Most of your projects are probably linked to achieving your strategy. Some are imposed on you due to a regulatory change or a crisis. In all of these cases, you need pragmatic tools and approaches to get the job done fast. Today I’ll describe one project where I was called in after a new ERP system went live, and things were spiraling out of control.
System implementation crisis
The business hadn’t configured the system well, and the errors were devastating – incorrect invoices which their clients refused to pay. The result was a severe cash flow crisis that nearly crippled the business. The Finance team worked around the clock, desperately trying to fix the invoices and repair the system, but exhaustion set in. They hired contractors at great cost to fix the system and reissue the invoices, but the backlog grew and the cash situation deteriorated. The CFO, under immense stress, was hospitalized with pneumonia, and the business teetered on the edge.
That’s when they brought me in. I set up a cross-functional Process Improvement Team (known as the PIT team) to tackle the chaos. Together with the CEO, we gathered the right people together (Finance, Operations, IT and management), defined clear objectives, and with the CEO were able to approve key decisions quickly. We identified and tackled root causes, as well as the backlog of incorrect invoices. The business traded it’s way out of the mess. Click here for a short video clip that describes this example of how a cross-functional team can be effective at problem-solving and collaboration.
I have found that cross-functional project teams are such a powerful way to tackle complex business problems and encourage people to collaborate on initiatives.
Tips for getting strategies back on track with cross-functional teams:
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Involve the Right People: Build a cross-functional team with the skills and insight needed to solve the problem from all angles.
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Set a Shared Objective: Align the team around a common goal to maintain focus and momentum during recovery efforts.
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Involve Senior Leadership: Bring in someone with authority (in our case it was the CEO) to ensure swift decision-making and lend credibility to the process.
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Quote of the week
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.”
Henry Ford
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About Lisa Carlin
Lisa Carlin is a Strategy Execution Specialist. She works with business leaders to plan and execute their strategies in tough environments. Her clients love having her expertise and guidance to navigate their workplace culture and use AI to achieve success.
Lisa created The Turbochargers Hub, so leaders can master the art of strategic influence and generate momentum for organizational change.
Lisa is the author of the globally acclaimed newsletter, Turbocharge Weekly, read by 8,000 business leaders.
Lisa’s career includes roles at McKinsey and Accenture, then running her own business since 1999. Over this time she has delivered over 50 implementations with a 96% success rate.