How leaders can prevent their ERP transformation from stalling midstream.
Planning an ERP transformation? As executive recruiters deeply embedded in large-scale technology transformations, we’ve had a front row seat to dozens of ERP initiatives, seeing not just how they’re structured at the surface, but how they actually function behind the scenes. Through close collaboration with CIOs and executive teams, particularly amid the widespread adoption of SAP S/4HANA, we’ve seen where these transformations succeed…and where they fail spectacularly.
In an ERP transformation, we’ve noticed the most dangerous moment isn’t the kickoff or go-live. It’s the middle: the phase where things are in motion but the finish line is still far off, where leadership teams feel too deep to stop but too tangled to see clear results.
Most companies react by halting the program or replacing the technical team, both of which only increase the chaos.
ERP transformations are inherently complex, but the difference between success and failure often comes down to people. The earlier companies assess whether their leaders are aligned, capable, and prepared to navigate common pitfalls, the better the odds of a smooth implementation.
Here’s what to evaluate before your transformation is in full swing to avoid the all-too-common “midway mess.”
The Derailers: What Really Breaks Mid-Implementation
Once an ERP transformation is underway, the technical plan often takes center stage. But what derails these projects isn’t the system itself, it’s the organizational complexity around it. When ERP programs go sideways, it’s usually due to one or more of these familiar patterns:
- Stakeholder Fatigue
Business leaders were enthusiastic early on, but months in, their attention shifts. What felt like a company-wide priority starts to look like “just another IT project,” and buy-in erodes.
- Shifting Priorities at the Top
The C-suite may support the project in principle, but misalignment across finance, procurement, operations, and IT creates conflicting agendas and unclear ownership.
- Leadership Turnover or Role Confusion
Companies realize too late that their ERP leader is overwhelmed or underqualified. Internal restructures or SI performance issues create leadership vacuums when consistency is most needed.
- Late Handoff to Operational Owners
Many companies wait until the first phase is done to bring in their Managed Service Provider (MSP) or build a Center of Excellence (CoE). This delays stability, causing continuity issues in how the system is managed post-rollout.
- Integration Gaps & Data Migration Chaos
Core systems don’t connect as planned. Historical data is missing, messy, or misaligned. Dependencies aren’t fully scoped, and the gaps become visible only after the rollout begins.
Each of these derailers stems from the same root cause: a lack of clear roles, credible leadership, and consistent structure across the life of the transformation.
Today’s ERP Talent Must Be Multilingual
The profile of ERP leadership has changed. The days of the purely technical program manager are over. Today’s ERP transformations are too cross-functional, too politically complex, and too visible to be led by someone who only speaks in system requirements and project timelines. At the end of the day, the business doesn’t want to consume another tool; they want to consume business outcomes. You have to speak the language of the business!
In our experience, the leaders who succeed, especially in mid-flight turnarounds, are those who can “speak ERP” and also:
- Build trust with senior Finance, Supply Chain, and R&D executives
- Navigate executive politics and conflicting agendas
- Inspire confidence across business units while enforcing process change
- Work hand-in-hand with system integrators and manage post-go-live operations
The Solution: Build Stability, Early
The through-line? Today’s ERP talent creates an interdependent ecosystem fluent in systems, process, and strategy.
Strong ERP leadership today means building a full ecosystem of capabilities. Those include:
- CIOs with strategic influence, not just technical depth.
- Heads of ERP Implementation who bring order and composure to complexity, not only quarterbacking the process but also acting as the subject matter expert post-launch
- Global Process Owners (GPOs) who bridge process and system design and act as Center of Excellence Leaders who ensure long-term system value and process evolution.
- Engaged Business Sponsors who remain accountable, not just informed. The business can’t act as a customer who is being served. They are active participants and owners of the outcome.
Most companies assess this structure after the first signs of trouble. This assessment needs to happen much earlier, before phase 1 begins.
Conclusion: Don’t Wait for the Spiral
If you’re heading into a major ERP initiative, or if you’re already in one and things feel shakier than expected, now is the time to pressure-test your leadership structure.
At SPMB, we help companies avoid the spiral. We specialize in building ERP leadership ecosystems, placing not just great CIOs but also ERP heads, Global Process Owners, and supporting lieutenants who bring clarity, control, and calm to the most complex transformations.
With the volume of S/4HANA programs rolling out across industries, the smartest companies aren’t asking if they can go live. They’re asking:
“Do we have the people, structure, and timing to ensure it sticks?”
If you’re not sure: let’s talk.
