Heather Banks
I was a human capital consultant and was being certified at an SAP academy. Andrew was my instructor who connected with not only me but every student in the class. His innate ability to tell stories and explain the “why” was able to help me translate how the system could be optimized to meet my future clients’ needs.
At International Game Technology, I needed a leader
In early 2000, I left consulting and joined a company in-house to help them implement SAP. I was the first employee who had any SAP experience when I was hired by a publicly traded company. I was the lead for the HR and full gross-to-net Payroll efforts and we were going “Big Bang”, yet I had fortunately convinced my leadership team to let me hire specialized consultants who knew the HR/Payroll functionality the best. We hired a boutique firm in a fixed bid contract to help us with the efforts,
but the program lead position was not one I felt comfortable leaving to someone who I didn’t know and trust.
Andrew was the first and only person I called.
He was my right hand and helped me ensure that we went live under budget and on time, while also helping me navigate the organizational dynamics that I wasn’t always in tune with at the time. He saw situations unfolding before they happened, saw roadblocks with team members, and was so politically and interpersonally savvy that I know without a doubt had he not been willing to join our efforts, we would not have been as successful.
For those who have gone through a huge transformational project in a compressed period of time, you know the countless hours worked and the emotional and physical toll it takes on you personally as well as your whole team.
It’s almost like going into a battle, and if you don’t have the right partners on the battlefield with you, you are vulnerable and likely to falter.
I don’t use this analogy lightly. Rather, it is an example that most people can understand and appreciate. If you in any way feel as though you don’t have the protection to help make the team successful or if you yourself are at risk, you will never achieve the big audacious goals that you have developed.
And our goals at IGT were nothing short of bold.
We built customized content from scratch in the SAP system that didn’t exist at the time. We wouldn’t take “no” for an answer, and Andrew and I showed up each and every day as co-leaders of our project and we were the truest partners that could ever be. Andrew is someone who can work with all levels of organizations – C-Suite to the front line – and I saw it first-hand. I knew if I wasn’t in a meeting and he was, the message would be delivered crisply, succinctly, and accurately. Even twenty years later, I remember our project efforts vividly and I am forever thankful that Andrew agreed to work with me only initially having met me as a student in his academy.
At Carlisle, I Knew I Needed Andrew
I saw five different divisions all jockeying for their own needs and wants and not approaching it with a unified approach. It was a train wreck unfolding in front of my eyes. I was once again in a position of influence and I approached the CFO of the parent company and suggested that we hire a technology-agnostic consulting partner who could be an advocate for the company as a whole, helping us determine what the best solution for the entire organization.
He told me that sounded like a great idea but how on earth would we find someone with that capability?
Once again, the first person I called was Andrew.
Fortuitously, Andrew was available and he was once again put into action to help navigate an extremely complex organizational transformation. His insights and ability to truly hear and see what is going on, as well as what isn’t said, served Carlisle in ways that I can never do justice in describing.
We All Need Someone Like Andrew in Our Lives
Serving as the Chief Human Resources Officer of my current employer, I am fortunate to see how a successful publicly traded company is run from every facet. Being a trusted advisor is what executives need in order to develop and maintain that success. Finding those types of advisors aren’t easy. Andrew has a unique ability to quickly discern organizational dynamics and make recommendations to help an entity move positively forward without any personal agenda. And he knows how to tell you what you need to hear – even if sometimes he knows it is a difficult message to receive. We all need someone like this in our lives.
“Andrew has a unique ability to quickly discern organizational dynamics and make recommendations to help an entity move positively forward without any personal agenda.”
“Andrew is someone who has your back and will help you be the best version of yourself that you can be.”
“If you are ever given the opportunity to work with Andrew, I know you will see like I have that he is special and someone who you will forever want to stay connected.”