We worked with a specialised team within a major utility to transform their operational culture following the implementation of a new Target Operating Model. This team, responsible for strategy, planning, asset management, and infrastructure delivery, needed to shift from siloed operations to cross-functional collaboration. Through our human-centred change design approach, we supported the team through this significant cultural transformation, with the client reporting high levels of engagement and positive outcomes.

THE CHALLENGE

Following the implementation of a new Target Operating Model, the team faced significant challenges in aligning their activities with broader organisational goals. The team was responsible for critical functions including strategy and planning, systems planning, asset management, portfolio investment, and infrastructure delivery.

While the structural changes had been implemented, the cultural shift needed to make the new operating model effective had not yet occurred. The team was operating in functional silos rather than taking an enterprise view of their contribution to the organisation. Cross-functional collaboration was limited, creating inefficiencies and reducing the effectiveness of the new operating model within the team.

The team's leadership required a partner who could design and implement a change program that would align activities with organisational goals, foster a culture of collaboration within the team, minimise resistance to change, and ensure sustainable transformation through stakeholder engagement and co-design.

THE SOLUTION

Our approach to supporting the team through this cultural transformation was comprehensive and collaborative, focusing on both mindset shifts and practical implementation. We developed a tailored change design methodology that addressed the specific needs and challenges of the team.

Key steps:

1. Discovery & Needs Assessment: We conducted a series of one-on-one conversations with team members to understand what needed to change, the problems being solved, and the new patterns of behaviour that the team wanted to establish. This deep understanding informed our approach and ensured alignment with stakeholder needs.
2. Collaborative Workshop Design: Based on our initial assessments, we designed and facilitated a 1.5-day workshop that encouraged participants to explore and define the nature and scope of change required. The workshop focused on achieving the desired future state by shifting ways of thinking and working at individual, team and functional levels.
3. Iterative Implementation: We co-designed and facilitated a series of team 'sprint' sessions aimed at further embedding the patterns of behaviour required to achieve the desired future state. These sessions allowed for real-time adaptation and refinement of the approach based on emerging needs and feedback.
4. Leadership Engagement: Throughout the project, we maintained regular meetings with the Executive Director of the team to ensure the project remained on track and that all deliverables aligned with desired outcomes. This high-level engagement ensured leadership buy-in and strategic alignment.

Key features:

• Human-Centred Approach: Our methodology prioritised stakeholder involvement at every stage, ensuring that the change process was responsive to real needs and concerns within the team.
• Co-Design Principles: Rather than imposing solutions, we worked collaboratively with team members to design and implement changes, fostering ownership and commitment.
• Iterative Process: The agile approach allowed for continuous improvement and adaptation based on feedback and emerging needs, ensuring relevance and effectiveness throughout the engagement.
• Systems Thinking: We encouraged team members to take an enterprise view of their contribution, understanding how their work connected to and impacted the broader organisation.

THE RESULTS

The program achieved numerous positive outcomes for the team. We worked with the team to facilitate a cultural shift towards systems-thinking and cross-functional collaboration within the team - a critical requirement for making the new Target Operating Model effective.

Our collaborative approach contributed to increased employee engagement and buy-in for the cultural changes required to give effect to the Target Operating Model. By involving team members throughout the process, we helped reduce resistance and create a sense of ownership over the transformation.

Perhaps most importantly, we worked with the team's leaders to develop tools and techniques to sustain the change beyond the end of our engagement. This approach was designed to support the transformation's continued evolution rather than reverting to previous patterns.

Through this collaborative transformation process, we helped the team implement their new operating model more effectively and build the internal capability to navigate future changes with greater confidence and resilience.