Get the “DNA” Right First!
All too often organizations begin improving the “pieces and parts” of the organization without understanding how they work together as a system. The results are predictably disappointing. There is a better way – build a solid foundation and framework before you redesign the individual components. A solid foundation and framework are formed by the alignment and integration of the strategy, systems, and scorecard to create value for the multiple stakeholders. Some organizations take the “slow road” to excellence working on fixing individual opportunities for improvement without understanding how they influence and are influenced by the larger organization system. This can take years of trial and error and often ends in frustration with little improvement. It doesn’t have to be that way. If you get the overall organizational “DNA” right first, you can get in the “fast lane” to sustainable excellence. In the three Strategy, Systems, and Scorecard labs, you will build your own custom foundation and framework.
Focused Strategy Lab #4
How will the organization achieve the desired reality described in the compelling directive? The focused strategy translates the compelling directive and stakeholders’ needs into more specific goals, objectives, and clear expectations. The key here is to focus on a FEW key goals at a particular point in time. Some organization transformations require hundreds of changes. Success depends on picking just a few of those to work on at a time and then actually executing the plan, then working on the next priorities as the journey unfolds. The focused strategy is continuously evolving to meet current requirements and challenges. The focused strategy aligns the priorities through the organization and provides the foundation to enable, empower, and engage the workforce.
Lab Approach
- Key Concepts – Understand the concepts, components, and relationships of a Focused Strategy and how they contribute to leadership and organization [re]design for sustainable excellence.
- Application – Apply the key Focused Strategy concepts to your particular organization using the downloadable Worksheet(s).
- Assessment – Evaluate how well your particular organization applies the key concepts of a Focused Strategy to achieve sustainable excellence.
- Leader as Organization Architect – Apply collaborative leadership concepts to the leadership activities associated with a Focused Strategy.
- [Re]Create – Apply what you have learned about the Focused Strategy to improve your organization and leadership.
[Re]Design Systems Lab #6
While organizational transformation is primarily driven by strategy, an explicit excellence model increases the odds of a successful design or redesign. An enterprise systems model provides an explicit structure to assist in the alignment of the organization’s stakeholders, strategy, systems, and scorecard. In this lab, you will develop your own enterprise systems model which provides the understanding of the top-level system that is required for designing the individual systems so that they contribute to the overall system success. *Note: The first half of [Re]Create book Chapter 6 [Re]Design Systems is addressed in Lab #6. The Design Framework described in the second half of Chapter 6 is not included in this lab but is addressed in the Leadership System Design Lab™.
Lab Approach
- Key Concepts – Understand the concepts, components, and relationships of [Re]Designing Systems and how they contribute to leadership and organization [re]design for sustainable excellence.
- Application – Apply the key [Re]Design Systems concepts to your particular organization using the downloadable Worksheet(s).
- Assessment – Evaluate how well your particular organization applies the key concepts of [Re]Designing Systems to achieve sustainable excellence.
- Leader as Organization Architect – Apply collaborative leadership concepts to the leadership activities associated with [Re]Designing Systems.
- [Re]Create – Apply what you have learned about [Re]Designing Systems to improve your organization and leadership.
Comprehensive Scorecard Lab #7
The progress and performance improvements resulting from the deployment of the action plans are measured and tracked by a comprehensive scorecard that measures the stakeholders, strategy, and systems. The comprehensive scorecard goes beyond a simple bottom line to develop a deeper understanding of the organization as a system. This includes both current performance and performance trends over time. Measuring performance and comparing your organization’s performance to other high-performing organizations helps create dissatisfaction with the status quo and is a key part of creating “productive” tension. The scorecard is designed to facilitate the dialogue during periodic organization performance reviews.
Lab Approach
- Key Concepts – Understand the Comprehensive Scorecard concepts, components, and relationships and how they contribute to leadership and organization [re]design for sustainable excellence.
- Application – Apply the key Comprehensive Scorecard concepts to your particular organization using the downloadable Worksheet(s).
- Assessment – Evaluate how well your particular organization applies the key concepts of a Comprehensive Scorecard to achieve sustainable excellence.
- Leader as Organization Architect – Apply collaborative leadership concepts to the leadership activities associated with creating and using a Comprehensive Scorecard.
- [Re]Create – Apply what you have learned about creating a Comprehensive Scorecard to improve your organization and leadership.
