Supporting Finance Transformation Post Go-Live
/In 2012 I created a series of posts around Finance Transformation Gone Wrong, and the ways that transformation leaders and teams can avoid those pitfalls. Hopefully you've had a chance to incorporate that thinking into your own transformation efforts. A serious error that I've seen in my years as a consultant is companies who fail to support the transformation program after the "go-live". That go-live could be an actual systems launch, or it could be a redesign of a company's organizational structure. In any event, changes made during the transformation need to be reinforced post go-live in order for the changes to be firmly anchored in the company's culture. With that in mind, here are some things to consider as you plan and execute a finance transformation program.
- Keep the transformation team together for a defined period after go-live. Too many times companies are eager to get the transformation team personnel back to their "regular" positions. If the company was smart, they put some of their best people on the project, so the desire to redeploy these individuals is, in part, understandable. However, dissolving the team prematurely puts all of the hard word at risk. A "quick strike" team is needed to solve issues that inevitably crop up after a project launch. Let your experience team be available to assist where needed and reinforce the reality and perception of a successful project.
- Eliminate the "old way" of doing things. Once an organization has crossed over the bridge to a new way of life, don't let people fall back into the old way of doing things. This can range from exerting the organizational authority of a governance council to blocking access to old software applications. If people are allowed to revert to past behaviors, some portion of people will do so.
- Reinforce expected behaviors. People need to be reminded of the new behaviors that are expected. Any positions that changed materially as part of the transformation should have had updated role descriptions created. The program leaders should be visible and vocal to ensure that people understand what is expected and how their performance is critical to the transformation initiative.
- Promote the success of the transformation program. During the transformation process, the metrics that define success should have been developed. Post go-live is the time to start tracking the progress of the program and measuring that progress against the key metrics. Most programs will meet or exceed some goals while requiring adjustment to achieve others. This is to be expected. Individuals in the organization should understand the success and opportunities of a newly implemented transformation program, and this requires transparency. Yes, that can be a little scary at times, but it's required for people to understand how their new behaviors contribute to the program success.
Finance Transformation programs require a great deal of work and sacrifice. It's critical that the momentum of a transformation program be maintained post go-live to ensure the full success of the program.
