Eight steps to leading a successful SharePoint project. Based on the article 'Leading Change' by John P Kotter with examples based on experiences with SharePoint projects over the past decade. Focused on business value, not technical fe

1. 8 steps to leading a successful
SharePoint project
…and why so many fail to deliver the value expected
Sharon Richardson
Joining Dots
@joiningdots
www.joiningdots.com

2. ReadMe.1st
•
This presentation was delivered at the London SharePoint User
Group meeting on 28th November 2013
•
This is a modified version to accommodate Slideshare
formatting limitations and some notes have been added to not
quite make up for the lack of a presenter (a picture may be
worth a 1,000 words but it’s still easier to talk…)
Notes look
Notes look
like this…
like this…
•
Content is based on ‘Leading Change’ by John P Kotter with
examples taken from experiences with SharePoint projects over
the past decade. This talk is business-focused, not technical
•
Usual disclaimers apply - all product names, images, trademarks
and logos are the property of their respective owners.
Information is provided without warranty or guarantees etc. Use
at your own risk :-)

3. “40% of our client base using SharePoint are
not getting the value they expected from it
- Gartner, November 2012”
Is this a technology problem? Most people
Is this a technology problem? Most people
underestimate the effort required beyond
underestimate the effort required beyond
installation
installation

4. Step 1.
Establish a sense of
urgency
Over 50% of companies fail at
this stage. Management need to
be convinced of the urgency and
need to change.
Be in a hurry. Because projects
Be in a hurry. Because projects
with deadlines get done. Excuses
with deadlines get done. Excuses
are less likely to be tolerated
are less likely to be tolerated

5. “We have the licenses.
We want to implement SharePoint”
The reality facing many SharePoint
The reality facing many SharePoint
projects. May be the case but find a cause.
projects. May be the case but find a cause.
Find and solve an urgent business problem
Find and solve an urgent business problem

6. “We have the licenses.
We want to implement SharePoint”
This is just a platform reality,
This is just a platform reality,
SharePoint is the dominant player
SharePoint is the dominant player
so gets the most headlines
so gets the most headlines

7. Step 2.
Form a powerful
guiding coalition
You will need allies high-up to
overcome resistance from those
who don’t want to change for
personal or political reasons.
Line up your allies or you will face
Line up your allies or you will face
resistance alone. Good luck when you
resistance alone. Good luck when you
meet the predictable ‘I hate
meet the predictable ‘I hate
SharePoint’ crowd
SharePoint’ crowd

8. Replacing
Physical
Changing
Behaviour
Expect resistance from two camps. 1. Roles that exist to support traditional
Expect resistance from two camps. 1. Roles that exist to support traditional
methods. They’ll either fight you or worse, try to help --they will want to replicate the
methods. They’ll either fight you or worse, try to help they will want to replicate the
current process ‘as is’. Bad idea 2. Beware transferring workloads --who benefits
current process ‘as is’. Bad idea 2. Beware transferring workloads who benefits
from the change, effort-wise?
from the change, effort-wise?

9. Step 3.
Create a vision
In failed projects, you will find
plenty of plans and programs.
But no vision. Go beyond the
numbers. Tell a story.
A strong vision will guide all decisions. “1,000
A strong vision will guide all decisions. “1,000
songs in my pocket” focused priorities -songs in my pocket” focused priorities
sourcing the storage form factor and the
sourcing the storage form factor and the
mechanism for getting songs onto it…
mechanism for getting songs onto it…

10. How not to do it. Use words like ‘SharePoint’, ‘Collaborate’,
How not to do it. Use words like ‘SharePoint’, ‘Collaborate’,
‘Strategy’, ‘Governance’. Their time will come but start with a vision.
‘Strategy’, ‘Governance’. Their time will come but start with a vision.
What will change? Why will that matter to people? Articulate
What will change? Why will that matter to people? Articulate
outcomes in business terms
outcomes in business terms

11. Step 4.
Communicate the
vision
Use every possible channel.
Communications will fail if senior
managers act in ways that are
the anti-thesis of the vision.
Don’t just leave it to internal
Don’t just leave it to internal
communications to send out a newsletter
communications to send out a newsletter
update. Passionate leaders make all the
update. Passionate leaders make all the
difference
difference

12. Classic scenario – populating profiles with photos,
Classic scenario – populating profiles with photos,
or not. For adoption to scale across the
or not. For adoption to scale across the
organisation, management must participate --lead
organisation, management must participate lead
by example
by example

13. Step 5.
Empower others to
act on the vision
Remove all obstacles. Including
those who make demands on
their staff that are inconsistent
with the vision.
Beware the reluctant middle manager -Beware the reluctant middle manager
“Just print me out a copy…”. “I’m not sure
“Just print me out a copy…”. “I’m not sure
that comment was appropriate…”
that comment was appropriate…”

14. "Locks just keep honest people out."
Do not over-engineer designs. Just because you can, doesn‘t mean you
Do not over-engineer designs. Just because you can, doesn‘t mean you
always should… Simplify everything: processes, classification, security. Let
always should… Simplify everything: processes, classification, security. Let
people take responsibility and be involved in choices. Say No! to
people take responsibility and be involved in choices. Say No! to
bureaucratic demands from managers (a lot harder to do than to say…)
bureaucratic demands from managers (a lot harder to do than to say…)

15. Step 6.
Plan for and create
short term wins
Don’t just hope for them!
Every project in every sphere is a journey.
Every project in every sphere is a journey.
You build up to the ultimate goal. Through
You build up to the ultimate goal. Through
planning, not by accident. Make every
planning, not by accident. Make every
step count
step count

16. To create a sense of urgency, you need those big hairy audacious goals for
To create a sense of urgency, you need those big hairy audacious goals for
projects. But don’t ignore the smaller requests. They quickly create and
projects. But don’t ignore the smaller requests. They quickly create and
maintain momentum
maintain momentum

17. Step 7.
Consolidate and
produce more change
Don’t declare an early victory
based on initial improvements
and move on to something else.
Don’t be a one-hit wonder. Keep adapting and
Don’t be a one-hit wonder. Keep adapting and
growing the platform to create more value for
growing the platform to create more value for
the business. Takes more effort than most
the business. Takes more effort than most
people are prepared to commit to…
people are prepared to commit to…

18. This is when governance becomes the critical success factor. Not to justify
This is when governance becomes the critical success factor. Not to justify
the initial investment but to ensure SharePoint keeps producing value for the
the initial investment but to ensure SharePoint keeps producing value for the
organisation as usage grows and priorities shift
organisation as usage grows and priorities shift

19. Falling at the final hurdle --failing to
Falling at the final hurdle failing to
embed new ways of working into the
embed new ways of working into the
culture of the organisation. It took a
culture of the organisation. It took a
long time to make smoking
long time to make smoking
unpopular…
unpopular…
Step 8.
Institutionalise new
approaches
Show the benefits of change.
Don’t leave people to make their
own judgements. A change in
leadership can undo everything.

20. Don’t underestimate the power of the humble ‘like’. Promote constantly
Don’t underestimate the power of the humble ‘like’. Promote constantly
what is working well and acknowledge contributions. We all get a huge
what is working well and acknowledge contributions. We all get a huge
morale boost from being appreciated. Make the old ways unpopular.
morale boost from being appreciated. Make the old ways unpopular.
Don’t assume people are aware of what benefits are being achieved.
Don’t assume people are aware of what benefits are being achieved.
Communicate!
Communicate!

21. 8 steps to a successful
SharePoint Project
1. Establish a sense of urgency
2. Form a powerful coalition
3. Create a vision
4. Communicate the vision
5. Empower others to act
6. Create short term wins
7. Consolidate and grow
8. Institutionalise new methods
Success will be dependent on
Success will be dependent on
three core factors and SharePoint
three core factors and SharePoint
is only responsible for one of
is only responsible for one of
them…
them…

22. “Leading Change”
8 steps to a successful transformation and
why most transformation efforts fail
By John P Kotter
Published 1995 in the Harvard Business Review
If the steps sound familiar, it’s because they are not mine. The article was originally
If the steps sound familiar, it’s because they are not mine. The article was originally
published nearly two decades ago. We keep making the same mistakes. It’s easier
published nearly two decades ago. We keep making the same mistakes. It’s easier
to blame technology when systems dependent on how people behave fail to deliver
to blame technology when systems dependent on how people behave fail to deliver
the expected business benefits
the expected business benefits

23. Flickr Images
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Satellite image of Hurricane Katrina by NASA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4923521946/
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Diplomatic briefing by the Coalition for the ICC
http://www.flickr.com/photos/coalitionforicc/9260181447/
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An iPod in your pocket by Mayhem Chaos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mayhem/2868599662/
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Richard Branson launches Virgin America by Cynthia Smoot
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cynthiasmoot/5224684638/
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Madonna - Vogue by Gustavo Duran
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67662120@N00/8427897891/
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Smoking alone by Sergio Morchon
http://www.flickr.com/photos/smorchon/2279443485/

24. Feedback and questions are always
Feedback and questions are always
welcome… as are new clients! :-)
welcome… as are new clients! :-)
Sharon Richardson
Independent Advisor
sharonr@joiningdots.com
www.joiningdots.com