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SAP Failures - A People Problem..... Not a Process problem. Every time an SAP implementation fails, the industry rushes to blame the usual suspects: - Excessive customization - Skipping critical testing - Poor processes But let’s cut through the noise. The REAL problem isn’t in the processes or technology. The REAL problem is weak leadership. Here’s the truth no one wants to admit: "Failures aren’t about systems. They’re about people." Think about it: - Who pushes for excessive customization instead of adapting to standards? Leadership. - Who approves skipping critical tests to save time? Leadership. - Who fails to align the teams and the vision? Leadership. SAP disasters aren’t the result of bad processes. They’re the result of leaders failing to lead. From Lidl’s €500M loss to Nike’s $100M supply chain nightmare, the common denominator in every failure is weak leadership. Why? Because leadership drives everything: ✅ It ensures processes are followed. ✅ It aligns teams toward success. ✅ It prioritizes the long-term vision over short-term wins. Without strong leadership, even the best plans fail. The Fix? - Stop blaming processes and technology. - Start building strong, decisive leaders who can navigate complexity. Let’s face it: SAP implementations will always be challenging, but leadership can make or break the outcome. What do you think - are failures really about technology, or is leadership the elephant in the room? P.S. Let’s hear your thoughts in Comments #SAPFailures #ControversialTake #LeadershipMatters #LessonsLearned #SAPImplementation
Blaming SAP failures on technology is like blaming a burnt meal on the oven. Lidl’s €500M and Nike’s $100M losses weren’t about systems—they were about leaders prioritizing tech milestones over alignment and accountability, often out of fear for their own job safety. As a leader myself , I’ve been instructed to prioritize and skip critical testing to hit deadlines, and financial milestones. Mitigation starts with creating a culture where leadership feels secure prioritizing long-term success over short-term optics. When leaders are empowered to lead decisively, even the toughest implementations succeed.
I think the elephant is managing expectations and not overpromising just to "win" the engagement. It's up to the implementation team to explain to Leadership that S4H is not a plug and play system.
Good insight, I have changed couple of jobs and it happened there were SAP implementation going on. As a SAP user I have found either a Industry knowledge gap for SAP people or over expectations from the businesses. No one explains in detail what their expectation from the system, don't want to share classified info/ business secrets, and loosely using terms from different stakeholders would be the reasons for failures.
Alok you’ve nailed it - leadership is the real force multiplier. Without clear vision, accountability, and the courage to navigate complexity, even the best systems falter. It’s not about technology failing; it’s about leaders rising to the challenge. 🤝
Leadership is always about letting people lead their tasks under your mentorship never about managing them
Thanks for sharing interesting take
Alok Kumar This couldn't be more true, I believe whn leaders prioritize alignment, accountability & vision, challenges become opportunities.
Absolutely Alok Kumar Bhai, Leadership is the backbone of success, without it, even the best technology crumbles.
Valid point
Enterprise Transformation Leader | Aligning Technology, Business Operations, and People to Achieve Strategic Change
3dVery well stated, Alok. I'd add that success requires leaders who understand that technology is not magic. Some people believe that if you spend enough you can make anything happen. Even if that were the case, that does mean that the amount you want to devote to a given outcome is actually enough to achieve said outcome. More leaders need to understand the actual physics of their respective businesses, e.g What's real cost to reign in your inventory vs what a consultant or your CFO or your board or the market want it to be? Then they'll be able to better define, plan, and execute change.