Don’t judge too quickly!

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a SAP implementation project at a large manufacturing plant. At the first meeting, I was introduced to the head of the client’s planning team. He was an older gentleman, a few years away from retirement, calm and unhurried. Subconsciously, I was already planning the scenario in my head – it was going to be tough.

I was completely wrong!

This man turned out to be the best person on the entire project. While he wasn’t particularly computer savvy, he had something you can’t buy – a deep understanding of how the plant actually worked. He knew why things worked the way they did. He knew where the exceptions were, the necessary workarounds, and the root causes. And yet, it’s precisely these elements that can bring down an entire project!
This older gentleman worked on the project like any other team member. He participated in tests, provided feedback, and developed solutions. There was no topic he shunned.

Consultants often enter a client’s company with a pre-defined picture of who would help and who would hinder. A young and technical person is an ally. An older person, with habits from a decade ago, is a problem to avoid. Such stereotypical thinking is a huge mistake! It’s a loss for the entire company, and for the consultant implementing the system, it’s a self-inflicted loss of support.

An experienced employee close to retirement carries with them the company’s history. They remember decisions and motivations that everyone else has forgotten. And often—precisely because they no longer have to prove anything, they speak directly in a way that a younger employee simply can’t.

Some time ago, I visited the plant again. He was still there—retired, but at work, offering advice to younger colleagues. He couldn’t stand on the sidelines.

I guess no one should be surprised.

Marek Karch—CEO of INMAR, SAP consultant in manufacturing