Are your steering committees ready to lead your transformations?
In the beginning of the year many companies kick off new transformation projects. This entails both risks and opportunities. Will the investments be spent without the intended result, or will the change initiative lead to the organization’s goals? Effective steering groups contribute to a real difference in the organization. Are your steering groups equipped to lead your transformations all the way?
In this article we share some tips for a strong and effective steering committee.
An effective steering group has:
- Defined desired business effects.
- Ensured that the participants of the steering group agree on the vision.
- Is decisive for the various decisions that will need to be made during the transformation.
- Produced a “definition of done” when the steering group should to be dissolved, both based on the solution, and based on the effects that should have been achieved.
- Representatives from the business areas affected by the change.
- Participants who act as communicative ambassadors in the organization throughout the transformation.
- Capacity and prioritized time to engage in steering group work.
Some risks to watch out for:
- Lack of expectations management.
- Leaders from the impacted business areas are nor represented in the steering group.
Often, the steering group is staffed exclusively with those who are familiar with how the design of the solution itself should look, and central leaders from affected business areas are not represented in the steering group. - Global transformations are staffed by participants from the headquarter.
In global complex transformations, we often see that the staffing of the steering group will be staffed by representatives from the central management, whereas local representatives are missing. - Governance is based on activity, rather than effect.
An effective steering group needs to focus on the realization of the effect and not exclusively govern based on completed activities.
Curious to know more about how Improviate can support your organization in strenghening your Steering Committees? Contact us.
