Published on 10 June 2022
AssureStart: the foundations for delivery success
When it comes to ensuring a successful change initiative, there really is no substitute for getting off to a good start. Creating the foundations for success means your team has the best possible chance of navigating the inevitable challenges which will crop up further down the line and ensure you achieve what you actually set out to achieve, rather than a diluted alternative. At Pelicam, we see first-hand how failing to properly set up a change initiative has knock-on effects; risks get missed, objectives become hazy, boards lose confidence and teams lose motivation. With that in mind, and using our wealth of in-flight change experience, Pelicam have started to work with more and more clients at these crucial early stages to ensure the best possible start, we call it AssureStart.
AssureStart: what, when and how?
The objective sounds quite simple, “to ensure a change gets off to the best possible start”. However, when you start to unpack what’s required to make that a reality there are many aspects to consider. Do we have the right people on board? Does everyone from board level down know the objectives and how to achieve them? Have we clearly defined our success criteria, and do they match the overall business objectives? Are there any other clashing business initiatives? Once you start to take these things into account, AssureStart becomes less about creating a simple plan and more about creating the momentum and strategy across the organisation as a whole to achieve success.
The key to lots of the questions outlined above is in timing. AssureStart is designed to ensure everything sets off on the right track, before they’ve had time to diverge and get confused. For some clients that might be when an initiative is still on the horizon, and for others it might be when it’s just kicked off. By engaging with teams at these crucial formative stages, Pelicam are able to call on our wealth of in-flight experience and spot potential pitfalls and hurdles before they’ve become problematic. As with all of our engagements, our objective is not only to help your team avoid these issues but also to equip them with the tools they need to spot and overcome other issues as and when they arise. We “coach as we go” to build capability and momentum internally.
One of the benefits of having Pelicam on board at an early stage is our independent perspective. By being able to see the bigger picture and navigate what can sometimes be tricky internal politics, we’re able to rigorously test the alignment and understanding of an entire team from top to bottom. By balancing ambition with reality, we can help to unearth the risks which are sometimes ignored or unseen in the enthusiasm of a new piece of work.
Why is AssureStart a smart investment?
Mind the gap: It is well documented and known that it is much more difficult to get a delivery back on track once it’s gone wrong, as opposed to setting it up for success in the first place. The longer a project runs without clear alignment the further the gap between where it is and where it should be becomes, and the more difficult to bridge. In fact feedback suggests that just by having us involved at the outset gets everyone's attention focused on the task ahead and encourages good quality discussion. Sometimes that discussion leads to a slight change in focus or a rethink but better do that before you embark on the journey...
Agile working: Particularly in businesses working in Agile, we’ve seen a tendency for teams to jump in without a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve. For these fast moving organisations, taking a second or two to consider, can save a great deal of wasted work.
Resourcing challenge: We’ve recently written about the resource challenge and the ways in which it is forcing organisations to change their approach. Give yourself the opportunity to overcome the resource challenge before it becomes an issue. If you can think ahead of your resource needs you maximise the chances of having the right people and capabilities when you need them.
How we can help
Pelicam have worked on more than 200 change initiatives for clients across all industries. This experience has given us the unique ability to help you create the framework for success as well as boost capabilities to deliver it. If there’s a transformation coming up which you would like to discuss with us we’d love to have a chat. If its already underway, have a read about our Rapid Response engagements and how we can make sure things are on track.
For more information or a chat, please contact us at info@pelicam.com
