Rationale

Awareness

The real problem lies just beyond the cause you can see

The causes behind most organisational problems are often hidden and complex. To address them requires a broader understanding of the systemic issues that produce them. Systemic issues are the unintended consequences of the way we work and behave.

People act rationally within the sytem

The way people act and behave is goverened by the nature of the organisation’s systems. Most people behave rationally in the context of these systems but their behaviour often appears counter productive or “wrong” when viewed from elsewhere. Their actions and behaviour are “distorted” by the system.

You get what you measure

Behaviour is reinforced by what gets measured and rewarded. People naturally gravitate to the things they do best that yield the best reward or recognition. But good performance in one part of the organisation could result in poor performance in another. So people are naturally in conflict and results not naturally complimentary.

The solution begins with awareness

In order to produce sustained performance improvement, people need to understand the system, how they influence it and how they behave within it. Only then can they take responsibility for changing how they act and behave with lasting effect.

Action

Teams outperform individuals

Because systems span functions, teamwork between different parts of the organisation is necessary to solve systemic issues. Action teams involve people close to the problem with the authority and resources to take effective action. Teams out perform individuals and persist for longer.

Systemic problems are solved by “think big, act small”

Typically, systemic issues can be solved by small actions that involve people acting or behaving differently. They are rarely large expensive solutions but often require thinking beyond the immediate problem and in the context of the organisation as a whole.

Everyone plays a part

In the best examples, the whole organisation is involved in solving the systemic issues that limit their performance. The result is to build sufficient momentum for everyone to be involved in creating the future. People who are left behind don’t contibute to the future and undermine the change.

Choice is power so everyone must have choice

People have power when they have choice. Choice leads to ownership and accountability. By choosing to work differently, people oblige themselves to deliver better performance.

Success breeds success

The motivation for future action comes from the sense of achievement people get from seeing their work make a real difference. By addressing the systemic issues rather than fixing symptoms, this becomes a reality. They get to see their role as part of the bigger picture and their influence as essential rather than symbolic. Their appetite for solving larger problems stems from their success in solving smaller problems.

Breakthrough

The only strategy is to be “first or best”

Exceptional organisations are the exception - they stand out from the rest by being the best at something. This gives employees, customers and others a clear image of the business as special in a particular way. What gets measured must therefore change. It also promotes the myths and stories of the organisation.

Exceptional organisations are guided by exceptional leaders

Leaders need to spend time and effort developing their understanding of leadership. They need time and space to develop new visions of themselves and their relationships to each other. They need to determine, with integrity, what they wish to contribute and where they wish to take the organisation

The culture of an organisation is determined by its systemic health

The success of an organisation at being “best or first” is predicated on having systems which support and reinforce the efforts. It is all too easy to state the desire to be “best or first” while undermining this through the wrong systems. Generating momentum towards “best or first” needs imaginative tactics and strategies which promote the vision.

Leadership

An organisation is greater than the sum of its parts

The source of an organisation’s potential is the informal coallitions and conversations that generate new ideas, make decisions and solve problems.

Leaders are responsible for unlocking potential

Leaders often underestimate the potential of their organisations. One of the most important roles of leadership is to transform the organisations energy into results. Understanding this potential and unlocking it requires leaders to create space, coach and remove the obstacles to success.

Leaders provide direction and structure

Directing the organisation’s energy towards a shared vision of the future and providing the structure and rigour to achieve it is also an important role of leadership. Without direction and structure, this energy can be misguided or wasted.

Leadership begins with self

There is no greater litmus test of leadership than how we lead ourselves. We can only be effective with others if we exercise the same principles of leadership in our own lives.

What makes leaders effective is leading

The definition and competencies of leadership are unique to each organisation. What is more important is that leaders know what these are and apply them consistently.

Responsibility

Achievement is derived from results

It is necessary to be able to measure and compare against an outcome in order to be able to sense that something has been achieved.

Processes determine results so people must own processes

Results are the measured outcome of a process or series of processes. Since processes are the key to results, they should receive the same attention and care as the organisation’s services or products.

Processes must be controlled, documented and continually improved

Documenting and controlling processes means that everyone has the same image of the process in their mind and will approach errors and discrepancies in the in the same way. Effective process improvement relies on accurate documentation, control and communication of processes.

Processes are made effective through good management practice

Processes are managed by reducing opportunities for defect and by eliminating such opporutnities. This can only be done effectively by reporting and reviewing at appropriate frequency and by problem solving in groups.

Processes must change to reflect changing demands on the business

The world is in constant flux. Processes therefore need to change flexibly in response to change. Managing such process modification is a key skill.

Ownership

Success is happy, motivated people doing meaningful work

People feel ownership for their performance at work when they are succeeding and that the work that they are doing lends meaning to their lives.

People experience success through imagination, choice and achievement

Without imagination there is no life. Without choice there is no power. Without achievement there there is no end. Work must offer opportunities to create a feeling of success by creating scope to imagine the future, the determination to choose what to do and the mechanisms to measure achievements.

Meaning is derived from an organisation’s purpose

The power of the organisation to develop meaning for individuals lies in its power to create stories and myths which inspire and create a sense of belonging. Active development of the myths and stories in an organisation can shape its culture.