What Does BRM Success Look Like?

December 4, 2019 | BRM

As a firm that helps enterprises build business relationship capabilities via training, coaching and consulting, IT Chapter is delighted every time professionals share their experiences related to subjects which we master. We are always looking for practical examples related to what we teach to share with our readers. Business Relationship Management is actually one of IT Chapter’s expertise among others such as Service Management/ITIL, Project Management, Cyber Security, IT Asset Management, etc. So, with this article we want to bring you valuable advices from experts because building the Business Relationship Management capability in an organization can be very challenging. Going from an “order taker” to a “strategic partner” takes time and efforts to say the least. As every journey is different, it is interesting to discover what others have experimented along their path to next level of maturity. One thing is certain, whether good or bad, each story of implementation becomes a learning opportunity when shared. So, what are the top advices from expert BRMs?

Lessons Learnt From Successful Business Relationship Implementation Journeys

During BRM Connect 2019, in New Orleans, we had a chance to ask Edwin Rodriguez Pazo, Chief Requirements Management Section at USDA, Lee Reiff BRM at Larimer County and Daniëlle Hellebrand, an executive coach, columnist and keynote speaker at BetterBrains@Work and ECO-international, about their top advises to new BRMs.
 
Edwin Rodriguez Pazo shared an interesting perspective based on what he has learned through his BRM journey at USDA. It focuses on the importance of self-identity and understanding the value Business Relationship Managers bring to their organizations and being able to articulate it. Edwin recommends all BRMs, especially leaders or mentors, to promote self-awareness about their value. Value expressed in a unique proposition is a driver for the organizational change.
 
To this, Lee Reiff adds patience and perseverance. As a BRM at Larimer County, he reminds us that build business relationship with some Business Partners will require a little more effort, which means that BRMs need to earn trust before having strategic conversations and understanding where they’re headed. BRMs might have to work through operational and tactical matters if that’s what the Business Partner needs. Lee’s wise advice is to meet the Business Partners where they are and help them achieve what they need to be successful. It’s how he was able to earn trust and elevate the relationship to the next level.
 
From a neuroscience perspective, discoveries and studies allow us to learn and understand much more about the science behind relationships. Daniëlle Hellebrand advices to be more deliberate about building trustworthy relationship through interactions. BRMs need to practice active listening and have meaningful conversations to help their Business Partners. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that organizations with a positive work environment perform better. So, professionals should do the steps to see the good side of things and make life for each other a bit easier at work.
 
All the advices above focus on building a positive work environment and strong relationships to bring Business Partners to where they aim to be. To this list of recommendations to all BRMs, IT Chapter would add to invest in building personal competencies, which is an important contribution to the organizational BRM capability that enables the business value harvesting.

All the advices above focus on building a positive work environment and strong relationships to bring Business Partners to where they aim to be. To this list of recommendations to all BRMs, IT Chapter would add to invest in building personal competencies, which is an important contribution to the organizational BRM capability that enables the business value harvesting.

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