Being Right Isn't Enough

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Keep the big picture—and all stakeholders—in full view when executing plans.

Keep the big picture—and all stakeholders—in full view when executing plans.

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It never crossed my mind that any other departments would care. Well, they did.

It never crossed my mind that any other departments would care. Well, they did.

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I am literal. I don't mean by inclination nor by preference. I mean I am literal to the bone. Oh, and I don't play poker—because as my boss often teases, he'd have our family farm in three hands. I don't wear my emotions on my sleeve; they are me. I am a classic display of what you see is what and whom you get. I share this as introduction to how I needed to learn to embrace the bigger picture.

I am literal. I don't mean by inclination nor by preference. I mean I am literal to the bone. Oh, and I don't play poker—because as my boss often teases, he'd have our family farm in three hands. I don't wear my emotions on my sleeve; they are me. I am a classic display of what you see is what and whom you get. I share this as introduction to how I needed to learn to embrace the bigger picture.

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I have worked for some of the best companies in the world. I have had some fantastic leaders who empowered, motivated, and challenged me and my team. They needed the best of me and helped me find the inspiration to follow a path of delivering tough stuff. They trusted me, relied on me, and gave me carte blanche to do what was necessary. They said, "Make it happen," so I set out to do just that. I came to expect that this was the right way to operate. This was all before I came to realize that being right alone wasn't enough.

I have worked for some of the best companies in the world. I have had some fantastic leaders who empowered, motivated, and challenged me and my team. They needed the best of me and helped me find the inspiration to follow a path of delivering tough stuff. They trusted me, relied on me, and gave me carte blanche to do what was necessary. They said, "Make it happen," so I set out to do just that. I came to expect that this was the right way to operate. This was all before I came to realize that being right alone wasn't enough.

Picture it

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Earlier in my career, I was chartered to fix the "data issue" in operations relative to learning. We were in a heavily regulated market, and the fines that federal agencies had levied on similar organizations during this period were horrific. We didn't have a functional learning management system (LMS), and yet we made employee assignments on the factory line based on an individual's training. My learning team was large, but without a system to support our training and certification activities, we had no proof other than "we said" testimony.

Earlier in my career, I was chartered to fix the "data issue" in operations relative to learning. We were in a heavily regulated market, and the fines that federal agencies had levied on similar organizations during this period were horrific. We didn't have a functional learning management system (LMS), and yet we made employee assignments on the factory line based on an individual's training. My learning team was large, but without a system to support our training and certification activities, we had no proof other than "we said" testimony.

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My boss, a truly amazing man, had heard from site locations globally that we needed an LMS. He asked me to prepare the business case. As I concluded my presentation by saying, "So, therefore, I recommend …" he replied, "Do it." I had my marching orders; I was ready. For me that meant: Get the job done. I knew what I had to do and, well, I am pretty good at execution.

My boss, a truly amazing man, had heard from site locations globally that we needed an LMS. He asked me to prepare the business case. As I concluded my presentation by saying, "So, therefore, I recommend …" he replied, "Do it." I had my marching orders; I was ready. For me that meant: Get the job done. I knew what I had to do and, well, I am pretty good at execution.

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Without giving it a minute's consideration, I embarked on the path to select and implement an LMS. We needed to move quickly. I knew the direction was right; I knew I had carte blanche from my leader. We needed to get this done. The literal fabric of me screamed, "Yes, let's do this."

Without giving it a minute's consideration, I embarked on the path to select and implement an LMS. We needed to move quickly. I knew the direction was right; I knew I had carte blanche from my leader. We needed to get this done. The literal fabric of me screamed, "Yes, let's do this."

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The thing that I did not give credence to or consider at all was the fact that I reported to operations, not human resources or information technology. Unfortunately, I did not anticipate resistance from those who claimed a stake in the action (that's right, HR and IT wanted to join in the plan). That was the crux of my faux pas. The definition of faux pas is an embarrassing or tactless act, mistake, blunder, social error. In French, it literally means false step. Did I ever. I didn't think to even speak to two key stakeholders.

The thing that I did not give credence to or consider at all was the fact that I reported to operations, not human resources or information technology. Unfortunately, I did not anticipate resistance from those who claimed a stake in the action (that's right, HR and IT wanted to join in the plan). That was the crux of my faux pas. The definition of faux pas is an embarrassing or tactless act, mistake, blunder, social error. In French, it literally means false step. Did I ever. I didn't think to even speak to two key stakeholders.

Hitting roadblocks

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I assembled a team of highly competent individuals to begin identifying our requirements and subsequent supplier selection. We had just 18 months from procurement to go-live (the timetable leadership gave me), and we needed to press hard. In one of the weekly project meetings, one of the team members reported hitting a wall in working with colleagues on interfaces with the HR information system (HRIS) and with IT on testing schedules. "How odd?" I thought. Why would HR or IT become barriers?

I assembled a team of highly competent individuals to begin identifying our requirements and subsequent supplier selection. We had just 18 months from procurement to go-live (the timetable leadership gave me), and we needed to press hard. In one of the weekly project meetings, one of the team members reported hitting a wall in working with colleagues on interfaces with the HR information system (HRIS) and with IT on testing schedules. "How odd?" I thought. Why would HR or IT become barriers?

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Remember, for literalists like me, I had portfolio, was given a budget and timetable, and knew the plan was right. In truth, it never crossed my mind that any other department would care. Well, they did. And I missed the signals until the resistance appeared.

Remember, for literalists like me, I had portfolio, was given a budget and timetable, and knew the plan was right. In truth, it never crossed my mind that any other department would care. Well, they did. And I missed the signals until the resistance appeared.

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Suddenly, HR wasn't available to work with us on the necessary system interfaces and IT didn't agree with our implementation timetable.

Suddenly, HR wasn't available to work with us on the necessary system interfaces and IT didn't agree with our implementation timetable.

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What?

What?

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We were told to execute. Why would anyone resist? Now, for the record, this was far earlier in my career and I had not yet learned of the impressive and important impact of colossal collaboration (when people work together not just to get their own work done but also to enable others to also be productive).

We were told to execute. Why would anyone resist? Now, for the record, this was far earlier in my career and I had not yet learned of the impressive and important impact of colossal collaboration (when people work together not just to get their own work done but also to enable others to also be productive).

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Off I trudged to HR and IT. HR leadership was too busy to meet. They were getting in the way of our work, and they were too busy to meet? So, I traveled to IT's headquarters (located in another state). Reality soon sank in. The IT leader advised that he owned all systems implementations, including network implication testing, server requirements, and the like. My implementation did not include them, and I needed to reset to embrace their requirements for the project.

Off I trudged to HR and IT. HR leadership was too busy to meet. They were getting in the way of our work, and they were too busy to meet? So, I traveled to IT's headquarters (located in another state). Reality soon sank in. The IT leader advised that he owned all systems implementations, including network implication testing, server requirements, and the like. My implementation did not include them, and I needed to reset to embrace their requirements for the project.

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Now, this was new. Yet, it was immediately refreshing, because I learned that IT had requirements and all I had to do was oblige them. Simple enough, one might expect—but their agenda for the year was set and we weren't on it. They could get to us in 24 months. Fortunately, the chief information officer was a savvy guy, and he already knew from his colleagues that the business needed an LMS and fast. We worked together on aligning shared activities and began a path of true collaboration. He showed me the error of my ways.

Now, this was new. Yet, it was immediately refreshing, because I learned that IT had requirements and all I had to do was oblige them. Simple enough, one might expect—but their agenda for the year was set and we weren't on it. They could get to us in 24 months. Fortunately, the chief information officer was a savvy guy, and he already knew from his colleagues that the business needed an LMS and fast. We worked together on aligning shared activities and began a path of true collaboration. He showed me the error of my ways.

Mea culpa

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Even as literal as I am, I learn. HR, like IT, was feeling the pinch of exclusion. They were stakeholders even though, by their own admission, they didn't "own" learning (this was a function of the business units), but they did own the HRIS. Enriched by the discussion with IT, I redirected my overtures to HR. Hat in hand, I declared mea culpa and met with HR leadership to rectify my plan's shortcomings.

Even as literal as I am, I learn. HR, like IT, was feeling the pinch of exclusion. They were stakeholders even though, by their own admission, they didn't "own" learning (this was a function of the business units), but they did own the HRIS. Enriched by the discussion with IT, I redirected my overtures to HR. Hat in hand, I declared mea culpa and met with HR leadership to rectify my plan's shortcomings.

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Securing the partnership of HR was not easy. I had to educate, inform, and contribute in a far more expansive manner than I had ever been called upon to do. It took time, which resulted in a timetable delay, and energy to revisit the requirements—and it cost me personal credibility.

Securing the partnership of HR was not easy. I had to educate, inform, and contribute in a far more expansive manner than I had ever been called upon to do. It took time, which resulted in a timetable delay, and energy to revisit the requirements—and it cost me personal credibility.

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The LMS was installed, almost on time. And yet I knew how close to failure I had come. The result: I became a student of collaboration, resistance, decision making, politics, principles, and nuance. Immersed in the disciplines of collaboration, I realized the importance of distinguishing true decision makers, identifying those who are deeply involved stakeholders, and informing those who sit in the category of interested parties (do not underestimate this category).

The LMS was installed, almost on time. And yet I knew how close to failure I had come. The result: I became a student of collaboration, resistance, decision making, politics, principles, and nuance. Immersed in the disciplines of collaboration, I realized the importance of distinguishing true decision makers, identifying those who are deeply involved stakeholders, and informing those who sit in the category of interested parties (do not underestimate this category).

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Start out with inclusion as the basis for all initiatives to best ensure that your vision will be shared by others—even those you might not anticipate care about your work. We do nothing alone, and it is wise to collaborate at the outset of an initiative to avoid resistance. Collaboration is a vital element in all activities, not just systems implementations. The broader the impact of the initiative, the greater the need for inclusion. It may cost you time upfront; however, it will certainly win you support. Remember the big picture.

Start out with inclusion as the basis for all initiatives to best ensure that your vision will be shared by others—even those you might not anticipate care about your work. We do nothing alone, and it is wise to collaborate at the outset of an initiative to avoid resistance. Collaboration is a vital element in all activities, not just systems implementations. The broader the impact of the initiative, the greater the need for inclusion. It may cost you time upfront; however, it will certainly win you support. Remember the big picture.