I believe the small to medium enterprises of today will be our power players of tomorrow. They are the ones that will innovate, disrupt the big end of town and deliver infinitely better products and services to their customers.
Hence the importance of ensuring these businesses evolve and transform so they are scalable and well positioned for future growth and success.
These are things I am passionate about, the things that get me out of bed each day.
Statistics say that the majority of business transformations fail. No surprise. There is also a perception that business transformation is for bigger enterprises. That’s a misconception. Business transformation is a holistic concept that can be applied to any business. That’s why a roadmap built on real-world experience is imperative to success.
I have spent a lot of time with our big corporates, consistently frustrated with how they keep making the same mistakes, with the wastage, the bureaucracy, the consistently poor treatment of great staff and a willingness to accept mediocre outcomes as being “normal”. Invariably there was also a convenient disconnect between senior leadership and the management layers put in place to deliver outcomes. I call it the “line of perception” and it permeates most big corporates.
I had learned a lot, seen the mistakes and most importantly I knew how to get these things right to achieve success. So, I started Project Acuity as a firm focused on creating sharp, clear thinking to achieve success.
I knew there was a better way to achieve success in business transformation which is why I developed the Business Transformation Navigator.
To start, it is vital that transformation programs are clearly aligned with strategy and all initiatives demonstrate a clear strategic contribution. A holistic approach is required, underpinned by a clear roadmap and led by empowered management teams who are strongly connected to the process. It’s also critical to get the people aspects right, at all levels, by investing in their capabilities and creating a culture of success and commitment. These things pay significant dividends for the organisation, it’s customers and its staff.
The key thing I have seen over the years is that businesses get lost in the business transformation process. Let’s be honest, it’s easy to do because business transformation is hard and complex. It’s also difficult to decipher the information and methodologies available so, without the benefit of real experience to guide the process, many transformations simply run off the rails and don’t achieve the expected outcomes.
That’s why my focus in on small-medium enterprises, helping them disrupt the status quo, do things differently, be successful in business transformation and achieve their vision.