What is the single biggest mistake organisations make?

Academic research in the study of shared services (called Inter-Organisational Relationships) highlights the central role of the decision-making leadership of your organisation in shared services.

The research also evidences that the a key mistake organisations make is to thrust their decision-makers into shared service activities without equipping them with relevant skills and knowledge to make sound judgements.

As a result, the organisation can lose influence in the early discussions, to experienced and equipped leaders from the other partners. This can create a relationship in which an organisation becomes, and potentially remains, a ‘junior partner’.

The obligation for decision-making leaders is to step up to the mark and play an active role in leading the shared service discussions. Before doing so they should equip themselves with the shared service skills and knowledge to be confident in this space and be clear on what the organisation seeks from a collaborative venture.

They will then exhibit what the academics call a ‘collaborative advantage’ -  high levels of control and influence in the partnership development discussions. 

Shared Service Leadership From The Top is a three hour seminar for the leadership of your organisation. It is for board or council members who want to know more about shared services before voting them through.

The three hour session equips them with tools, templates and the knowledge required to be effective, and confident, in shared service decision making and partnership discussions.

To open an informal discussion on a ‘Shared Leadership From The Top’ seminar for your organisation, please contact manny.gatt@sharedservicearchitects.co.uk