Oxford8 typically engage with a new client from one of three points in the lifespan of a programme – the outset, the onset or the reset. This article, the third of a series of three, explores the specific challenges clients face at the reset.
A reset typically occurs when a programme that has been struggling to meet its milestones and control its spending finally exceeds the elastic limit of optimism and cannot proceed any further without major revisions to timeframe and budget. For the executive sponsor, it’s the biggest single test of programme leadership.
I remembered a speech I had read by Field Marshal Slim. Talking about leadership, he had said something to the effect of, ‘When I’m in charge of a battle and everything’s going well and to plan and I’m winning – I’m a great leader, a real good lad. But you find out whether you can really lead or not when everything’s going to rat-shit and you are to blame.’
McNab, Andy. Bravo Two Zero: Transworld, 1993.
We step clients through the Reset process, end-to-end in 20 days. That’s how long it takes to go through the programme machinery and stand up every aspect of it so that it is fit for purpose and equipped with an executable plan that can actually deliver on the programme’s target outcome.
The most significant factor in the success of the reset is the principles adopted by the executive sponsor at the beginning of the reset process. We always advise the following:
1.
Create space for a proper reset. This means delivering some near-term disappointment to the wider organisation but more that, it means negotiating a contract: “If you give us 25 days, we will come back with a more robust delivery approach and a plan that will drive accountability.” This means negotiation not only with the Board, but also stakeholders and suppliers, but you’ve got to create that space. Think of it as like one of those 15-piece puzzles: It only works if you have that one blank space to move everything around.
2.
Understand that outcome is a consequence of approach. If you want a different outcome for a programme, you have to take a different approach. Be prepared to sacrifice a few sacred cows.
3.
Be visible: Come into the room. The team will need to know that they have your support and commitment during what will be an unavoidably uncomfortable but hopefully short period.
4.
Position external involvement carefully and address issues such as displacement. The most common fear for a programme team during the reset is that they will be displaced by external consultancies with their land-and-expand behaviours. We always encourage clients to share the actual brief with the team so that they can see, in raw contractual terms what we are there to do.
5.
Ask programme team members and stakeholders what they think isn’t working. This has so many benefits. They will be well-positioned to know where the problems are. They may well have solutions that they’ve felt unable to voice. The fact that they are being listened to is the strongest practical way of making clear to them that they are not being blamed, and that they are part of the solution. Invest in some 1-1 conversations; avoids group-think and provides much more opportunity for the candour that is so needed.
6.
Don’t do “we are where we are.” You’re missing the opportunity to see the problems clearly and deal with them while they are on the surface. Invest in some analyses of what happened versus what should have happened.
7.
Understand the relationship between symptoms and root causes. Symptoms are vital in finding root causes, but don’t fall into the trap of playing whack-a-mole with symptoms. Invest in following the symptoms all the way back to root cause and that way, the solution will be a one-off, permanent fix.
The final piece of advice is the one that is very personal for the executive sponsor. A reset is a process, but it is also a test of leadership. The need for strong leadership is at its very highest during a reset. We see some of the very best senior management performances in the midst of resets: In a bizarre way, a reset can actually be a very enjoyable experience. It is typically intense and challenging, with a steep learning curve, but in 20 days you’ll emerge armed with a loyal team, an executable plan, a healthy helping of fact-based confidence and a raft of learnings accumulated almost subconsciously. That’s a lot of deliverables in a very short time.