Building effective organization is an important task in all areas of human activity, in public administration, business, non-profit structures, etc. concept organizational effectiveness for different organizations will be slightly different, as they are different in their goals, sizes, social and economic impacts.
The theory of effective organization was an important contribution professional consultant on the management of the American G. Emerson into the classical theory of organization. In 1908, his book Efficiency as the Basis production activities and wages", av1912. - the main work of his life "The Twelve Principles of Effectiveness".
“True efficiency,” Emerson wrote, “always produces maximum results with minimum effort. But the condition for this must be a creative organization.
Emerson has long studied the reasons for the success of small businesses competing with big companies, and came to the conclusion that competitiveness is based not so much on economies of scale as on the efficiency of the organization production processes requiring adequate organizational structures. It is the creation of an effective organizational structure that is a key element in achieving the organization's goals.
According to Emerson, an effective organizational structure is characterized by the following:
- ? the most effective are the linear and staff forms of organization, since "nature, the human body and other perfect systems" are organized according to the linear or staff principle;
- ? the effectiveness of the functioning of line and staff units;
- ? headquarters performs the following important features: selection and training of personnel, correct installation and setting up equipment, streamlined supply of the necessary materials and raw materials, monitoring the performance of assigned functions by employees and monitoring the results of the production process.
In turn, an effective organization, according to Emerson, must have the following important characteristics:
- 1) the presence of precisely set goals;
- 2) standardization of operations, procedures and rules;
- 3) rationing the performance of work tasks;
- 4) fast and complete cost accounting;
- 5) dispatching of the production process;
- 6) labor and technological discipline.
In modern management, there are four complex criteria for the effectiveness of the organization (Fig. 7.1).
Goal achievement is the most widely used measure of organizational performance. Results of production, economic, financial activities organizations are matched against established goals. Naturally, the efficiency is higher than better organization reaches its goal.
Rice. 7.1
At the same time, operational goals are the most important to consider, since they really reflect what and how the organization has achieved, while strategic goals rather abstract and difficult to measure.
There are two problems that have to be solved: the multiplicity of goals and the subjectivity of indicators of their achievement.
Because organizations have multiple and conflicting goals, it is often impossible to measure performance based on any one metric. Good results in relation to one goal may mean poor results in relation to another. Moreover, in addition to general goals, there are goals of individual units. For a complete and reliable assessment of effectiveness, several goals should be kept in view at the same time.
Another important problem is the measurement of the degree of achievement of goals, since for a number of them only subjective assessments are possible (for example, the well-being of employees or social responsibility).
Acquisition of resources characterizes the effectiveness of the functioning of the organization at the "input" of the system. An organization is considered effective in this regard if it acquires the necessary factors of production (materials, raw materials, labor, capital, etc.), realizing the following characteristics:
- ? the organization's ability to extract environment rare and valuable resources, including financial resources, raw material, human resources, knowledge and technology;
- ? the ability of decision makers to see and correctly interpret the properties of the environment;
- ? the ability of managers to use tangible (eg stocks of raw materials, people) and intangible (eg knowledge, corporate culture) resources in the daily activities of the organization to achieve the best results;
- ? the organization's ability to respond in a timely manner to changes in the environment.
At the same time, the ability of management to obtain and manage resources matters only if the resources and capabilities are used to produce something that others really need.
Internal processes("healthy systems") involve a minimum of conflict and disruptive political action, responsibility and trust between employees, and effective promotion information within the organization (information, without being distorted, reaches the employee).
The performance indicators of the organization, from the point of view of the internal processes approach, include:
- 1) strong corporate culture and friendly working climate;
- 2) mutual assistance, group loyalty and work as a single team;
- 3) mutual trust and communication between employees and management;
- 4) decision-making by persons who are close to the sources of information, regardless of where exactly these sources are located in the hierarchical structure of the organization;
- 5) ease of horizontal and vertical communications, agreement on significant facts and assessments;
- 6) a system of remuneration of managers for Good work, growth and development of their subordinates, as well as for the ability to create an effectively working group;
- 7) such interaction of the organization and its parts, in which the problems that arise in the course of work on any project are resolved in favor of the interests of the entire organization.
This criterion is important, since the efficient use of resources and the coordinated internal functioning of the organization are one of the sides of its overall effectiveness. However, neither the overall result nor the relationship of the organization with the environment is taken into account here, so using this criterion alone does not give a complete picture of the organization's effectiveness.
Needs Satisfaction strategic groups is seen as an important criterion for the effectiveness of the organization.
A strategic group is any group of people within or outside an organization that has some equity stake in the organization and is interested in the results of the organization's work (for example, employees of the organization, resource suppliers, consumers of the company's products).
Groups of criteria for assessing the effectiveness of meeting the needs of strategic groups are presented in Table. 7.1.
Since the performance criteria for different strategic groups are different, conflict between strategic groups and the organization is possible.
The strength of this criterion is that here the concept of efficiency is broader and that it considers factors both environmental and internal to the organization.
Table 7.1
Criteria for the effectiveness of meeting the needs of strategic groups
To assess the effectiveness of a modern organization, the complex use of the considered groups of efficiency criteria is assumed, since there is no single criterion for evaluating the effectiveness of organizations of various types or corresponding to all stages. life cycle organization, or assessing the satisfaction of all competing strategic groups.
Performance criteria can be viewed as some practical principles leadership, because in well-managed organizations, mixed performance criteria help to adjust to different situations, identify and seek benefits from different strategic groups.
Important in the implementation of the goals of the organization are the principles of management, which are followed by the leaders during its creation and operation.
The principles of management determine the way of activity and interaction and act as rules, norms of management and activity. They reflect those relations, in accordance with and what masses create, function and develop the management system of an organization, an enterprise.
The principles of management were formulated on the basis of observations and research, therefore they are a generalization of practical positive management experience and are based on certain laws and patterns of social development. their use in management activities gives a kind of "laid track" effect, when you know what needs to be done in order to avoid failures. Therefore, knowledge and consideration of management principles in modern management is an important condition for its effectiveness.
Since the science of management in its evolution at certain historical periods determined different priorities and put forward various concepts of management, the principles of management have gone the appropriate way, starting with a rational approach to organizing production processes and ending with ideas about effective management in the era of globalization and information technology.
The first to draw attention to the need to comply with certain rational rules in the management of production F. Taylor. In 1911, he published the results of his research under the title "Principles of Scientific Management", where he singled out four principles for managing the individual work of workers:
Scientific approach to the implementation of each element of the work;
Scientific approach to the selection, education and training of workers;
Cooperation with workers;
Sharing responsibility for performance between managers and workers.
These principles became the starting point for subsequent research in this area, since their use allowed in to a large extent improve the efficiency of production process management.
A representative of the administrative school of management, A. Fayol, went even further in this direction. He set himself the task of formulating universal management principles that would apply to any areas of management activity. Therefore, his first step towards the development of an effective management system was the allocation of the main management functions and the establishment of relationships between them, which made it possible to consider management as a continuous process. And further, delving into the content of these functions, A. Fayol came to the conclusion that effective management is impossible without a rational construction of the structure of the organization and management of employees. Therefore, he suggested adhering to such principles in solving managerial problems and performing management functions (Table 7).
Table 7. Management principles according to A. Fayol
| Item No. | Principles | Content of the principles |
| 1 | Division of labor | The specialization of work necessary for the efficient use of the workforce (by reducing the number of goals for which the worker's efforts are directed) |
| 2 | Authority and responsibility | Each employee must be delegated sufficient authority to be responsible for the performance of the "work |
| 3 | Discipline | Employees must comply with the terms of the agreement concluded between them and management, managers must apply fair sanctions to violators of the order |
| 4 | autocracy | The employee receives an order and reports to only one direct supervisor |
| 5 | Unity of action | All actions that have the same goal should be grouped and carried out according to a single plan. |
| 6 | Subordination of interests | The interests of the organization take precedence over the interests of the individual. |
| 7 | Staff remuneration | Employees receiving fair remuneration for their work |
| 8 | Centralization | Natural order in an organization with a command center |
| 9 | Scalar chain | A continuous chain of commands through which all orders are transmitted and communications are carried out between all levels of the hierarchy |
| 10 | order | A workplace for each employee and each employee at his workplace |
| 11 | Justice | The established rules must be followed by everyone at all levels of the scalar chain |
| 12 | Staff stability | Setting for long-term work in the organization, as high turnover reduces efficiency |
| 13 | Initiative | Encouraging employees to make independent judgments within the limits of delegated authority |
| 14 | corporate spirit | The harmony of interests of the personnel and the organization ensures the unity of efforts |
Many of these principles still have practical value, despite the fact that management science has changed significantly since their release. World economic development today has entered a new stage - post-industrial, which has its own characteristics, and therefore requires a new vision of those processes that require management actions. At the end of the 20th century, the main attention in management is directed to people as carriers of intellect. Management concentrated its efforts on making people capable of joint action and thereby achieving synergy in their work; management provided for honesty and trust in business relations- ethics in business was declared the golden rule; management sought to form an organizational culture that would stimulate the self-development of employees and their desire to be equal members of the organization. Therefore, in the first place came such principles that allow you to fully unlock the potential of a person and direct it to the benefit of the organization:
Development of creative abilities of staff;
Involvement of employees in the development of management decisions;
Reliance on a system of flexible leadership among personnel and personal contacts of employees with the external environment;
Methods of working with people, ensuring their job satisfaction;
Constant and purposeful support of the individual initiative of the employees of the company and organizations that cooperate with it;
Honesty and trust in business relationships;
Reliance on high standards of work and the desire for innovation;
Mandatory determination of the component of the employee's participation in the overall results;
Orientation to the prospect of development;
Reliance on universal human values and the social responsibility of business to people and society as a whole.
It should be noted that in modern management principles such as "honesty and trust in business relations" refers. Not less than important principle management is "recognition social responsibility management to the individual and society as a whole". According to the most common considerations, organizations, in addition to legal and economic responsibilities, must consider the human and social aspects of the impact of their business activities on workers, consumers and the local population, and also contribute to addressing social problems in general, sacrificing part of their funds and efforts for this.They must voluntarily respond to the social needs of society, act responsibly in such areas as protecting the environment, protecting health, motherhood, developing education, culture, sports, etc. With their participation in charitable activities, they can contribute to solving urgent social problems of the region in which they work.
The above principles formed the basis of the modern management paradigm. Using them allows any organization to develop, change in accordance with the requirements of the time. But each modern organization, relying on the potential of its employees, must find for itself the main thing that will contribute to successful work and meet the requirements and demands of the market. Therefore, we are talking about the formation of a certain approach to highlighting the basic principles that the company uses in its work in order to be successful.
In many ways, this concerns Ukrainian enterprises that have just begun to master the market alphabet. The rejection of absolute centralization in management is not easy, and its rudiments will remain in managerial practice for a long time in the form of a lack of desire to take on additional responsibility, work only under conditions of strict control, wait for an order to introduce something new, and the like. The situation is aggravated by the fact that domestic management is formed under the influence of Western theoretical concepts that were relevant a quarter of a century ago. Of course, to work on domestic market they are quite suitable. But Ukrainian enterprises must also be competitive in the foreign market. Now, in the era of globalization, competition takes on a different dimension, and entry into the global division of labor for Ukraine is a difficult task. The huge concentration of capital in highly developed countries is crowding out small and even medium business from traditional industries. Consumer preferences are no longer paid attention to, but they are formed. Confronting the pressure of transnational companies is possible only in some areas, and then only under the condition of effective management, based on the latest perception of market realities and selecting adequate methods of interaction with them. Each organization in these conditions has to determine for itself those basic business rules, the implementation of which will allow it to receive competitive advantage. These rules, principles should define the philosophy of doing business, organizational behavior, form an idea of consumer markets, competitors, technologies and their changes, etc. They should be based on strengths firms and take into account weak ones, outline areas of activity and determine clear development guidelines, provide an opportunity to adequately assess performance results and formulate new goals in a timely manner.
So, for a small enterprise that sets itself the task of working in the local market (the sphere of individual services, in particular), the following principles will be relevant:
Consumer priority (reliable service, convenience, speed);
High quality of work;
Affordable prices;
Imitations of leaders;
Identification of employees with the company, each employee is a "man of the company";
Constant search for alternative options for the company's activities;
Application the latest ways labor stimulation;
Implementation of long-term professional development programs for key employees;
Reliance on personal contacts of employees with the external environment;
Permanent and purposeful support of the individual initiative of the company's employees.
For a company planning to expand its activities within the national market, the following principles may be key:
High performance standards;
Orientation to the development perspective (expansion of the business sphere, improvement of performance standards);
Pointed responsibility of each for the results of the company's business;
Reliance on the reality of market situations;
Decentralization of company management and an increase in the number of employees involved in the development of management decisions;
Expansion and deepening of the company's relations with the external environment;
Leadership orientation;
Increasing everyone's willingness to innovate, dynamic product upgrade;
Application of the latest ways to stimulate labor, including through meeting the needs for recognition and success;
Creation of a corporate organizational culture management based on common interests and universal values, partnership, cooperation and mutual benefit;
Social responsibility to society for the results of their activities.
For companies seeking to enter a foreign market, in addition to the above, the following principles will be important:
Concentration of efforts on key areas of activity;
Each step forward must be carefully justified, taking into account the peculiarities of the international market;
From the study of consumer preferences - to their formation;
Orientation of the company's activities to universal interests;
Compliance with business ethics.
As you can see, the relevance of certain principles may vary depending on the goals of the organization and the state of the environment, but in their totality they create a coherent system of rules that allows management to be effective.
Nowadays, a common feature of any (even a well-functioning business) is an acute shortage of time. This is especially evident at the stage of its formation. Even if you have decided, due to lack of time, the business may not bring the desired money. That is why time management is of great importance, in other words, managing your time.
In this article, we will present you with a series of tricks with which you can take control of every second of time, draw up the right work plan, and sort out the tasks that have arisen without wasting a single minute.
We hope you understand that time is money, the more time you lose, the less you earn.
Exists great amount ways rational use time. It was they who became the basis of the principles of effective action in the organization of their work. Let's look at them in detail.
1.
Careful choice of targets. If you are starting a business, you need to be as specific as possible about what exactly you need to achieve. Most people do not know what they are moving towards, what they need, so they turn off the road at the very beginning. They react to all sorts of distracting signals, so they go astray. You need to decide for what purpose you are starting a business.
2.
Designation of priorities. It is also very important to make a to-do list according to their urgency and importance. If you do not have such a list, you will try to do everything at once. Naturally, this won't work.
3.
Stimulation. If a person is interested in something, he likes it, then he does it with pleasure. Turn the word “need” into “want”, then the efficiency of the activity will increase significantly.
4.
Definition of terms. The main technique is to set yourself the responsibility of setting deadlines for completing tasks. If you do not have time to complete a task within a certain time, the next one will have to be completed faster.
5.
Decisive action. In 51% of cases, doing the right thing is success. That is why, having decided to do something, you need to act quickly and not doubt the correctness of your choice. Indecisive people achieve little in life.
6.
Know how to say "no". Learn to say this word, it will help you not to be distracted by all sorts of trifles.
7.
Do not waste time on meaningless conversations and visiting the network. Remember that although telecommunications are informatively useful, they often serve as a source of temptation. You need to focus on the specific purpose for which you started using them.
8.
Be able to listen. Don't miss important information. You must always be aware of all events and know what is happening and where.
9.
Get rid of all kinds of templates. Don't think that if the same method is always used in a certain job, then it is the best one. Maybe they just didn't come up with a better option. It is possible that the use of other technologies will allow you to optimize your work.
10.
Little things deserve attention. Very often annoying little things knock them out of the rut. Always be attentive to them. This will help you save time, effort and money.
11.
Don't waste a single second. While waiting for something or a trip, you need to constantly think about further work plans.
12. Brevity is commendable. It is necessary to praise the employee who clearly and briefly expresses the essence of the problem, and express dissatisfaction with those people who do not know how to do it. Many employees think that if they spend a lot of time around their boss, then they occupy a special position in this company. But this is completely wrong. Do not strengthen this faith in them.
We looked at the techniques that are the basis of proper time management. You need to control every minute, so you will take another step towards the successful prosperity of your business and understand
A book about how strict adherence to corporate discipline can lead to quick and unexpectedly successful results. The authors are confident that, despite the lack of compelling empirical evidence, teams provide better results more effectively than groups that are not organized into teams.
Book:
Universal principles for creating an effective team
There is no proven recipe for building an effective team. For example, the Deal to Steel task force was originally a potential team and could very well have stayed at that level—or even progressed to the level working group, - if not for a few wise decisions, new ideas and turning points. Like many other stories, the Deal to Steel task force story demonstrates that the difference between a potential team and an actual team can be small, and transformation occurs as a result of the impact on the group of a key shaping event. Or, this difference can be significant, say, due to a long-term neglect of efficiency.
However, we have identified a few universal principles that can help potential teams take the risks needed to move up the team effectiveness curve. These principles are listed below and illustrated with the Deal to Steel Task Force and other teams.
1. Create a sense of urgency to work and the right direction. All team members must be convinced that the team has a truly significant and urgent task, as well as understand what is expected of them. In fact, the more significant and urgent the task, the higher the probability of the birth of a real team. The best team charters are clear enough about the end results, but at the same time, the charters are flexible enough to allow team members to form a mission on their own, specific goals and approach to business. Doing this is not always as easy as it seems.
Ron Burns, head of the pipeline group at Enron, has made it clear that he views the work of the task force and the corporate transformation program as top priorities. In addition, he backed up his words with deeds; for example, Burns spent more than a third of his working time "personally breaking down barriers." As patrons of the team, he chose two top managers, Horton and Prentice. They and Burns himself spent a lot of time with the team and at every opportunity publicly expressed their support for its activities. As a result, Burns, Horton, and Prentice helped shape the focus, make the case, and the urgency for the Deal to Steel team to take action. According to Janacek, Burns “really pushed the cause and motivated people. He sincerely wanted change."
2. Select team members based on their skills and potential, not personality traits. To accomplish their task, teams need a set of complementary skills. They fall into three categories: 1) professional and functional skills; 2) problem solving skills; 3) interpersonal skills. It is important for potential teams to find the right balance between those employees who already have the necessary skills and those who are able to develop these skills after the team begins its activities.
Many leaders overestimate the importance of recruiting people, believing that “without the right starting lineup” it is impossible to build an effective team. However, with the exception of some advanced occupational or functional skills, most people can develop the necessary skills. after joining a team. We are all capable of personal growth; we just need a worthy task focused on efficiency. Therefore, rather than focusing entirely on finding candidates with the right skills, it is much more important to determine whether the team, including its leader, is ready to invest time and effort in the professional development of potential team members. If not ready, then putting such people on the team or keeping them probably doesn't make sense.
By the way, the right selection of employees is important not only for target or special project teams. Constituent teams, whether made up of managers, manufacturers, or performers, must also be careful about team selection. It is all too common to assume that a position automatically guarantees team membership. But when the group is still a potential team, it is necessary to carefully evaluate the skills and abilities to master them among its members. For example, this is exactly what was done when the Garden State Brickface Team (Chapter 3) instructed foremen to staff their own work crews. By selecting people with whom they will work side by side for a long time, foremen have taken a fresh look at their skills and potential for growth.
Once the formation of the group is complete, the question of training often arises. Formal learning is certainly helpful, although it is not always the best or the only way development of the required skills. Training is most effective when it is timely and individualized to the specific needs of the group. For example, General Electric trains frontline teams in problem solving, decision making, interpersonal communication, and teamwork. Motorola encourages anyone who wishes to learn to contact the experts directly for help. By doing this, Motorola tries to ensure that the training is relevant, as its content is directly related to the specific task that the this employee or team.
Horton and Prentice recruited people from all parts of Enron to provide the Deal-to-Steel Task Force with the full range of professional and functional skills needed to accomplish its mission. They also instinctively took into account interpersonal skills, choosing people who were willing to speak their minds openly. While the task force did not engage in any formal training programs, it did draw on external experts when necessary to improve the quality of problem solving and decision making.
3. Pay close attention to first encounters and activities. Initial impressions mean a lot. In the first meetings of potential teams, everyone closely monitors the signals sent by other people in order to confirm, mute or dispel their assumptions or fears. Employees pay special attention to the team leader and any manager who organizes and controls the team or influences it in one way or another. And, as always, the actions of leaders are much more important than their words.
Burns, Horton, and Prentice, the organizers of the Deal to Steel team, signaled their seriousness from the outset mainly by how much time they devoted to the team. Fred Mott did the same when he convinced the ELITE team members of his determination to implement their recommendations (“whatever you offer”) and when he brought the best people into the team. The plant manager at Sealed Air Corporation (more on that later) began his modernization program with a series of seminars on operational economic indicators- and carried out on the job. As one employee later said, “it immediately became clear to me that he was an honest person who sincerely cares about the fate of our enterprise.”
The Deal to Steel team's experience has shown that off-site meetings can help remove barriers, create more open relationships, and thus give a potential team a head start. The advantage of such meetings is that they give participants more time to informal communication in a psychologically comfortable environment. At the same time, there are teams that successfully overcome the initial barriers without such meetings.
The initial meetings and activities are not necessarily limited to the actual first meeting or event; for example, in the case of the Deal to Steel team, the “first meeting” spanned several pre-start meetings. In addition, for permanent groups, such as potential management or work teams, the first meeting does not mean that its employees are actually meeting for the first time as a group. As a rule, such “first meetings” take place with or after the arrival of a new leader, when the new program or initiative, or when changing tasks. For example, for Cosmo Products executives (Chapter 5), this first meeting took place after listening to hard-hitting feedback from employees, although top managers had met regularly for many years prior to this. Unfortunately, far too many potential teams do not perceive such meetings as "firsts" but instead succumb to existing leadership habits and practices, including an over-focus on individual rather than collective responsibility. Thus, they deprive themselves of the opportunity to approach the tasks facing them in a fundamentally different way.
Even more important than the environment is the actions of the team leader. For example, in a meeting outside the office, Janacek was much more effective than during the first meetings at headquarters. By bringing the subgroups together, he showed his flexibility and willingness to admit mistakes. Letting others speak, he expressed his intention not only to speak, but also to listen. And recognizing that he, as a manager of an operating company, needs to learn to consider marketing companies as his clients, has demonstrated a willingness to overcome personal prejudices and habits. The key to Janáček's success was his attitude, flexibility, and attitude, backed by action—which encouraged open discussion that allowed individual problems to be resolved while setting the tone for the entire team.
Whatever the occasion for "first meetings", the leader must be aware of the potential impact of his words and actions on the group. For example, one of our acquaintances was transferred from another division of the company and was appointed the head of an already existing group. His introduction to the potential team was to take place at a dinner party. Only a few employees from his new team knew him personally, but the rest had heard a lot about him as an active leader and a cheerful person. The group outdid themselves with a welcome skit, and at the end of a pleasantly spent evening, our friend was asked to say a few words. But instead of taking the opportunity to outline a few key themes or areas for future action for the staff, he only said: “I am sincerely glad to join your group.” Thus, he missed an important chance, and another one was no longer presented to him.
4. Set clear rules of conduct. All true teams develop certain rules of conduct that help them achieve their final results and increase efficiency. The most important initial rules concern concentration (for example, “during meetings, it is forbidden to be distracted by phone calls”), the nature of the discussions (“no sacred cows”), confidentiality (“no information should leave this room except what we decide to disclose”), analytical approach (“facts are our friends”), focus on the final result (“everyone gets assignments and does them”), constructive criticism (“no pointing fingers”), and, most importantly, individual input (“everyone does real work”).
Such rules promote focus, openness, commitment and trust. They are efficiency oriented. For example, in the From Deal to Steel team, the rule “Evaluate people, not process” was introduced, which helped to keep conflicts in a constructive framework. These rules do not have to be in writing; they may well be unspoken. In the NYC Partnership team described in Chapter 7, leaders were strictly forbidden from sending subordinates to meetings in their place. Although this rule was not official, it was never broken.
At the same time, such rules, when they arise, test the strength of the group itself. For example, if all its members agree that priority should be given to general meetings, and then they begin to skip them, this signals the inability of the group to cope even with such trifles, not to mention the main task. Having established the rules, the group must enforce them. One of the teams we studied agreed to complete confidentiality to encourage open discussion. But soon one employee broke this rule in a conversation with an outsider. When this became known to the others, the team leader politely but firmly reprimanded the violator, after which the team discussions became even more open and creative.
5. Set and implement a few immediate goals and performance-oriented goals. Most teams navigate their path to high performance through a series of key activities that bring them together. To take the first step on this path, potential teams can set themselves some relatively ambitious but achievable goals that they can achieve at an early stage.
For example, potential grassroots teams we have seen at Motorola, Sealed Air Corporation, and General Electric have set many measurable goals, such as shorter lead times, on-time deliveries, reduced reject or defect rates, and faster equipment turnaround times. work, etc. Other teams set goals, although not quantifiable, yet measurable. For example, the Dallas Mafia, precisely as it moved towards such a goal - replacing simple banking transactions with innovative financial services - evaluated its activities.
Whatever the goals - quantitative or qualitative, their achievement should require a certain "strain of forces". A couple of years ago, one leading financial company analyzed the performance of several of its most successful divisions around the world to identify common drivers of success. It turned out that in each case, top managers set goals for their division that other managers in the company considered as "virtually unrealistic, if not insane." In addition, in most cases, on the way to these goals, the management group turned into a real team.
What matters is that the results generated by such ambitious goals should not necessarily be regarded as success. At Enron, the refusal of an operating company chief to relinquish some of his control over the budget helped rally the Deal-to-Steel Task Force. The rejection of the equal pay proposal by Global Headquarters had the same effect on the Dallas Mafia. A smart team understands the value of such events and benefits from them, regardless of their outcome.
6. Keep your team updated with facts and information. New information forces the potential team to rethink and expand the task, helping to formulate the mission, set clearer goals and improve the approach to business. When the Deal-to-Steel Task Force analyzed all the mistakes of the Iceberg Project, it helped them start their training and unite as a team.
Conversely, potential teams make the mistake of assuming that they already have all the information they need thanks to the collective knowledge and experience of their members. Target groups like Deal to Steel fall into this trap less often than employees or managers trying to use a team approach in their current work. After all, task forces and special project teams are created, not least for the purpose of collecting and analyzing new information. In contrast, potential teams on long-term, permanent assignments easily develop habits that cut off fresh information and different points of view. However, new facts can often galvanize such groups into action, as happened after Cosmo Products executives listened to employee feedback.
7. Spend a lot of time together. As it tells us common sense teams need to spend a lot of time together, especially in the beginning. But potential teams often neglect this. Time spent together should be partly planned, partly not. Generating creative ideas and forming personal connections require informal, impromptu interactions, as well as collaborative analysis of pivot tables, customer surveys, competitor research, communication with colleagues, and constant discussion of topical issues. Somewhat surprisingly, we found that communication between team members not always should be personal. Teams are increasingly using telecommunications, as we saw with Rapid Response (Chapter 5).
Busy executives very often deliberately minimize the amount of time they spend together. And even when they are physically nearby, they limit interaction. Regular meetings are kept as short as possible in order to distract managers from their work as little as possible. The agendas are followed very strictly. For example, scheduled discussions are often interrupted in the middle so as not to get out of the meeting schedule. Too often, as happened at the start of the Deal to Steel task force, people look for an excuse to walk out of a meeting (for example, citing the need to call) or skip it altogether. The results are deplorable: the potential team simply does not have time learn to be a team. An unscheduled and open-ended meeting or a three-day retreat is one of the better ways break this stereotype, since such events provide time for informal communication and problem solving. But even offsite meetings won't work if the potential team returns to tightly planned, non-interactive meetings when they return to work.
For example, the potential top-management team we studied used a series of away meetings to secure a promising start. They quickly developed an inspiring common mission, a set of specific goals and an approach based on their complementary skills, and even laid a solid foundation of mutual respect and trust. Unfortunately, managers mistakenly believed that further work required minimal interaction from them. However, by reducing the time spent together, they, without noticing it, lost a clear understanding of the team mission and goals. And besides, they destroyed the rudiments of trust and respect. Six months later, they began to interpret the mission and goals of the team in different and even contradictory ways. Moreover, by that point they had lost the desire to get together and overcome their differences. Starting as a potentially strong team, they turned into a pseudo-team that eventually needed a complete overhaul.
Conversely, the most successful teams always find a way to spend as much time together as possible, especially when things go wrong. The Burlington Northern Intermodal Team held daily morning meetings and interacted extensively throughout the business day and even at night. When the need arose, they also met on Sunday. Members of the Rapid Response Team, thousands of miles apart, talked to each other for several hours a day on the phone. The employees in the Deal to Steel task force spent so much time on this assignment that it literally became their second job. It is noteworthy that in successful task forces and special project teams, such a “second job” and the time spent on it often bring people much more more satisfaction than their permanent job.
8. Harness the power of positive feedback, recognition, and rewards. Positive feeding works for teams in exactly the same way as everywhere else. The Gold Star Giveaway helps reinforce new behaviors that are important to team performance. For example, when a shy person first expresses his opinion openly, the group should be attentive and supportive in order to encourage him to further contribute to the common cause. Similarly, when someone takes the risk of bringing up a sensitive, potentially controversial topic, other team members, and especially the team leader, may react positively, thereby showing their willingness to discuss sensitive issues.
Positive feedback and recognition works at all levels. David Rockefeller masterfully used this to turn a group of volunteer executives into a very successful New York City Partnership team (see Chapter 7). At each meeting, Rockefeller found a reason to praise each leader, and his praise was always associated with the specific contribution of this person to the common cause. Some suspected that Rockefeller had a staff of his staff assisting in preparing such reviews. But it didn't matter. All members of the Rockefeller team recognized his sincere commitment to the common mission and the fact that he, himself a very busy man, really appreciates the time and effort that they devote to the common cause. Even the strongest personalities respond to positive feedback when it's real.
There are many ways to recognize and reward team members for high performance, and financial rewards are just one of them. For example, leaders promise immediate rewards when, like Ron Burns at Enron, they explain to the team the urgency of the problem being solved. Sometimes teams can take advantage of already existing systems of bonuses and incentives in companies. Sometimes a potential team will have to develop their own ways. For example, the Zebra Kodak Team, described in Chapter 3, handed out certificates to exceptional employees for dinner at a restaurant. Ultimately, the feeling of satisfaction from the achievements of the team becomes the main reward. But until that happens, potential teams need to find other ways to acknowledge and reward employees for their commitment and contributions.
The organization of work is the process of delegating and coordinating tasks and resources, with responsibilities, authorities and accountability that are clearly defined. What do we get if we invest our time and energy in proper organization work, and how to achieve it?
Benefits of good work organization
The powers and responsibilities of employees are clearly defined; everyone knows what is expected of him.
Responsibilities are fairly distributed; employees have a certain scope of work that they agree to.
Use of resources as efficiently as possible; there is no duplication of responsibilities.
Coordination of work is continuous; employees work together to achieve the goals of the company.
Employee satisfaction at a high level; they prefer an organization that works well together.
Tasks are achieved; this can be achieved only by properly organizing the work.
But how to properly organize the work? What principles should be followed in this regard?
General principles
Unity of leadership implies the presence of one leader for each employee and a single plan that is designed to achieve a common goal for employees.
Command chain means that the authority in the organization must be clearly outlined from top to bottom. Everyone should know who reports to him, and to whom, respectively, he reports.
The main principle that follows from the above is that each employee should have only one boss!
Scope of control- the manager should have as many subordinates as he is able to keep under control and effective control. The number of direct reports may vary. It depends on many factors, for example, the area of work of the company, the level of responsibility and authority of a particular manager, the tasks performed by this unit, and other variables.
Specialization Every person in the organization has clear, defined roles. In order to comply with this principle, the manager must clearly understand the structure of the company and have full knowledge of who, what, where and why is doing and what are the interactions and communications within the company. Documents such as job descriptions are very helpful in defining the functions of employees.
Coordination- the process of integrating the work of departments to achieve the goals of the company. To begin with, it is important to understand what the purpose of the company is. Then you need to understand what is the function of a particular unit in the process of achieving a common goal. In the end, it is necessary to coordinate the actions of different departments in the course of realizing the company's goal. A unit can only be useful if it is included in common work.
Balanced responsibility, authority and accountability- all the functions listed below are balanced among themselves and have the same importance.
Delegation- the process of allocating responsibility and authority for the task. The main thing in delegation is to correctly determine what can and should be delegated, and what should still be carried out by the leader personally. The volume of delegated tasks depends on many nuances, so each manager determines it based on his own situation. However, delegation is a process required for effective work enterprises.
Employee stability- employees stay in their places as long as possible, low staff turnover. This principle significantly affects the profit of the company, although this is not as obvious as, for example, in the case of rent or the purchase of raw materials. But if we consider how much money is spent on finding suitable personnel, selecting them, training them, etc., the importance of employee stability becomes obvious.
KISS (Keep It Short and Simple)- Simplify the process as much as possible. In some enterprises, job descriptions, rules and regulations are like specially encrypted messages. The proposals are so ornate and incomprehensible that an employee, especially a beginner, is lost from the very first pages. But unjustified difficulties that exist only on paper are not the worst thing. It is much worse when the work process itself is complicated, especially if this is not necessary. The reason for the complication may be excessive bureaucratization, when for adoption simple solution there are a bunch of instructions, and a lot of approvals to get.
Flexibility There are exceptions to every rule. The situational approach implies not violating the rules on own will, but the ability to think outside the box, especially when the situation goes beyond the generally accepted regulations. It is widely known that any situation of crisis or force majeure requires an individual approach. However, not only the crisis can force the manager to move away from template solutions, otherwise there would be no new technologies and approaches in business.
Power
Power is an integral part of the process of organizing work. The optimal option is one in which formal and informal power is in the same hands.
formal power starts at the top of the organization and is delegated down the chain of command.
The leader has the right:
- to make decisions;
- issue orders;
- use controlled resources.
informal power- being endowed with formal power upon taking office, leaders have to acquire informal power, if it was not there initially. Informal power, or the so-called authority, is much easier to earn by a leader in the eyes of employees if he has the following qualities:
Technical skills, that is, a thorough knowledge of the job.
Success stories are great previous work.
People communication skills.
Trust is openness and honesty in relationships.
Organization of the work of the institution
There are three organization/reorganization tools that must be developed before starting the workflow:
1. Building an organizational structure.
2. Development of policies, procedures, rules.
3. Development job descriptions(responsibility, tasks, functions).
To whom should the leader delegate authority in the first place?
It is best to delegate to those whom you are going to promote. Try to take into account the interests of employees, do not overload them. Don't try to set the bar too high. Take the time to train employees before asking them.
In order to move from theory to practice, let's get acquainted with the delegation algorithm, which will help to properly build the transfer of authority and allow you, as a leader, to develop subordinates and develop yourself.
Step 1. Explain to the employee why the need for delegation arose and why you are transferring this or that responsibility to him.
Your explanations help the employee to see the big picture and understand the importance of the work delegated to him. You need to motivate the employee by showing him that you appreciate him. Do not use the approach: "This is, of course, a stupid job, but someone has to do it ...".
Step 2. Set tasks by defining responsibilities, scope of authority and deadlines.
Delegation is planning, and it begins with setting a goal that the employee must achieve.
Example:
1. Compile a list of suppliers and submit it to the manager every Friday at 12.00 (authority to inform).
2. Fill out the order to suppliers and submit it to the manager every Friday at 12.00 (authority to recommend).
3. Fill out the order to suppliers, sign it and send it to the purchasing department, providing a copy to the manager every Friday at 12.00 (authority to report).
4. Fill out an order to suppliers, sign it and send it to the purchasing department, keeping a copy for yourself every Friday at 12.00 (full authority).
Step 3. Develop a plan.
When developing a plan, an operational sheet should be drawn up. Employee training may be part of the plan. If it is necessary for an employee to interact with other services, the manager must give an order to provide him necessary information and support.
Choosing the right one is very important for successful delegation. managerial style.
Step 4. Set breakpoints.
The end date for the delegation should be set in the tasks. The boss and the subordinate must agree on the following issues: the form of control (call, visit, memo, detailed report) and the time frame (daily, weekly, after certain steps completed before moving on to the next step).
Step 5. Enter reporting by employees.
Employees are more productive when their work is measured and valued. The manager must evaluate the work at each checkpoint and after its full completion; as a result of control, rewards or penalties should be imposed, depending on the situation.