INN8 is a rare fusion of a start-up mindset with a solid corporate infrastructure. Traditionally, start-ups move fast and are able to adapt quickly while corporates take longer to change course. When coming up with the big picture for where we want to take our business and proposition, we need to make sure both personalities of the business are aligned.

To achieve this, I found it’s important to remember that things don’t just happen because you talk about it. Unless you make a conscious decision to actively work on the big picture, you will neglect it – because as time goes by, it gets more difficult to continue to focus on both.

Once you have made the decision, you then need to implement a plan to structure your business. Here are some tips to get you and your team started:

• In the words of Stephen Covey (of ‘The 7 habits of highly effective people’ fame), “Start with the end in mind.” Work on what a clear vision of your desired direction and destination looks like
• Plan and set clear objectives linked to your strategic map and outcomes. This may sound like an obvious starting point, but without clear objectives and measurable key results which are shared with all involved, your project may fail at the first hurdle
• Create two squads in your business: one that focuses on getting the basics right today and over the next year, and a research and development squad to dream and focus about tomorrow
• Have a briefing document which contains all the project details. This will become your single point of reference to make sure everyone involved is clear on what’s required so that delivery is met, and priorities are clear
• Make sure you are clear on the success measures for the project and its outcomes and work backwards from there so that all the required activities can be done in the time allowed

Protecteth thy team

Once you have a clear structure in place, you need to further protect your team from a cautious management culture, a phenomenon that sometimes occurs when the team focuses on daily operations with incremental changes to avoid making big mistakes. This will prevent your teams from making the transformational changes needed to deliver in time. Your teams require:

• a clear vision and alignment across leaders and business;
• active alignment, involvement and empowerment of leaders; and
• rigorous confrontation of reality, both internal and external to the team.

Pick people that perform

In order to do a lot with a little, you need to ensure your team is able to deliver on the big idea by first getting the right people on board and then inspiring and allowing them to dream. You will also need to equip them with the right way of work. We have adopted an agile way of delivery to help us break this down and deliver on a continuous basis. To start learning from it, it doesn’t have to be perfect as long as we deliver on our promises.

At INN8, we believe in a co-design principle. Everyone has a voice which means discussions include experience mixed with new and fresh ideas. Instead of telling our teams what to do, we make them a part of the plan, adopt ideas and take the time to celebrate their success, which is our success.

Be bold. Be agile.

While acknowledging and consciously managing your environment and risks to make sure you prevent the critical failures, you need to be courageous in order to succeed. Easy ways to do this is to:

Make sure everyone in the team is clear on the problem statement backed up by real data and research. Work on data and facts and then have proper debates

Pick objectives and initiatives that can be delivered in the timeframe you want. Measure, measure and measure some more. Business case and timeline needs to be realistic and measured

Stay hungry. It might take longer than you think, which means you might spend more and under deliver! In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing environment, strategy needs to be reviewed on a quarter by quarter basis without allowing the noise thereof to filter through to your wider delivery team

Repeat the vision and story to the team on a regular basis. Don’t underestimate the change management and strategic awareness can have on discussions. You need to have a defensive and offensive plan and know when to pivot. Let your team to the real work while you focus on protecting them from the noise

Business as usual no more

There isn’t room within day-to-day management processes and established systems to plan and launch a transformation project.

Rather, you and your team:

• need to address important issues quickly and make resource decisions with mandated involvement; and
• identify and align on clear milestones and resources to be involved
• which requires a no-slack launch approach with a stretched roadmap and dates.

Armed with a relentless focus on execution

The loss of focus and delivery during execution when excitement dies down, especially when you are managing a multi-year journey project and as you transition from project to operational phase, is real. You need to work to align a way of work with a clear decision-making process and have regular project teams with clear ownership and governance to track progress.

Grow up without losing out

The biggest risk for any start-up is to be able to grow operational capabilities without succumbing to bureaucracy and losing that start-up feel.

Ring-fence a new team with an entrepreneurial fintech culture and make sure to enlist an executive sponsor, even if it means sitting in a different city. This allows the team to focus and get speed. Then bring them back in slowly.

“Do more on less” as oppose to more with less

Piling new initiatives on top of existing ones in a stretched and challenging environment will result in bottlenecks and stress points with poor delivery. For successful transformation, leaders need to restrict action agendas to three (max four) well-articulated initiatives with clear goals and metrics. The goal is to do more on less as oppose to more with less.

Internal onboarding

The risk of senior individuals not being onboard disrupts the speed of progress while disengaged employees can and will slow you down. The best approach is to quickly identify and confront team members who might undermine transformation and deal with realities. An explicit and focused communication strategy that sends strong signals upfront and ongoing works.

By defining our culture and ensuring it filters into everything we do, we believe we will change the industry and the way investments are done.