SAPOC Leadership Playbook

Using this Document 
The SAPOC Playbook will be maintained as an online resource and updated in coordination with members of the shared services community, inviting contributors from Federal agencies, QSMO, Unified Shared Services Management, and the Shared Services Leadership Coalition (SSLC) Federal Shared Services Playbook Working Group. 

This Playbook should enhance effective cross-agency performances within the evolving role of Senior Accountable Point of Contact (SAPOC) for Agency Shared Service initiatives as created under OMB Memorandum M-19-16, Centralized Mission Support Capabilities for the Federal Government.

This Playbook seeks to provide guidance to Agency leaders in the development, evolution, and evaluation of the qualifications, skills, and experiences required of an effective SAPOC.
Further, this Playbook may serve to better inform future SAPOC candidates of the expectations, reporting structures, roles, duties, and responsibilities of this important assignment. 

This Playbook does not establish or alter any existing policies or directives issued by any government agency or regulatory body. The following series of Plays should serve as a resource to aid SAPOCs, and their peers in Agency leadership, on their aligned missions for continuous business process optimization wherever feasible. 

Before proceeding! Please take time to familiarize yourself with the SAPOC role as currently mandated by OMB M-19-16 and look for future updates to recommended reading here.

See the Plays

Embracing the SAPOC Leadership Role

You are currently assigned, or planning your upcoming performance, in one of the most exciting and impactful roles within your Agency. In FY2023, OMB released Memorandum A-11 which included a directive that SAPOCs must be included in the review and approval of all new investments to ensure proper consideration and analysis of shared service options were conducted as a first source.

The SAPOC role is your opportunity to lead, influence, and advise your Agency’s leadership on Shared Service initiatives capturing their share of over $1 Trillion dollars of operational savings over the next decade.

Embracing the role of a SAPOC involves wholeheartedly committing to the responsibilities and opportunities it entails. Initially, the SAPOC must delve deeply into understanding the agency's strategic business and operational priorities, analyzing each for possible recommendations on process optimizations through shared services. The role is challenging and will require the use of all your skills, experience, and talents developed over the course of your entire career. This opportunity is up to you. This Playbook will help you make the most of it.

Key Questions

  1. What is the history and perception of Shared Services within my Agency?

  2. How can I deepen my understanding of the agency's strategic priorities to identify and align shared service initiatives with them effectively?

  3. What specific actions can I take to internalize the agency's goals and ensure that every aspect of shared service initiatives contributes to their fulfillment?

  4. What clear objectives can I help to establish that directly contribute to my agency's leadership goals and provide a roadmap for success for the entire team?

  5. What is the level of awareness and support regarding Shared Services by my Agency leadership? How can I ensure my leadership peers are motivated and supportive of my role and mission?

  6. What is my agency doing in regard to collecting evidence in preparation to analyze employee and citizen experience?

  7. What strategies can I employ to ensure regular communication and collaboration with stakeholders, maintaining alignment with agency objectives throughout the process?

     

Checklist

Innovation is a Team Sport

Forming and developing a winning team as a SAPOC is essential for effectively driving shared service initiatives within the agency. You are supported by resources that have a vested interest in your success. There are people in your agency who believe in the importance of Shared Services, and once identified, will form a team of allies to help influence and lead your agency toward Shared Services wins. Find and recruit change agents in your agency who are open to innovation, proactive, and action-driven.

Initially, the SAPOC should meticulously identify and recruit individuals who possess the necessary skills, expertise, and dedication to contribute meaningfully to the team's objectives. Clear roles and responsibilities should be defined upfront, ensuring alignment with the goals and scope of the Shared Service initiatives. Encouraging collaboration and open communication among team members fosters an environment where diverse perspectives are valued, leading to innovative solutions.

Providing ample support, resources, and opportunities for professional development is crucial for empowering team members to excel in their roles. Setting clear, measurable goals and objectives allows the team to track progress and celebrate successes along the way, while also promoting accountability for performance. Delegation of tasks and responsibilities, coupled with empowerment to make decisions within their areas of expertise, instills a sense of ownership and responsibility among team members.

Moreover, promoting diversity and inclusion within the team fosters an environment where all team members feel valued and empowered to contribute their unique perspectives and talents. Empathetic listening is a powerful skill set for embracing diversity that drives innovation and creativity, and ultimately enhances the team's ability to tackle challenges and achieve meaningful results.

Key Questions

  1. How can I assemble or develop team members with the  skills, expertise, and qualities to effectively contribute to the shared service initiatives?

  2. How can I ensure that roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and aligned with the goals and scope of the initiatives?

  3. What strategies can be implemented to encourage collaboration and open communication among team members? How can I ensure that employees' needs and concerns are addressed?

  4. What support, resources, and opportunities for professional development can be provided to empower team members to excel in their roles?

  5. How can clear, measurable goals and objectives be established to track progress and promote accountability within the team?

  6. Has your agency considered developing a Shared Service Working Group supported by the Office of Shared Service Performance Improvement (OSSPI) and the Unified Shared Services Management Office (USSM) of GSA?

  7. Do you participate or network with agency representatives on all Executive Councils? Track your contacts and progress with the SAPOC Toolset here.

  8. Do you have working relationships with key lines of business leaders? Track your contacts and progress with the SAPOC Toolset here.

  9. Is your agency cultivating relationships with any FIBF working groups or QSMO Shared Service Offices? Track your contacts and progress with the SAPOC Toolset here.

Checklist

Task-Centered Shared Services

Task optimizations are your best opportunity to quickly make progress and gain support for Shared Services. Task-centered evaluations allow you to identify processes that can be optimized to reduce manual data entry, improve data accuracy, automate functions, add business process value, reduce employee burden hours, or improve citizen experiences. Human centered optimizations are where you can make real improvements by removing obstacles and impediments to mission success and creating job satisfaction and employee support. You can almost always make progress with task optimizations to achieve quick Shared Service wins.

Your role is to coach the discovery of legacy tasks ripe for innovation, prioritize targets, and review budgeted deliverables with appropriate timelines so you can lead, influence, and advise successful implementations of employee-driven task optimization initiatives.

Key Questions

  1. Do I understand the Tasks-related game plan for each major line of business? Are the plans built around recommended Lean or hybrid methodologies embracing “sprints” or other interim segments?

  2. Have the line of business leaders established short- and long-term goals and objectives for task-related process improvements? What are those goals?

  3. Do you have an active role in coaching, reviewing, and advising on optimization initiatives? What key relationships need to be developed to increase your influence within your agency?

  4. Are employees actively engaged in task-related Shared Service initiatives? Are we establishing a culture of continuous process improvement led by employees? How?

  5. Does my Agency support collaborative and transparent visibility into the status of current and planned task-based optimization projects? What similar projects have been completed or ongoing, and what can you learn as best practices from those projects?

  6. Do we have appropriate incentive plans recognizing achievement of shared service goals? Who are your allies in developing appropriate incentive plans?

  7. Is my Agency actively engaged with cross-agency coordination of resources, best practices, and vetted solutions available through GSA MAS Awards and each of the government-wide Quality Service Management Offices (QSMO) and PMO managed centralized services? Which lines of business are impacted? Which lines of business should be more involved?

     

Checklist

Systems-Focused Shared Services

Removal of redundancies, sunsetting, and or consolidation of existing legacy systems may be of critical importance in your Agency. Evolving requirements, legislation, and guidelines can impact legacy systems, such as the impact of future FedRAMP requirements for legacy or agency-developed systems. Replacing legacy systems individually or in consolidation sets is likely a high priority for your Agency. Simplifying the application portfolio reduces costs directly (fewer systems to maintain) and in aggregate (fewer interfaces required to integrate the portfolio). This simplification and modernization also enables faster, cheaper implementation of changes (such as evolving requirements, legislation, and guidelines) in an environment that is easier to secure. Nevertheless, replacing existing systems will require executive buy in, analysis, planning, financial, advisory, and technical resources. Moreover, getting that buy in for shared services also requires building trust between the executive(s) and the shared service provider.

Key Questions

  1. Do I understand the 5 year Shared Service Systems game plan for each major line of business? Have we prioritized our systems for modernization? Do we have accountable project leads assigned to each line of business?

  2. Have the line of business leaders established short and long term goals and objectives for system-related process improvements?

  3. What are the areas of greatest need or benefit for a shared service solution?

  4. Do you have an active role in coaching, reviewing, and advising the project leads on optimization initiatives?

  5. What resources, including financial, human, and technological, are required to support the implementation of system-related shared service initiatives?

  6. Does my agency support collaborative and transparent visibility into the status of current and planned systems-focused optimization projects?

  7. Is my Agency actively engaged with cross-agency coordination of resources, best practices, and vetted shared service solutions available through GSA MAS Awards and each of the government-wide Quality Service Management Offices (QSMO) and PMO managed centralized services? Which lines of business are impacted? Which lines of business should be more involved?

Checklist

Managing Agency Goals & Objectives

Leading, influencing and advising your Agency’s Shared Service efforts across all major lines of business is a full contact sport. You will need to hone your coaching and mentorship skills to adjust to the unique needs of each operational area. Be mindful that you hold no direct authority over their responsibilities. You must be recognized and welcomed as a valued, aligned, and supportive resource assigned in helping others to attain their individual task and business process improvement goals.

Every agency has a unique combination of strategies, plans, and management directives requiring alignment with each line of business and their stated goals and objectives. Inspire them to commit to realistic and achievable goals for both task and process related modernization initiatives and be a guiding light for attainment.

Visibility is a great disinfectant. Insist on publishing Shared Service initiatives and commit to regular reviews of progress toward goals. Remember to publicly praise and recognize contributions from your teams while privately coaching on course corrections to get them back on track.

Key Questions
  1. What are the relevant goals and objectives in approved and/or published strategies, plans, roadmaps, and similar documents?
  2. Who are the agency stakeholders accepting responsibility for achieving their shared service goals?
    What are the associated milestones and metrics for determining progress towards system-related goals and objectives? How are they tracking performance and providing project visibility for each?
  3. Have I given every line of business an opportunity to reassess or establish goals and objectives that could be better-addressed by Shared Services (functional, technical, and performance)?
    Does the Agency support recognition and incentives for high performing lines of business?
Checklist

Leveraging the SAPOC Ecosystem

You can leverage the SAPOC ecosystem as a powerful tool to drive success in managing Shared Service initiatives within your Agency. Initially, you should tap into the diverse network of SAPOC peers across different agencies, fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing to gain insights into best practices and lessons learned. This collaborative ecosystem serves as a platform for exchanging ideas, resources, and expertise, enabling SAPOCs to overcome common challenges and capitalize on opportunities for innovation. Additionally, you can utilize the SAP ecosystem to engage with industry partners and solution providers, leveraging external expertise and resources to enhance the effectiveness of shared service initiatives.

By actively participating in the SAPOC ecosystem, you can stay informed about emerging trends, technologies, and strategies relevant to Shared Service management, ultimately driving greater efficiency, effectiveness, and overall success in fulfilling the agency's mission. Through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic partnerships within the SAPOC ecosystem, you can maximize the impact of Shared Service initiatives and achieve meaningful results for the agency. 

Key Questions
  1. How can I effectively tap into the diverse network of SAPOC peers across different agencies to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing?
  2. What are the best practices and lessons learned from other SAPOCs that can be applied to our Shared Service initiatives?
  3. How can the collaborative ecosystem of SAPOCs be utilized as a platform for exchanging ideas, resources, and expertise?
  4. What common challenges are other SAPOCs facing in managing Shared Service initiatives, and how can we overcome them together?
  5. What opportunities for innovation exist within the SAPOC ecosystem, and how can we capitalize on them to enhance our initiatives?
Checklist

Assessing, Acquiring, and Deploying Resources

A SAPOC succeeds by leveraging all available resources at their disposal to drive success in managing Shared Service initiatives within the agency. This means identifying and mobilizing a comprehensive array of resources, including human capital, financial investments, technological tools, and external partnerships. Initially, you should conduct a thorough assessment of the Agency's resources, identifying strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. By strategically allocating resources based on the needs and priorities of Shared Service initiatives, you can maximize efficiency and effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes. 

Additionally, you should actively seek out opportunities to expand the Agency's resource base through collaboration with other agencies, industry partners, and external stakeholders. By building strategic partnerships and leveraging external expertise and resources, the SAPOC can enhance the agency's capacity to innovate and drive meaningful results. Through strategic resource management and collaboration, you can ensure that the agency is empowered to overcome challenges, capitalize on opportunities, and ultimately achieve success in fulfilling the agency's mission through shared service initiatives.

Key Questions

  1. What are the agency's current resources, including human capital, financial investments, and technological tools, available for managing Shared Service initiatives?

  2. How can the strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement of the agency's resources be identified?

  3. What are the specific needs and priorities of Shared Service initiatives, and how can resources be strategically allocated to maximize efficiency and effectiveness in achieving desired outcomes?

  4. What opportunities exist to expand the agency's resource base through collaboration with other agencies, industry partners, and external stakeholders? Examples: SBIR, STTR, CRADA, University internships, Public-private talent exchanges with industry such as Trading Places: Partnership for Public Service (ourpublicservice.org).

  5. What criteria should be used to evaluate potential strategic partnerships and external resources for enhancing the agency's capacity to innovate and drive meaningful results?

Checklist

The Introspective SAPOC

An introspective SAPOC is one who consistently engages in self-reflection and self-assessment to enhance their effectiveness in driving shared service initiatives within their Agency. This involves regularly examining their own actions, decisions, and leadership style to identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. An introspective SAPOC takes the time to critically evaluate their performance, seeking feedback from colleagues, stakeholders, and team members to gain valuable insights into areas where they can grow and develop. By fostering a mindset of continuous improvement and self-awareness, the introspective SAPOC demonstrates a commitment to personal and professional development, ultimately enhancing their ability to lead effectively and drive meaningful results.

Additionally, an introspective SAPOC recognizes the importance of maintaining balance and well-being amidst the demands of their role, prioritizing self-care and resilience to sustain their energy and focus over the long term. Through introspection and self-awareness, you can cultivate a leadership approach that is grounded in authenticity, empathy, and adaptability, empowering you to navigate challenges, inspire others, and achieve success in fulfilling the agency's mission through shared service initiatives.

Key Questions

  1. How can I regularly engage in self-reflection and self-assessment to enhance my effectiveness in driving shared service initiatives within the agency?

  2. What specific actions, decisions, and leadership behaviors should I examine to identify my strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement?

  3. How can I actively seek feedback from colleagues, stakeholders, and team members to gain valuable insights into areas where I can grow and develop as a SAPOC?

  4. What strategies can I employ to foster a mindset of continuous improvement and self-awareness in my leadership approach?

  5. How can I prioritize personal and professional development to enhance my ability to lead effectively and drive meaningful results in managing shared service initiatives? 

Checklist

Thriving Versus Surviving

Your world is largely dictated by how you view it. Creativity, vision, possibilities, and opportunities abound in every Agency. You owe it to yourself and those who depend on your leadership to inspire, encourage, mentor and defend a culture of opportunities.

You chose to thrive rather than simply survive by adopting proactive and strategic approaches to leadership. Thriving as a SAPOC involves embracing challenges as opportunities for growth, innovation, and impact. Instead of merely reacting to circumstances, a thriving SAPOC takes initiative to anticipate and address potential obstacles, leveraging your skills, expertise, and resources to drive positive change within the Agency. This proactive mindset enables you to lead with confidence and resilience, even in the face of uncertainty or adversity. Additionally, a thriving leader fosters a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and continuous improvement among team members, inspiring them to reach their full potential.

Key Questions

  1. Are my Agency leaders focused on fixing perceived problems rather than creating sustainable practices for long-term agency and mission success?

  2. Are communications from senior leaders intermittent or contradictory with Shared Service ethos?

  3. Is your Agency suffering from traditional management systems, which create stability and reliability, but stifle any desire or ability to adapt and innovate?

  4. How can I leverage my skills, expertise, and resources to drive positive change and overcome obstacles within the agency?

  5. Does my Agency leadership support and encourage entry- and mid-level employees to contribute to business process improvement opportunities?

  6. How can I foster a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and continuous improvement among team members to maximize their potential and contribution to shared service initiatives?

Checklist