitment and resolve of those sponsoring the program. Keep in mind that the reward for holding the vision is the dramatic impact it will have on results.

Should you use outside help?

“We have a very experienced team. Do we need outside help?” you wonder.

Granted, you know your organization and market better than an outside party. However, an external process facilitator can provide the following value:

• An Experienced Consultant/Facilitator – It is important to work with consultants who have experience guiding organizations in managing the changes necessary to make an initiative successful.
• An Unbiased Perspective – An outside party with no other agenda than enabling the organization to produce the best results possible provides you with candid, impartial feedback and recommendations to ensure success.
• Leaders’ Full Attention on the Initiative – Working with consultants who have guided many organizations through the process enables the leaders to be full participants and contributors, rather than having to be both leader and process facilitator.

Case Study: Reorganizing the Customer Team at Agilent for Improved Business Results

Ron Snyder and his team worked with the senior management team of a group at Agilent Technologies to create a shared vision and establish strategic initiatives to realize that vision. One of the strategic initiatives focused on serving global customers better. The team helped reorganize the customer team. They worked with all the functions involved to clarify roles, responsibilities and rules of engagement to implement the new way of doing business that dramatically improved business results.

“As a result of the work done, the group demonstrated superior account management, which led to increased market and customer share, enhanced customer satisfaction and greater product competitiveness” — Vice President & General Manager of the Customer Team

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For the past 16 years, Ron Synder has consulted with technology-based companies to accelerate business results by improving sales & marketing effectiveness and other cross-functional productivity. Companies he has worked with include large, established companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Agilent Technologies, Synopsys, Siemens, and Philips, and rapidly-growing companies including NetSuite, Exodus Communications, Adobe and others.

To find out more about Marketing Operations Partners' change and facilitation services , please call 408-243-7881 or e-mail sales@mopartners.com.

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