StrategyDriven Podcast Episode 15 – Independent Assessors
StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag articles on the StrategyDriven website.
Episode 15 – Independent Assessors elaborates on Strategic Analysis Best Practice 4 – Independent Assessors. This discussion:
- examines the benefits of using independent assessors
- identifies sources of impartial evaluators
- describes the critical characteristics independent assessors should possess to maximize their effectiveness
[powerpress]
StrategyDriven Standards & Expectations Forum
Standards and expectations establish the how of work performance. These ‘hows’ represent leadership’s translation of the organization’s values to the everyday behaviors members of the workforce should exhibit when performing assigned tasks. (See Figure 1) Subsequently, performance standards form the basis against which individual and group behavioral performance is evaluated.
Effective performance standards are broadly communicated, consistently applied, and uniformly interpreted; yet allow enough flexibility and intent-based implementation so as to not stifle efficient work performance. Examined more closely, these characteristics imply:
Broadly Communicated – all members of the organization must be aware and understand the intent of performance expectations as well as the applicability to their job assignments- Consistently Applied – all members of the organization are held to the same high standards of performance all of the time
- Uniformly Interpreted – standards are substantively defined so as to eliminate a great deal, if not all, of the subjectivity in their interpretation, thereby, clearly defining their implementation and enabling performance evaluation and comparison
- Flexibility and Intent-Based Implementation – no set of standards can cover all possible situations, therefore, organization members must understand the value basis of the expectations such that they can reasonably define and exhibit the intended behaviors during unforeseen circumstances
Focus of the Standards & Expectations Forum
A high quality, effectively implemented set of standards and expectations are a critical component of the strategy driven organization. The combination of mission aligned task assignments, performance standards, and results goals establishes what is expected of strategy driven organization members. Articles in this area are dedicated to discussing the leading practices of companies that develop and implement performance standards that shape behaviors to the effective, efficient achievement of mission goals and organizational values. The following articles, podcasts, documents, and resources cover those topics important to clearly defined and well communicated performance standards well aligned to the organization’s mission goals and values.
Articles
Principles
- Defining Performance Standards, part 1 of 8 [StrategyDriven Premium Content]
Warning Flags
- Warning Flag – Standards Creep [StrategyDriven Premium Content]
- Warning Flag – Ghost Standards [StrategyDriven Premium Content]
- Warning Flag – Changing Standards Based on One-Time Arbitrary Errors [StrategyDriven Premium Content]
- Warning Flag – Always and Exception [StrategyDriven Premium Content]
Leadership Inspirations – Success, Work, and a Dictionary
“The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
Donald Kendall
co-Founder and former Chief Executive Officer, PepsiCo
StrategyDriven Podcast Episode 14 – The Devil’s Advocate
StrategyDriven Podcasts focus on the tools and techniques executives and managers can use to improve their organization’s alignment and accountability to ultimately achieve superior results. These podcasts elaborate on the best practice and warning flag articles on the StrategyDriven website.
Episode 14 – The Devil’s Advocate elaborates on Strategic Analysis Best Practice 2 – advocatus diaboli, The Devil’s Advocate. This discussion:
- defines what a Devil’s Advocate is
- explains how the contrarian helps prevent group think
- describes the critical qualities, responsibilities, and actions of the Devil’s Advocate
[powerpress]
Resource Management Best Practice 3 – Establishing the Foundation for Personnel Resource Sharing
No longer can personnel resources be underutilized in either skill or capacity. Today’s dynamic business environment demands a degree of responsiveness and cost competitiveness that can only be achieved through heightened personnel flexibility and interchangeability. To achieve this requires the building of a foundation of standardized policies and procedures that align personnel resource management practices across the organization.[wcm_restrict plans=”25541, 25542, 25653″]
Personnel resource sharing requires individual availability and skill matching. Optimally, an individual possessing the needed, not excessive, skill in one workgroup is available to augment the receiving workgroup for the exact period of time necessary to complete the work assignment. This situation is difficult to achieve not only because of the idealistic pairing of skills and availability but because of the challenges associated with identifying well suited, available resources across the organization. While difficult, the optimal pairing of the organization’s personnel resources with its work is enhanced through effective execution of the following programs:
Skills Matching
- Alignment of the Organization’s Qualification Designations – common qualification designations assigned to individuals meeting like training, testing, and performance standards
- Cross-Qualification and Cross-Training – an organizational expectation that individuals gain proficiency and become qualified to perform a variety of tasks
- Standardized Processes and Procedures – common work methodologies for which individuals are qualified and become proficient. Organizational alignment exists in both documentation and execution. Examples of standardized work processes and procedures include:
- work order planning and execution
- clearance/safety tagging
- permitting
- problem reporting
- material/parts requisitions
- time reporting
- Consistent Procedure Formatting – work controlling documents possess a common format and contain standardized information sets
- Common Work Performance Standards – expectations for how work is to be performed, such as safety and quality standards, are commonly shared and equally reinforced across the organization
- Use of Common Applications and Tools – computer systems and physical tools used to document and perform work are common to all workgroups within the organization
Individual Availability
- Use of a Standardized Work Scheduling Process – policies for the development of work schedules are common throughout the organization
- Common Work Break-In Policy – rules governing circumvention of the planning process are consistently applied across the organization
- Consolidated Resource Management Program – standardized policies effectively control the planned availability of workers including:
- vacation scheduling policies align the scheduling of extended time off with the work scheduling process
- training scheduling practices align the scheduling of time intensive training courses with the work scheduling process
- common set of company holidays shared among all business units, sites, and workgroups
- Personnel Resource Visibility – tools are employed that make personnel availability identifiable to all workgroups potentially needing the individual’s skill set. Individual visibility exists for both skills and availability
- Inclusion of Personnel Resource Absences in Work Schedules – personnel resource availability is considered in the work schedule’s resource loading process
While possessing skilled and available individuals and having the means to identify them, many organizations will still not effectively share their personnel resources. Culturally, these organizations do not value sharing; their leaders focusing less on the organization’s overall success and more on what their individual workgroup can accomplish. Subsequently, the final cornerstone in the foundation of effective personnel resource sharing is the commitment of the organization’s leaders; a commitment that is acted upon and reinforced.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”25541, 25541, 25653″]
Hi there! Gain access to this article with a FREE StrategyDriven Insights Library – Sample Subscription. It’s FREE Forever with No Credit Card Required.
| Sign-up now for your FREE StrategyDriven Insights Library – Sample Subscription
In addition to receiving access to Resource Management Best Practice 3 – Establishing the Foundation for Personnel Resource Sharing, you’ll help advance your career and business programs through anytime, anywhere access to:
Best of all, it’s FREE Forever with No Credit Card Required. |
[/wcm_nonmember]