During the twilight years of the last administration there seemed to be a marked increase in the number of posts across government with "transformation" in their title.
As a senior change programme manager in a central government department – currently on a secondment to Ashridge Business School – I have been involved in a number of strategic programmes, including a significant "transformation" programme.
Senior leaders can have very differing interpretations of the 'T' word. At one end of the spectrum, our non–executive directors assumed that transformation involved a major mindset change, and the genuine transforming of an inefficient business through root-and-branch re-engineering.
At the other end of the spectrum staff thought what was required was some relatively minor tinkering with processes in order to simplify and improve them. Jargon like 'transformation' is not only open to interpretation, but can be deliberately manipulated to undermine outcomes.
Genuine transformation involves the merging of business processes, leadership, change, soft skills and programme management, to deliver hard-hitting outcomes in a world of complexity.
However, none of this can be effectively achieved without the skilful engagement of the work force. In any environment where resources are threatened, the workforce often seems to be overlooked by managers rushing to salami-slice resources to achieve the necessary savings. Under pressure, these managers turn first to their organisational wiring diagram and start to reorganise the wires rather than asking what the business needs.
In truth, the workforce are key to identifying and unlocking areas of waste, duplication and out-dated processes. They are the very people who have the creativity and innovative ideas for improving the way the work is delivered so the organisation focuses on what really matters.
In any large-scale change, the transformation manager's role is to serve as a strategic programme manager with oversight of the benefits of each of the organisation's change projects and responsibility for ensuring momentum is maintained.
Benefits realisation management needs to lie at the heart of any transformation programme. Staff should be encouraged to engage, identify and be part of the delivery of benefits. A benefits-led programme more than any other, if done well, can help focus staff early on and enable them to see how they fit into the change.
Change is often perceived as 'being done' to staff when it should be a collective enterprise. The transformation team are not the deliverers of change - the senior leaders of the business areas are; they are accountable for delivering business benefits. Staff themselves are often better placed than outsiders to spot fruitful opportunities for efficiencies.
Of course, once you appoint a transformation manager, the cat is out the bag – change is afoot. The manager must be senior enough to have credibility with those responsible for delivering significant change. These managers need to be able to influence and inspire other senior managers to look at change as an opportunity, not as a battle to resist - a significant difference.
In tough times in the public sector if you are not asking radical questions of your own organisation, someone else will.
My experience at the Whitehall coal-face suggests that, to effect lasting transformation, the leadership of an organisation must be positive about creating champions of change and equipping them with the skills they need to deliver change well.
Public servants genuinely want to work in a climate that encourages success in the delivery of outcomes. Good public leaders listen hard to their staff and communicate effectively their vision and the expected benefits to encourage them.
Emma Dolman is on Secondment to Ashridge from a central government department
From Bubb's Blog
From Whitehall Watch
