A lesson in radical collaboration

Business transformation was the topic on many people’s lips at the Leader’s Forum, of industry analyst firm Gartner, in London this week. Giving the keynote speech to chief executives and chief operations officers (COOs) was Signify’s own COO, Daniel Sebillaut. Speaking on the weighty topic of Business Model Transformation in the Service Economy, Daniel dispensed a potent mixture of Gallic common sense and practical experience, which the audience lapped up.

Sebillaut, is no stranger to business transformation, with 30 years’ business experience, he has lived in the US as well as in five European countries. The automotive industry has featured prominently in his career with senior posts at Inalfa Roof Systems, one of the world's biggest providers of vehicle roof systems, WABCO the leader in vehicle control systems and Delphi to name but a few. ‘’It’s a sector built upon managing change and operational excellence,” said Sebillaut, “and definitely not for the faint hearted. I see a lot of similarity with the technology sector.”

Of course, creative changes were needed such as Innovation to Market, Market to Contract, Order to Cash. These are fundamental disciplines, as is adopting an EFQM model where metrics can be compared and issues highlighted, tracked and dealt with.

So what makes a successful COO?  The recipe for success suggested by Sebillaut is simple. “Be prepared to dive deep. You can’t do your job properly without a thorough knowledge and understanding of the business and issues. At the same time go wide so that you explore the global opportunities and risks. Finally, take time to think and allow yourself time to reflect. So go high, take that helicopter view to stay ahead of the curve.”

Finally, he added, “Supportive leadership starts with ways to create enthusiasm and passion. These are vital for implementing changes that will generate differentiation and success.”