If you’d have asked me how to build a killer transformation team at the beginning of my consulting career, I would have answered differently than I will today. In large part because I’ve learned so much over the past few years in my client work, observing first hand what occurs when we bring unexpected leaders to the table in planning a transformation. And those additions have a huge impact on the outcome of the work such that I’ve started to think about them as the rule, not the exception. 

To build a killer transformation team, you need the right roles and mindsets at the table. It’s kind of like assembling the perfect combination of Avengers for the existential threat at hand. If we wanted to get really nerdy – and we do – a great example would be the union of Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, Iron Man and The Hulk who worked to win the battle of New York. It isn’t necessary to have all of your Avengers present to achieve success, just the right ones. 

Here’s who you should call up from the bench (when Black Widow and Iron Man aren’t available):

• The Executive Team. This one is probably the most obvious, but it goes without saying that transformation needs to start from the top. Specific roles include the CTO for their technical vision and understanding of the architecture required to transform, the COO for their insight into how the work will get done, and the CFO for their knowledge of how the work will be funded in a sustainable manner. And I can’t stress this point enough – in fact, I wrote a whole article about it – but your C-suite needs to be aligned with the CTO to guarantee actual transformation takes place. 

• Human Resources. I love having the HRO in the room so they’re not only aligned on the cultural and talent mindsets required to support change, but are a part of defining them. What kind of people will you need to recruit to achieve this new vision? Will you evaluate performance differently, or reward people differently? Will executive and senior leadership need to manage in a new way? Your staff is responsible for implementing change, so it’s critical to have HR on board to help build the future you envision.

• The Finance Partner. Oftentimes the financial partner gets looped in after the fact, receiving updates once decisions have already been made, which can sometimes create tension. They need to be able to understand the beginning, middle and end of your vision so they can move in stride with you, rather than as an adversary. In that spirit, why not bring them along for the entire ride?

• Communications and Change Management. These experts will help figure out how to communicate the full scope of change to the organization, not just to the teams directly impacted. Huge parts of the transformation have nothing to do with technology, so having partners who know how to engage and drive adoption in all corners of the business is essential. 

• The Ring Leader. You absolutely need someone at the helm of this change. It’s entirely possible that the driving force behind this work is already mentioned in the bullets above. If not, you need a leader who can simultaneously operate on strategic and operational frequencies to drive the work, know when to engage leaders and their teams, and keep the trains running on time in general.

• A Coach. Sometimes the scope of transformation is such that there are very few people inside the organization who have worked in the future state in any context. If the team is lacking in experience – especially the leadership team – you need to support them with coaches who can help them adopt the behaviors and practices required for success. 

You might be wondering when I’m going to mention roles from an EPMO. Do we need a project manager to manage the transformation? As in all things, the answer is…it depends. 

If your EPMO is beginning to shift towards agile/product practices, aligning to value over timelines, then bringing them in as facilitators of the transformation is a smart move. Does transformation call for resource allocation, plans and timeliness? Of course. However, transformation also requires an iterative approach based on different principles than are adopted by most Project Management Offices. Being clear about these differences keeps the transformation team focused on the right practices without giving into the comfort of the old ways of working. 

When you embark on transformation, it’s an all-in priority for the organization that happens over an extended period of time, can’t be fully outsourced, and is never really done. I truly believe the sweet spot for building a team is when you unite the strategic leaders in the C-suite, an operational leader from inside the company, and external experts from outside the company in order to attack the work from every angle. You don’t need all of your superheroes at the same time, just the right ones at the right time.