Getting the Green Light for Energy Projects with Mark Adams, Mike York, and Wayne Johnson, Ep #18 Beyond The Meter

In this episode of Beyond the Meter, host John Failla is joined by three Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions team members. Mark Adams is the Business Development Manager, Mike York is the Strategic Account Manager, and Wayne Johnson is the Key Segment Manager for Education. These experienced executives walk through practical steps toward gaining approval for resiliency projects.
You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... Understanding the project [02:21] Making the business case for a project [05:59] The “Money Authority Need” concept [10:14] Barriers to communication [15:21] The DISC profile [20:34] Building consensus [24:03] Risk-adjusted cost [30:22] Before the C-suite meeting [39:58] Making the business case Achieving internal buy-in for energy managers is a common challenge. Many projects miss the mark on this critical first step in making the business case for a project. Fully understanding the project, need, and goal will lead to precisely what’s necessary for a project to achieve that goal. Starting with the end in mind and understanding the process will direct how the project is communicated.
Everyone has different communication styles, so choosing the right person to present varies by initiative. Typically, engineers can speak to engineers and do a reasonably good job communicating with finance. Still, many engineers would find it a challenge to translate an initiative into business results and talk to executives. The presentation must be succinct, with further data ready for when there are deeper questions. The goal is to give people the information they need to make a reasonable decision and not drown them in detail and minutiae. With data, details can become muddled in the impact, degrading the target outcome’s importance.
Begin with consensus The default starting point for many projects has been receiving approval from finance. However, finance tends to wait to follow after the authority has expressed initial interest. At that time, a higher priority is placed on the project, and the project will receive more support. The entry point has to be with the individual with the need. Finance tends to look for a simple payback or some framework that may not apply well regarding the replacement of assets. The presenter will need to present the initiative in such a way as to anticipate and overcome objections.
Finance finds comfort in consensus. If approached with a project that already has people from various departments working together to push it forward, finance is much more likely to join. Finance will need cost comparisons, asset lift management expectations, and expenses. Anticipating these questions means knowing the people in finance and how they communicate.
Consider the wider audience When proposing a project to your business, the decision-makers are the primary audience. Often overlooked are the people who don’t have the authority to approve a project yet affect how the project proposal is received. Considering these different perspectives and bringing them on board is crucial in making the business case for a project.
Success is unlikely if a solution doesn’t receive support from the engineering, facilities, and finance departments. This concept applies in other industries as well. In education, the sustainability officer doesn’t typically have much money to spend or authority to leverage but is influential in the process. Being attuned to the broader audience will help gain the project’s approval and its overall success.
Resources & People Mentioned Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions com Connect With Our Guests Mark Adams - Business Development Manager
Mark’s experience with Duke Energy and Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions through his multiple roles has given him the opportunity to meet, listen and understand, through countless customer meetings across a wide spectrum of industries, the challenges and the ever-changing world they live and compete in daily. T