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Everybody likes a good moan…Be it the weather, the economy, your spouse or the workplace, there’s nothing that brings people together more than a slice of negativity.  Sharing troubles is therapeutic and once the problem is voiced it suddenly becomes less problematic.  This is human nature and makes us what we are.  On the reverse side of the coin we are nervous around overly positive people, what makes them so happy?  What’s their agenda?  Probably best not to trust them as they’re not like ‘us’.  The fact of the matter is that it can often be difficult to change a company culture, largely because of its people i.e. the individual.  The individual is sceptical to change and if it has a preconceived notion about a new policy or strategy then that’s a sure fire indicator that the moan floodgates will be opened. 

Many data strategies have failed to get across the benefits of collaboration in the workplace because of previous indiscretions – most notably Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementations.  In the late 90s CRM was a technology drug that many Finance and IT directors craved.  Unfortunately, for the majority of these early adopters, the returns failed to materialise.  Therefore, CRM is a skeleton that remains firmly locked up in many closets.  It taps at the door now and again, but if you ignore it for long enough, it gives up and gathers dust next to its fellow closet dweller dot com.

The majority of early CRM investments focussed on decreasing the cost of sales, marketing and service through more astute execution.  We have now learnt that it is only when we concentrate more on the customer that true value and increased revenue is attained.  This was the crux of many CRM failures.

So, today’s data professional has to combat earlier failures, yet still convince stakeholders within an organisation that collaboration between business lines is absolutely critical to the company’s future success.  Not an easy task.  But, if we can pinpoint where potential blockages might occur to data collaboration projects, understand and relate to the issues that exist, then the chance of success is much improved.

Let’s first look at the C-level executive – traditionally male and in his 50’s.  He is more concerned with people than process and will not normally be an advocate of new working methodologies.  Interestingly, now that more women are being given C-level responsibility the dynamics of the boardroom are changing.  Women are undoubtedly more relationship focussed and therefore more likely to comprehend and embrace the benefits of collaboration.  It is not an over statement to say that without C-level support any new initiative is dead in the water before it starts.  Critically, if the top brass are reluctant to change, why should anybody else?

Next level down it’s the Directors and Partners.  Usually, these people will have worked their way up through the company and will have a certain way of conducting business which has historically worked for them.  Therefore, any new ways of working will immediately be questioned, after all the ‘little black book’ approach has brought them this far.  In any case they have a department to run, so why get behind an initiative that benefits the whole organisation?  They are individuals remember and you know what they’re like.

Let’s have a look at sales and marketing, surely these guys would get behind a new data strategy…not necessarily.  In sales it will depend on how staff are rewarded, giving up information on key contacts could be seen as a threat to the new business pipeline.  Consequently, in many cases, sales will want to manage the process rather than dilute its perceived ownership.  Whether marketing is successful in supporting a new data strategy will mainly depend on how it communicates the benefits – if the feedback is poor and the success of campaigns not visible then the rest of the organisation will become unwilling to handover their contacts.  Marketing needs to realise that communication is a two-way process.

In essence, you can look at every department within an organisation and find reasons why they might block or hinder the development of a new data policy.  The individual is complex and needs educating.  If it can’t see any personal or team value then new initiatives will be weakened by corridor conversations and general apathy. 

However, any typical organisation is not made up completely of ‘blockers’, there will also be a fair sprinkling of ‘sympathisers’.  The key for any data collaboration project is to ensure one of these sympathisers is high profile and ideally sits at the boardroom table.  This person is crucial to the success of the new initiative, especially when it is has cultural and day-to-day implications.  The C-level exec needs to evangelise from the outset and ensure that positive communication is driven down. 

In addition, make sure any partner you work with fully understands the culture of your organisation.  Many technology roll outs fail because the vendor does not appreciate the specific business requirement or the idiosyncrasies of a particular sector.  Don’t just buy the technology; make sure you are comfortable with the level of consultancy and expertise that sits behind that hardware or software purchase.

Therefore, if you want your collaboration project to be accepted, there are two basics you need to get right.  Firstly, identify a high profile advocate at an early stage.  Secondly, make sure your technology partner understands your business.  If you tick these boxes, the impact of the ‘blocker’ will be diminished and the project is more likely to succeed. 

Edward Weatherall,
Managing Director,
Concep Limited