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The digital transformation project for CTRM (commodity trading and risk management) had been a tedious journey due to the need to connect the end-to-end solutions across different functions. Common change challenges includes misalignment, communication gap and silo mentality between internal and external parties.
- Lack of digital capability and previous negative experiences within the legacy teams led to psycho-dynamic signs of anxiety/ defense mechanism to change surfacing.
- Lack of clarity on Change Impact, benefits and the impact on roles and organization processes due to unclear digital solutioning (with continued unforeseen outcomes) led to a lack in confidence in the digital transformation journey.
Establishing the Foundation for Sustainable Change for Global Digital Trade Transformation
Establishing the Foundation for Sustainable Change for Global
Digital Trade Transformation
Founded in USA (a leading Fortune 500/Forbes top private company), the client operates across agriculture, nutrition, food and financial, industrial services sectors and is one of the largest global family businesses. As they are forging ahead on an intensive digital transformation journey to continue scaling due to the high growth rate in commodities trading. The transformation to date has unlocked opportunities that have been latent in the legacy work environment which had (for example) manual processing and multiple spreadsheets cross-functionally (in the trading, trade execution, IT, commercial, finance and data). Data migration was also leveraged to provide valuable insights like identifying growth drivers.
Our Chief Change Catalyst was appointed as the IT Change Lead globally with focus in APAC, China, Hong Kong and India, to partner with the business leadership (cross functionally) and Global IT solutions delivery team on change management in the end-to end digital transformation process - including preparation for change (both technical, role changes and human preparedness), improvement of holistic Change experience and to kick-start the plan to embed sustainable change.
Challenge
Solution
- Audience analysis and alignment of the stake–holder on what goes on “beneath the surface” to identify root causes of pain points and issues through our change audit/ observation linked to tackling mobilization challenges, through a holistic solution from both a technical and psychodynamic perspective.
- A systematic and consistent Change Management Plan approach that is bespoke for CTRM and goes beyond just leveraging the best practice of SAP change management best practice. This included the holistic integrated planning of change management with the IT/ technology architects and solutions teams to ensure the readiness for the change is in place upfront to UAT/ cut-over.
- Programs for human capital to build collaboration, agility, drive stronger transformation momentum and capability within the team (internal cross-functional teams, digital consultants and vendors).
- Set-up and monitoring the foundations of the Change Communication, base-line of remote meeting management, Change Impact, Role Mapping and Education plan which was subsequently handed to reliable change agents for implementation.
- Building greater confidence by encouraging IT system / CTRM user engagement upfront - e.g. organizing IT demo and testing workshops for trade capture, regular newsletters, programs to drive change & recognition awards to reward the right change behaviours, to build greater confidence in the digital transformation process.
Solution
The Difference Made
- A clear executable path in the Change Management Plan that is integrated with the IT/ technology architects, solutions teams and business needs.
- Greater psychological and technical support and buy-in of the project driving anticipation and eagerness of users to expedite the Change process e.g. by consistently “painting” and socializing a “day in the life of” a user and the positive change outcome for that user to ignite anticipation for the change impact.
- Clarity of roles and responsibilities linked to achieving the change impact through role-mapping and an education plan to close the capability/ knowledge gaps to cut-over.
- Increasing positive collaboration and agility across the diverse team members by reinforcement of the human resource of the team and upfront management of change resistance of the project.
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