Knowledge application: How to coach the application of BDBO to develop a Portfolio Business Case

Why Coach:  Coaching BDBO requires  maximizing internal capability and building internal capability by smartly procuring consultancy support. This is more affordable and enduring for the client, so they can refresh the work in the future. It’s more satisfying for the coach but it’s not easy.

What is a Coach: The 16th Century meaning of “Coach” is to partner with others in a thought provoking and creative process that inspires to maximise the potential of others.

Who is a Coach: Someone who:

·         actively leans in to listen and learn from others.

·         actively seeks out the skills in others.

·         is kind, respectful and integrous.

·         is willing to engage in courageous conversations.

·         wants to meet the needs of others; and

·         enables others to produce a greater result.

As a Coach it is important to be aware of the current culture.

I use the findings of the BBC Evaluation (here) undertaken by  the author of the HM Treasury BBC Guidance whose findings were:

That more focus is needed:

  1. to understand how to deliver better public service outcomes

  2. on planning for the medium and longer terms

  3. on service demand and capacity planning and the enabling infrastructure in its widest sense

  4. to be placed on programmes that deliver transformational change.

  5. to improving the overall efficiency and effectiveness of public services

  6. on making the case for change from the standpoint of the local, regional and national perspective

  7. to transform the way in which services are provided.

  8. to express outcomes in terms of SMART objectives

  9. on building BBC people capability given there are sufficient products, processes, tools, techniques

  10. on using the 5 case Model to give effect to strategy

He also provided some observations in response to feedback from Endorsed BBC Experts and  practitioners:

•      Practitioners need to find more effective and timely ways to engage senior executives on the benefits to them from good business case development process.

•      Competent and fully trained reviewers are essential to “policing” the system and maintaining quality standards

•      Most public servants want to do the right thing - we need to show them how. Most public servants are risk adverse – we need to demonstrate how BBC mitigates and manages risks. 

•      Natural tendency for senior executives to retrofit on the basis of pre-conceived solutions.

He said the fundamental purpose of BBC is to challenge this behaviour and to change the culture over time. The principal ways of overcoming the tendency to retrofit are twofold in conjunction with supporting workshops:

1.      assisting to frame the investment objectives correctly in the first instance; and

2.      use of the Options Filter for the scoping of a wide range of potential, realistic options in the second.

How to coach:

To proactively engage the above issues, I have found the best way to start coaching is to suggest to the Senior Responsible Owner that before any work is done on a business case, I lead five 90-minute sessions with 5 people who know the subject matter. From those sessions I complete a Business Case Canvas (below)  to reflect the bead of logic through the 5 cases, with particular emphasis on objectives and options. I then suggest to the Senior Responsible Owner the work that needs to be done, with any targeted consultancy support if needed, and how to engage a community of action.

The most common phrases I have used as a coach are

·         A business case is a campaign led by executives with stakeholders to deliver public value, not a compliance document to get money.

·         There are many disciplines that have different terms that mean similar but not the same as the Business Case terms.

·         Carefully think through the audience of the business case

·         Build the Business case team by maximizing local capability for each of the 5 cases and build business case capability so they each see the manageable way they can add value.

·         A business case is free and frank advice owned by an official and a Cabinet paper is owned by a Minister. It takes courage to navigate the ambiguity between giving “free and frank advice” and implementing “Government Policy”. Officials give advice to Ministers and serve the public for public value.”

·         If you focus on funding, you won’t get what you need. If you focus on public value, the decision maker/s will want to invest more.