Chevy Thomason: Four Steps to a Successful Transformation

Let us start by setting the scene. Your company is struggling to provide information for decision-making, no one trusts the data or knows where to get it from and processes are overly manual. Maybe worst of all is the organizational strain and employee turnover issues that are beginning to rise. All of this leading to an abundance of inefficiencies and decisions that is costing the company money, and you are overwhelmed on where to start or proceed next. Sound somewhat familiar? Good news is that you can fix it!

We do not have to overcomplicate something that can seem so daunting. Breaking this down into four steps will help keep it simple and create value in the end.

1.  Assess where you are and want to go

Take an inventory of the pain points and requirements needed across the company. For example, do groups even understand who needs their data, who is using it and for what, that it takes 5 times longer to execute a process than it should, and that your current system(s) do not fill the requirements needed for the company to execute processes and manage data?

2.  Develop a roadmap for transformation

Think of this as the master plan for your transformation, and it is evergreen so it should adjust as the corporate dynamics and environment changes. It may be as simple as a three-phase approach where you focus initially on building a foundation and move into more innovative* phases as your foundation cures.  

*Make note here that innovation does not always mean improved technology.  It is finding new and improved ways to execute business, report, govern, etc.

3.  Break the roadmap down into bite size opportunities

Often when you look at a transformational program, it is easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of project needs and the cost it will take to do it all. Do not get caught up in trying to boil the ocean… Break this macro vision of your desired down into prioritized micro efforts that can be more easily ingested and executed by the organization.  

4.  Keep moving…

You are making an investment in your company’s future. You have to keep moving, even if you can only execute on 5% of your entire roadmap. As mentioned in step 2, your roadmap should be evergreen, so we keep updating and adjusting. Remember, there is always room for improvement and those focal points can be part of a vision and roadmap. A company not governing or continuously improving itself is playing with becoming a dying company. Even small steps are steps that can guide you to success.