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Brian Kelly B.Comm Principal, Strategic Change
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‘Catalysts For Change’
What do you tell clients who are considering transformation? The bottom line is, it’s not easy. Transformation doesn’t take place overnight. It takes time and unwavering commitment. It requires a strong consistency of purpose; everyone needs to be held accountable and involved. The first requirement is a leader with vision: strong and coherent senior management teams are at the heart of a successful transformation. And the process needs to be well planned, carried out through the entire organization. You have to respect a client that goes through this—it’s a scary process but the end result makes it worthwhile.Is there a particular project that sticks in your mind—for the challenges or the achievement? Working with a leading government health agency to restructure a massive benefits program was one of the most challenging and rewarding transformation projects I’ve ever worked on—all at the same time. Helping their senior management team come together to revitalize the department’s strategic planning processes and improve their performance as a team was at the core of the project. Their diverse client base made the job very complex. But we saw some really significant changes happen and it was so gratifying to work with an organization that is making real contributions to Canada.
Do you tend to feel a personal stake in the outcome? Definitely. We all do. But the process doesn’t belong to us: it belongs to the client. As do the outcomes. We’re only there as advisors. Our job is to keep on top of things, stay in their faces—in a really positive way—from start to finish. When clients decide to undertake a transformation, they need to totally commit. We help foster that commitment by putting in place what we call ‘catalytic mechanisms’—controls that keep the process moving forward, that prevent going back. You have to maintain momentum. And you have to measure your progress, pick a few key indicators and judge success based on them.
What got you into this field? I spent a large part of my career at Bell Canada. In the 1990s, ‘total quality’ was the way of the future. In pursuit of total quality objectives, Bell Canada went through some major innovation processes. I was lucky to be involved in a number of re-engineering projects that helped lead Bell into a new competitive environment. I witnessed major transformations and later became involved in implementing them. Now, as a consultant, I bring a unique perspective to our clients. Having been a part of an organization undergoing a major transformation, having been a client of world-renowned consulting firms and having acted as a consultant in transformation projects myself for more than 10 years, I am very grounded in my understanding of what tactics are most likely to breed successful transformation.
The personal dimension is important to you? Oh, absolutely. Above all, we value our enduring relationships with our clients. Our job is to be ongoing mentors for our clients throughout their lifespan. Their needs are always going to be changing and evolving and we will always be there to support them—our job does not end after a transformation project is complete.
