Business Issue

A transition to outsourcing requires people to assume new roles and responsibilities that involve new expectations, behaviors, and skills. Leaders and managers must now find the right balance between micromanagement and abdication. Team Leaders and Project Managers especially face a very challenging situation. They continue to lead teams and manage projects and now they are expected to deliver effectively through the vendor. This requires business savvy, leveraging internal networks, and overcoming resistance of their own team members. One of the key risks of outsourcing is managers who are unprepared to assume new responsibilities. Instead of being technical experts, they now need to excel in team and relationship management.

This gap in expectation setting, skills and knowledge is a major risk factor and may cause resistance to the change in job responsibilities. Team members’ confusion in the area of job responsibilities also causes problems. Resistance to outsourcing activity, especially during ramp up and in maintenance mode, can erode and even negate the benefits of outsourcing. Resistance to change is not a character flaw but a normal survival trait.  Research shows that transition management does matter, and is linked to new behaviors, skills and knowledge needed for success. When individuals don’t have a recipe for success they resist change. Highlighting their resistance does not increase their confidence in future success. Helping individuals identify and learn their new responsibilities will facilitate the desired results of outsourcing.

Workshop Overview