Core Conversion Turnaround

Challenge

A financial institution was 30 days from launching an 80-system core conversion — but readiness was stuck at 29%.

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The situation:

• Team of 60+ employees working long hours
• Morale had collapsed after months of intense pressure under regulatory deadlines
• External consultant leading the conversion, but operational execution was fragmented
• No clear command structure for issue resolution
• Problems hidden until they became crises

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The stakes:

• Launch unprepared → massive member service disruption
• Face regulatory consequences for failed implementation
• Delay → lose millions in sunk vendor costs and contract penalties

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As the VP PMO, I was asked to step into a lead operational role to stabilize the team and help drive the conversion across the finish line.

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The team had 30 days to fix it.

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Approach

I focused on two things: operational clarity and team morale.

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OPERATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE

Daily rhythm:

• Morning stand-ups (20-40 people, in-person + Teams broadcast)
• Real-time issue triage and assignment
• Evening wrap-ups to celebrate progress and surface blockers
• Tracked every commitment in Smartsheet with owner and deadline

Reporting that drove action:

• Daily readiness dashboard (% complete by system and workstream)
• Issue log visible to all stakeholders (no hiding problems)
• Risk register with mitigation owners and dates
• Weekly executive briefings

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CULTURAL SHIFT

Rebuilt psychological safety:

• Celebrated every system that moved from red to yellow to green
• Publicly recognized individuals solving tough issues
• Created space for people to say "I don't know" without fear

Support over blame:

• Focused on "How do we fix this?" not "Who caused this?"
• Provided coaching on difficult vendor conversations
• Shielded team from executive pressure while escalating appropriately

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Outcome

✅ System readiness: 29% → 90% in 30 days

✅ High-priority customizations: 42% → 98% ready for launch

✅ Member-facing forms/letters: 47% → 100% complete

✅ Zero critical issues during go-live weekend

✅ Team morale restored

✅ Executive confidence rebuilt in PMO function

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Testimonial

"Taylor hit the ground running, guiding our credit union through a major digital transformation that included a core conversion and more than 80 new ancillary systems. In this environment, Taylor provided steadfast clarity, disciplined organization, and unflinching professionalism under immense pressure."

— David Boykin

‍VP Data Strategy & Analytics

Latino Community Credit Union

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Post-Launch Impact

VALIDATION & RECOGNITION:

• Vendors called it "one of the best-run conversions they'd seen in 30+ years"
• Awarded PMO Team Excellence Award by CEO (October 2024)

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KNOWLEDGE CAPTURE:

Deliverables

CRISIS MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE:

• Daily stand-up and wrap-up format (agenda, timing, facilitation guide)
• Issue tracking and escalation protocols
• Vendor coordination and communication templates

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DOCUMENTATION:

• Lessons Learned framework and facilitation guide
• Vendor feedback survey template
• Crisis response playbook (for future high-stakes initiatives)
• Executive briefing templates

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Tools

• Smartsheet (readiness tracking)
• Excel (data analysis and reporting)
• Microsoft Teams (daily meetings and broadcasts)
• SharePoint (document repository)
• PowerPoint (executive presentations)
• Microsoft Forms (Lesson Learned Survey)
• OneNote (meeting minutes)
• Executive briefing templates

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What This Means For Your Organization

If you're facing a regulatory deadline or high-stakes implementation:

→ 30 days is enough time to turn around a crisis with the right structure

→ Team morale is as critical as technical execution

→ Daily rhythm + psychological safety = breakthrough results

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Book a discovery call to discuss your timeline and pressure points.

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Some names, data, and organizational details have been altered or omitted to protect confidentiality. The structure and outcomes reflect a prior role as VP of the Project Management Office and now inform how TL Consulting delivers high-stakes, crisis project management.