Industry insights

Tack or gybe? Implementing rapid change

16 Feb 2012
Posted by Chris Martin

The world’s best yachtsmen spend days practising how to change direction quickly and smoothly.  Yacht races, like business competition, are often won or lost by how well the competitors change direction in response to environmental factors, be it the weather, the economy or competitors' moves.  In the current economic climate, when margins and cash flow can be tight, starting a change project can be a risk, but as Darwin is often quoted as saying, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.”  However, if your organisation feels more like a super-tanker than a racing yacht then it is fair to ask whether the risk, effort or cost of change is really worth it?

The key is to change direction efficiently and get to where you want to be without extra cost or delay, which requires experience and focus on the change and the objective.  Athletes benefit from the experience of their coaches and Chaucer’s clients benefit from the breadth and depth of experience of implementing change that Chaucer can bring to bear in any situation.  That experience can be seen in action by the speed of change that can be delivered when a focussed team and methodology are applied to the challenge.

In this economic climate not changing is as at least, if not more, risky to a business as being bold and seeking to deliver extra value to customers.  The experience that Chaucer can bring to bear on a change project can help you make a strong strategic decision and then drive implementation.  This is because we know, as shown in our Chaucer Way - Change Management, just how challenging it can be to deliver and benefit from a change project.  The issues and complexities are many, but we have a systematic approach that draws on many years of experience in many industries that has delivered value and a clear return on investment for our clients.

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Components of Project Risk

10 Jan 2012
Posted by John Murphy

Most people learn about project risk 'on the job' by taking part in risk identification sessions, then assessing, monitoring and controlling them. If the process is handled correctly, the project will succeed and participants will move on to the next challenge. But before we jump into the mechanics, take a moment to think about what constitutes a risk.

In essence, for a risk to exist two bedfellows need to be present. If either isn't, then there is no risk. So, what are these two key components? Quite simply, they are Uncertainty and Constraint. That's it. If both exist for specific events or to the project as a whole, then you need to instigate an appropriate level of risk management.

That's okay, I hear you say, perhaps we are in an ideal situation and our project isn't exposed to any risk. But again we need to think a little deeper. What exactly do we mean here?

Take the case of no uncertainty. If that was truly the case, we could set precise completion dates, exact expenditure and rigid quality requirements because we'd know exactly how to achieve them. All our unknowns would have disappeared and we'd have total control over all aspects of execution, both internal and external. Does that fit the project you're on? If so, you can relax and know success is assured.

What about no constraints? In this case it doesn't matter what we know or don't know. There is nothing dictating what the ultimate deliverable is so we can take as long as we want, spend whatever it takes and end up with something that will probably perform (of course it doesn't really matter if it doesn't, we can just keep trying). Does that sound more like your situation? If so you can watch the world go by without a care in the world, knowing you can never be brought to book.

Looking at risk in this way demonstrates that being involved in a project that doesn't have risks is virtually impossible. That means that however simple a project seems, look closely at the uncertainty and constraints to identify where you need to focus your management of risk.

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Dichotomies, trichotomies and confusion

03 Jan 2012
Posted by Aled Laugharne

"Shall we go on holiday to Spain or Portugal this year, Dear?" It's often that we naturally bisect or trisect our options or ways of thinking to try and make things easier for ourselves. This might seem to be the best way of coming to a conclusion, but we are often immediately limiting our options to one or other before we can decide on the best solution.

This phenomenon often comes to light when trying to apply various work philosophies to an organisation in a practical manner. Since mass industrialisation, many philosophies have come, gone, and been developed and combined. In the world of Continuous Improvement, I’ve noticed that Lean, Six-Sigma, and to some extent Agile, if not consciously, have subconsciously formed a trichotomy.

The truth is, although theory might dictate that there is some sort of di/trichotomy in place, in practice, very seldom are there situations where one of these theories can be applied in isolation. And indeed, applying one Continuous Improvement philosophy with rigour in a new environment can often lead to comments such as, "Lean (or Six-Sigma, or Agile, or TQM etc.) isn't working for us.", as the programme hasn't been tailored to suit (this assumes that other aspects of Change have been well managed).

So how do you avoid the dichotomy phenomenon and confusion over which philosophy to select when it comes to rolling out a Continuous Improvement programme in your organisation? You could start by talking to a professional services provider like Chaucer, that doesn't have a particular affiliation to one philosophy. This way, a solution can be provided that pragmatically combines ideas from the various schools of thought and can be tailored to your organisation.

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How global talent realities impact your talent strategy

14 Dec 2011
Posted by Sue Stevens

The rapid speed of globalisation is affecting all our organisations to a greater or lesser extent and will impact upon current and future talent strategies. For UK based companies , greater labour market mobility together with the cap on non-EU migration will have an impact on the supply and diversity of talent. For companies operating in the global marketplace, for example, Oil and Gas companies, the need for talent is so strong that it is essential that resourcing and business strategies are aligned.

The challenge for HR and talent professionals is to anticipate business needs and ensure that appropriate structures are created for getting the right people into the right local markets where they are needed around the world. This might be by shaping operations around talent flow and resources; for example, moving jobs to the people, not people to the jobs.

In many places, there is no longer a place for Western traditional expatriate models. Too expensive, for a start. Instead, nationalisation programmes are prevalent in many countries who demand that the supply chain benefits their local economies and labour markets and others are looking towards the East for talent in any case.

So what are some of the global trends and challenges that need to be tackled in the brave new world of global talent and resourcing?

• How to attract global talent-particularly challenging if you do not have a big brand name
• Combining global consistency in attracting and developing talent with local relevance and application
• Developing leaders with a global mind-set to drive growth
• Understanding and navigating  the political, legal, social and economic climates of the geographies in which you are working
• Developing cultural sensitivity  and awareness (talent assessment and identification is extremely culturally sensitive)
• Recognising and clearly articulating the financial value of global talent to the business

And what should organisations be thinking about when considering their response to these challenges?

• Do you have a clear understanding of the shifts in the global marketplace and how these will affect your business and supply of talented people?
• Have you got the global consistency and local relevance balance right?
• Can you articulate the financial value of global talent to your business?
• What is your talent strategy and how does it incorporate attracting, retaining and developing global talent in to your business?

There are no set answers to these questions; but considering them will help inform the way you develop a talent strategy linked to your specific business challenges. 

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Implementing a talent management system

13 Dec 2011
Posted by Elizaveta Trushkina

A company can be viewed as a living organism that functions effectively through the people working in it, creating relationships that can even be called "friendship". A talent management solution can strengthen this “friendship” by serving the interests of both parties. The company gets transparency of its employees’ capabilities and competencies, at the same time focusing on the development/growth strategy. The employees get an unbiased assessment and proper recognition for their delivery, as well as clear development opportunities.

Talent management systems are currently critical for success, as companies wrestle with lower returns and a greater need to make the best use of their most valuable asset – their people. A talent management solution can bridge the gap between simply administering employees and building strong "bench strength". In some countries, such as the US, large companies are formally recommended to show that personnel are competent, qualified and capable to safely perform their assigned tasks and to ensure that  compensation is in part linked to meeting safety performance indicators. So a talent management solution becomes a really useful tool that can be used to store and classify all the competencies in one place; ensure employees sign up to the company's values and behaviours prior to creating their development plans in the system; ensure they are rewarded on a performance vs. goal basis.

Selecting the best fit talent management solution needs care and diligence. It’s crucial that the company is clear about what it really needs, what use it’s going to make of the system and its outputs, how it’s going to fit with its culture and ways of working, how much customisation will be needed, and what support will be available, before and after launch, and so on. An organisation must be ready and willing to embrace the changes that will ensue.

There are numerous talent management solution developers, but fewer companies who are independent and able to “squeeze” the utmost from the developer’s system, providing a tailored solution rather than simply opting for a well-marketed but potentially unsuitable hybrid!

An experienced and committed delivery partner will carefully capture the requirements, aligning them across the organisation, converting them into functional specifications, and rigorously manage selection and delivery against these. Then, in deploying the solution, the partner will take the burden of this highly sensitive task off the client’s shoulders, delivering essential functionality within budget and timelines whilst assuring its delivery.

Only then can the company start to truly enjoy the fruits of a really good talent management solution.

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