Performance measures are essential. Unfortunately, in my experience these measures all too often focus on installation rather than realization. The realization of the desired outcomes such as increased customer loyalty, business growth, and operating efficiencies are often lost in the focus on installing software and meeting deadlines. Of course, if the desired end state has not been clearly envisioned and senior leaders are not aligned around the case for change, the future state, and the desired outcomes, an installation focus is most likely to be the result.

Relying on change agents is all very well, but without effective sponsorship all the way down the organization, agents cannot hope to succeed. Declaring who is the executive or initiating sponsor is important but without cascading sponsorship all the way to the end user, these end users with not be engaged, and the essential behavior and mindset shifts will not occur. Once again, the desired business results will not be fully realized.

Paul G. Ward
http://www.connerpartners.com

I am glad to see that this is not another fluffy article on some odd theory but that you pinnpoint exactly where the rubber meets the road: going local. In our book on the same subject we have a specific name for this: ‘LOCAL PETS’. Consequently we look at the subject a ‘taming the local pets’.

Every country and every project has its specific elements, and every industry has its specific exceptions. We are referring to the processes that are not the core processes but the exceptions that people warn you about 80 % of the time. Examples of these local pets include the following:

- Imperial versus metric systems in US deployments of global programs
- Nota Fiscal in Brazil
- Luxury taxes in Indonesia
- Post-dated checks in Taiwan
- All kinds of industry specific pets like samples or returns

The sensitive atmosphere hanging around local pets illustrates the need for psychological safety. Even though the program may have completed the 80 % of the processes that are business-critical, people won’t place their trust in the program until you tame their local pet. It becomes a symbolic hurdle that you have to clear. Taming the local pet equals creating buy-in by investing all of your attention into these special processes. Make sure that you involve the local key players!

Source: Managing Organizational Change during SAP Implementations: Luc Galoppin, Siegfried Caems: Books http://ow.ly/14Xq7

Here you can get a free chapter: http://ow.ly/14XwS

Best regards,
Luc.