cmccurrie
Keith Johnson
VP, Maintenance, Reliability and Asset Performance Excellence
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To achieve a competitive edge in today’s business landscape, companies must perform at optimal levels. Many try to improve performance by pouring their efforts into the structural elements of their management operating system, such as meetings, reports, metrics and KPI’s required to manage their business. While these elements are critical to success, why do so many companies continue to fail at achieving Performance Excellence? One of the main ways Implementation Engineers helps clients drive better business results is by implementing High Performance Management (HPM) which factors in motivation, teamwork, engagement, personal development, leadership style, and communication. In combination with a Systems Thinking approach – looking at processes across all departments within an organization – business strategy and culture are aligned to deliver sustainable results.

1. HPM Begins with Leadership and Ends with Results

HPM is a cross functional, integrated and holistic structured approach for forecasting, planning, controlling and reporting. High level strategic drivers for the business are defined and driven through the identification of Key Performance Indicators (KPI) throughout the organization. A visual management system is created outlining the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle, along with the roles and responsibilities of leaders and team members. It also sets the stage to drive high performing behaviors with teams and individuals by improving communication, setting goals and expectations using leadership to improve teamwork and motivation throughout the organization.

HPM builds a framework for both organizational structure and behavioral change

The system ensures that poor performance is answered by root-cause investigations not excuses, and that the actions and activities generated from those root-cause analyses are managed regularly and actively to ensure that solutions are implemented on a timely basis.


2. Systems Thinking Highlights How Processes Impact Each Other

Systems Thinking management is learning to see both the components of a systems as well as the big picture. The key element to this approach is understanding that one process can and will impact another. The management operating system is a tool to support systems thinking in your organization. Systems thinking is one of the key management competencies and is critical to understanding the structure of complex situations. Systems thinking expands the range of choices available for solving a problem by broadening our thinking and helping us articulate problems in new and different ways. Systems thinking therefore allows us to make informed choices and provides a model of decision-making that helps organizations effectively deal with change. It is an important component of a learning organization.

The system thinking approach within your management system allows where analytics can be utilized in a team environment so that improvement opportunities are identified, and the enterprise as a whole benefit from process enhancement and improvement.


3. Business Strategy and Culture Alignment Drive Results

One central tenet of HPM is the alignment of a company’s strategy with its culture through a series of measurements. This systems thinking approach bridges the gap between systems thinking and day-to-day practice where strategic decisions are made. When people within the organization understand your company’s purpose, beliefs and expectations, they are more inclined to embrace change and align their behaviors to support the organization. By taking a Systems Thinking approach to HPM, companies achieve Performance Excellence for the competitive advantage they need in today’s market.

Does your company take a Systems Thinking approach to HPM? We would like to hear how you improve performance in your organization. To talk to someone on our team, give us a call at 312-474-6184 or contact us via our web form.

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