JUST PLANE CULTURE
SO WHAT IS AN HPO? Maybe we should look at quality. However, Baldrige win- ners have fi led bankruptcy. Much to the dismay of many management teams, ISO certifi cation, Lean Six-Sigma and TQM will not cure a faulty system. They are designed to sustain a robust system, not fi x a broken one. A defi nition has to be lasting so we can’t say it is companies that are fi nancially successful. The ones we identifi ed today might fi t the bill now but not tomorrow. We also can’t say that it is those that have endured over time, as they don’t appear to be profi table. However, a defi nition can still be had and was compiled by Andre de Waal, professor at Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands. Following common themes from various sources, de Waal proposed the following defi nition:
“A high-performance organization is an organization that achieves fi nancial results that are better than those of its peer group over a longer period of time, by being able to adapt well to changes and react to these quickly, by managing for the long term, by setting up an integrated and aligned management structure, by continuously improving its core capabilities, and truly treating its employees as its main asset.”
I am not going to rehash some of the fi ne work that is
already out there and has referenced seminal research on HPOs from reliable sources. These deal with the form, structure and mechanisms that make an HPO. These are the concrete tangible hard issues that are easy for management to grasp.
“Setting up an integrated and aligned management
structure” where employees are a vital part of that alignment and structure — it isn’t a good old boy management exclusive club. And, “truly treating its employees as its main asset.” I emphasize “truly” as too many organizations just give this lip service in underestimating the intelligence of its employees and thinking they will buy it. I don’t like the reference to people as a work asset because it has two meanings (as strength and as property). With the available information on building an HPO, it should be understood that this is not a cookie cutter approach. We are not going to fi nd the “seven steps to building an HPO” or advice that tells us that if we do these seven things our organization will be successful instantly. This is when solid sound methods paved with good intentions go awry.
TAILORING BUSINESS NEEDS All businesses are unique and require unique applications. We will need to come to the reality that there is no magic bullet or plug-and-play business formula, especially when people are involved. One size does not fi t all. We must tailor any concept to fi t your organization. Along with that customization are the people who comprise our organization. We must bear in mind that when dealing with people, consistency is inconsistent, com- mon sense is not common, and rational logical thinking is neither rational nor logical. Humans are irrational. Many business books talk about group synergy and working with a singular focus. This all sounds good, and while getting people to lock step in unison is effi cient, it also promotes group think, suppresses innovation, destroys free thinking and stifl es progress. Without that person who is given the freedom to roam outside of the box and question the status quo without reprisal, you will always be stuck in the present.
03 2015 20
DOMmagazine
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