Successful Change Has Launched!
The time for a new breed of delivery partner and the launch of www.successful change.com
Well it’s here, Successful Change has finally been launched and we are looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas in the area of Strategy Execution and Change management. Interesting timing perhaps given that one of the big boys, Accenture (Read Article) , was recently giving an account of itself in the Times and suggesting that it is time for “execution” not larger technology-led programmes. Well I couldn’t agree more, but remind me, who is it that has been responsible for encouraging and establishing many such large amorphous programmes in the first place?!
For those of you familiar with our articles you’ll know we are not fans of an over reliance on external partners to “do things to” an organisations rather than “work with” and we strongly favour external support that really transfers knowledge. High impact consulting! Of course many people are still sceptical of consulting today, and critical of the large “report” or “army” of anonymous people who turn up at their offices, often without anyone really knowing what they are up to. In Change Management however, perhaps the criticism is fair given the recent results:-
The Standish report 2009 and the IBM C Level report 2009 highlight that long standing incumbent firms and consultancy have contributed to,
- Only 32% of projects delivered successfully
- 68% of a 1000 CEO sample, identifying a lack of change capability as their key problem
In that sense we agree with you, the client, the buyer, that the evidence for a new breed of consultancy is compelling! There has not been a significant step change in Business Transformation capability over the last decade. Whilst most consultancy firms will say they can help deliver results and execute, the reality is that large scale consultancies have over promised and under delivered. They offer quantity, scale and reach but not necessarily better results often relying on staff inherited from a previous TUPE scenario. Strategy houses are great at design but their recruitment process does not equip them to provide delivery expertise. Advisory firms are also building capability too but, in an environment of increased regulatory focus can your business entertain further potential conflicts of interest? Criticism of consultancies may be justified.
The reality in Execution and Change, is that external help is sometimes the best or only way to transcend internal political boundaries, unlock long stating 
partisan behavior and drive action rather than more talk. Given that an external party has no vested interest in any future role or being part of the hierarchy, operating wisely and sensitively, they can make rapid progress and get the best results out of your team. We think it is time for execution and delivery too but, we always have! We suggest to you, that rather than look in the same place as before, consider a practitioner led, principles based partner like Haldane first! Introduction To Successful Change
