Empowering Municipalities through Strategic Business Relationship Management
Municipalities today face a myriad of challenges that hinder their ability to drive meaningful transformation and deliver value to their communities. From transformation spending that fails to bring about real change to a non-collaborative culture and functional silos, the obstacles are numerous and complex.
In this context, the role of Business Relationship Management (BRM) becomes critical. At the 2024 MISA Ontario Annual Conference and Trade Show held in Niagara Falls in June 2024, BRM expert Helen Hiebert and IT Chapter Vice President Svetlana Sidenko shed light on how BRM can address these challenges and propel municipalities toward their strategic goals.
This blog is a summary of their compelling storytelling presentation.
Understanding BRM
Business Relationship Management is more than just a role; it is a philosophy, capability, and discipline that fosters a culture of great relationships to drive organizational value and satisfy purpose. As Helen and Svetlana emphasized, BRM is built on the belief that positive relationships are the cornerstone of value creation in any organization.
Common Organizational Challenges in Municipalities
Consider the plight of many municipalities striving to adapt to an ever-evolving digital era. They often find themselves investing heavily in transformation initiatives, yet the promised changes and value seem elusive. This disconnect stems from a frequent misalignment between strategic goals and transformation spending, resulting in projects that do not deliver the anticipated benefits. Instead of driving progress, these initiatives become sunk costs, leaving municipalities frustrated and stakeholders disillusioned.
A deeper issue lies in the non-collaborative culture prevalent in many municipal organizations. When departments operate in isolation, creativity and innovation are stifled. This culture of non-collaboration creates functional silos, where departments work independently rather than synergistically, further impeding the municipality’s ability to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
The focus on cost-cutting rather than value creation exacerbates these problems. While managing budgets prudently is essential, an overemphasis on cost reduction can hinder strategic investments necessary for long-term growth and innovation. In their quest to be fiscally responsible, municipalities sometimes miss opportunities that could deliver substantial value.
Another significant challenge is the lack of shared ownership and collective responsibility. When stakeholders do not feel collectively responsible for outcomes, collaboration suffers, and goal achievement becomes more challenging. This lack of ownership is often compounded by poor communication. Ineffective and infrequent communication channels lead to misalignment, reduced stakeholder engagement, and, ultimately, a failure to meet business needs accurately.
Misunderstanding business needs is a common plight. Inadequate stakeholder engagement creates a disconnect between the solutions delivered and the community’s actual requirements. This gap is particularly problematic without a framework for value recognition. Without metrics and frameworks to measure and demonstrate the value of initiatives, it becomes challenging to justify investments and sustain stakeholder support.
Moreover, failing to communicate the organizational purpose can lead to a lack of alignment and disengagement among municipal employees and stakeholders. When people do not understand or support their organization’s overarching purpose, their efforts can become fragmented and uncoordinated.
Lastly, traditional organizational structures are often outdated in the digital era, limiting the agility required for effective digital transformation. Municipalities operating with these old structures find it difficult to keep pace with technological advancements and their communities’ shifting expectations.
The Role of BRM
Given these pervasive challenges, the role of BRM emerges as essential for municipalities. BRM serves as a single point of focus, making the right connections between partners and functions, thus enhancing efficiency without becoming a bottleneck. A well-positioned BRM can navigate and mitigate the undesirable roles that often trap organizations in low-value activities, such as being a mere service level manager, order taker, or project manager.
Strategic BRM
The essence of strategic BRM lies in its ability to act as a single point of focus rather than just a single point of contact. This distinction ensures that BRMs are not merely routing calls or filling gaps but are strategically aligned with the organization’s goals and objectives. By doing so, BRMs can foster a culture of collaboration, ensure alignment with strategic goals, and drive meaningful value across the municipality.
Helen Hiebert
Helen’s BRM Journey
Helen Hiebert shared her journey into BRM, highlighting the evolution and impact of the role within her organization. From initially being intrigued by the potential of fostering a culture of collaboration in local government, Helen’s role evolved into a strategic partnership. Her experience underscores the value of BRM in driving project throughput, co-creating strategies, and shifting the focus from service to value.
Experience #1: Helen’s First BRM Role
Helen’s narrative began with her first encounter with BRM in an unexpected setting—a castle-like building in downtown Guelph. She walked in for an interview, not with grand ambitions but to brush up her interview skills. Yet, what she found was a role that resonated deeply with her aspirations to make a meaningful impact.
Initially, Helen was drawn to the role by the potential to foster a culture of collaboration and drive value through strategic partnerships within local government. She quickly realized that BRM was more than just a job—it was a mission. Helen’s enthusiasm and strategic mindset soon began to bear fruit. She shared how, through BRM, she was able to bridge the gap between IT and business units, ensuring that technology investments were aligned with business goals and delivering real value.
Helen’s journey wasn’t without challenges. She faced resistance from those accustomed to a siloed way of working and had to overcome skepticism about the BRM role. However, she tackled these challenges head-on by engaging with the BRM Institute, getting certified, and meticulously applying BRM principles and frameworks. Through her perseverance, Helen was able to demonstrate the tangible benefits of BRM, such as increased project throughput and the co-creation of a five-year strategy with one department.
Helen’s story exemplifies the transformative impact of BRM. Her efforts led to a significant shift from a service-focused to a value-focused approach within her organization. This shift was not just about improving processes but about changing mindsets and fostering a culture of shared ownership and strategic collaboration.
Helen’s second experience with BRM took place in a larger municipal setting with different dynamics and challenges. Here, she encountered a team that was initially unfamiliar with the broader BRM discipline and community. The IT team was relatively large, and the municipality had more employees, making the task more complex.
Despite these challenges, Helen saw an opportunity to foster business relationships and shape the demand for IT services to optimize value. The previous success with BRM principles emboldened her to introduce new tools and frameworks. Helen worked with the IT PMO to streamline and clarify the project intake process and life cycle, making it easier for stakeholders to understand and engage with the process.
The introduction of a new Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tool was another critical step. This tool helped in managing and prioritizing technology projects more effectively, ensuring that resources were allocated to initiatives that delivered the most value. Helen’s BRM team’s efforts led to earlier engagement of IT in business decisions, shifting the focus from reactive to proactive planning.
Through continuous training and expanding the BRM team, Helen’s second experience demonstrated the scalability and adaptability of BRM principles. The outcomes were impressive: acknowledgment of the BRM role’s value by business partners, a capability mindset shift, increased investment in IT, and a collaborative approach to strategy and multi-year planning.
Lessons from Helen’s Experience
Helen’s experience underscores several key lessons for municipalities looking to implement BRM:
- Start with a Clear Vision: Understanding and articulating the value of BRM is crucial. Helen’s vision of fostering collaboration and driving strategic value was the foundation of her success.
- Invest in Training and Certification: Engaging with professional organizations like the BRM Institute and obtaining relevant certifications can provide the necessary knowledge and credibility.
- Apply Strategic Frameworks: Using BRM tools and frameworks helps in systematically addressing organizational challenges and demonstrating value.
- Foster a Culture of Collaboration: Building strong relationships and promoting a culture of shared ownership are essential for the success of BRM.
- Demonstrate Tangible Outcomes: Showcasing the tangible benefits of BRM, such as increased project throughput and strategic alignment, can help in gaining buy-in from stakeholders.
The insights shared by Helen Hiebert and Svetlana Sidenko at the 2024 MISA Ontario Annual Conference highlight the critical role of BRM in empowering municipalities to overcome organizational challenges and drive strategic value. By fostering a culture of great relationships, aligning technology investments with business goals, and using strategic frameworks, BRMs can transform municipalities into more agile, innovative, and value-driven entities.
The pervasive challenges municipalities face—such as transformation spending without change, non-collaborative cultures, functional silos, cost-driven focuses, lack of shared ownership, poor communication, misunderstanding business needs, lack of frameworks for value recognition, uncommunicated organizational purpose, and outdated structures—underscore the necessity of BRM. By addressing these issues head-on, BRM provides a structured and strategic approach to overcoming these obstacles.
For municipalities embarking on the BRM journey, there is a wealth of resources and a supportive community ready to assist. The journey towards strategic BRM is not only achievable but also highly rewarding, offering the potential to drive significant value and fulfill the deeper purpose of the organization.
In conclusion, BRM is not just a role but a transformative capability that can unlock the full potential of municipalities. By embracing the principles and practices of BRM, municipalities can navigate their challenges, foster a culture of collaboration, and achieve their strategic goals.
Svetlana Sidenko
About Svetlana Sidenko
As the Vice President of IT Chapter, a Montreal-based company specializing in IT consulting and IT best practices training, I am dedicated to transforming IT departments and organizations across industries. With over two decades of experience in IT management and governance, I’ve been at the forefront of guiding businesses towards their technology objectives and optimizing their digital operations.
As a lead trainer and coach for various IT certifications, including BRM, ITIL®4, CGEIT®, PMP®, and ISO 20000, I’ve had the honour of shaping the careers of hundreds of students and professionals. My commitment to excellence and in-depth knowledge of IT processes, frameworks, standards, and best practices has empowered my students to excel in their respective fields.