“Um… John always made sure things like that worked automagically.”
They couldn’t figure out why the financial records weren’t coming in for reconciliation.
The new IT director wanted to make her mark, and had been doing some ‘internal reorganisation’ without consulting the long standing employees, unceremoniously ejecting those she did not feel belong to the New Order.
Unfortunately that included the one person who knew how things worked for their antiquated banking reconciliation process.
There were no standard operating procedures, information silos with operations held together by hopeful wishes and crossed fingers – until a sneeze blows down the house of cards.
An organisation that isn’t on top of its business processes, where the employees understand their value in the operational landscape – is on dangerous ground.
Even if you aren’t doing a business change programme, or implementing a new system – it is a very valuable exercise to audit and review your processes.
This will unearth details that deserve closer scrutiny, questioning, and improving.
Thankfully in the above story, the IT director did not last very long, John was re-hired, and the Leadership team learned their lesson.
There are many similar stories where the damage was irreversible, and serves as a cautionary tale.
Make sure yours isn’t a horror story. 😱
#onthepeiroll
#businsesanalysis
#systemthinking
#salesforce