Managing in Reverse (eBook)

The 8 Steps to Optimizing Performance for Leaders

Jonathan J. Clark (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2023 | 1. Auflage
200 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
978-1-6678-8663-3 (ISBN)

Infos

'Managing in Reverse' provides leaders with the definitive step-by-step method for optimizing performance so that organizational objectives are achieved.

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Fundamentally, leaders are in charge of two things: objectives and execution. Said another way, leaders set the direction and are responsible for the optimal performance of operations. How do leaders achieve superlative outcomes? Where do they begin? What are the specific steps and tasks that take them through the process? "e;Managing in Reverse"e; provides leaders, professionals, and teams with the proper methodology for optimizing performance and achieving objectives. The eight steps of "e;Managing in Reverse"e; represent the definitive approach that can be universally applied to organizations of all industries. These steps are comprehensive as they distinctively improve the tangible, nonhuman components and the intangible, human components of an operation. First, the author defines in detail what an operation is and how it works. Then, he presents the proper step-by-step approach for improving and transforming an operation most effectively. Examples and illustrations are used throughout the book to crystallize the book's concepts and principles so users can apply them in practice to achieve optimal operating results.

Textauszug

Introduction

Managing in Reverse

As discussed in the Preface, leaders are essentially in charge of two things: objectives and execution. Said another way, leaders set the direction and are responsible for the optimal performance of operations. At the highest level of organizational leadership, a leader oversees an entire organization, which is simply an operation on a grand scale. Leaders also manage suboperations within an organization, such as divisions, business units, or departments. Professional individuals also manage operations and become leaders in their own fields, such as a surgeon carefully performing heart surgery, or a professional athlete tightly executing his or her sporting event.

Take, for instance, Shaun White in the world of winter sports. He and snowboarding have become synonymous terms. When many people think of snowboarding, they think of Shaun White, “The Flying Tomato!” As a five-time Olympian, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, and a thirteen-time Winter X Games gold medalist, he rebranded the sport. Shaun pushed the limits of snowboarding so high that he is often regarded as the world leader who revolutionized the sport as we know it today.

Shaun’s superpipe and halfpipe performances were quintessential, as he outclassed other competitors in skill, speed, style, and air. His scores proved it. In the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games, Shaun earned the highest halfpipe score ever recorded to that time—a 48.4 out of 50 possible points. In 2012, he also became the first person in history to score a perfect 100 points in the superpipe at the winter X Games in Aspen, Colorado.

One of Shaun’s trademarks, which helped him rack up points, was his ability to maximize his vertical height, or “amplitude,” after “dropping in” on the superpipe or halfpipe with unusual speed. In 2010, at the winter X Games, he flew to a height of twenty-three feet in the air, a new record.

So, as a leader, how do you maximize “amplitude,” or the height and performance of your operation, in order to achieve the objectives? Where do you begin? What exactly do you do during each stage of the improvement process to achieve the very best outcomes? Managing in Reverse: The 8 Steps to Optimizing Performance for Leaders outlines the precise methodology for achieving the highest performance possible. These successive steps and subtasks take you through an operation in reverse order, managing every component in a succinct, proven way.

As we begin this process, I want to quickly provide you with an overview of the Managing in Reverse methodology. In doing so, it is important to note that Managing in Reverse is designed to be comprehensive, as it optimizes all aspects of an operation. They include:

• The outcomes of an operation,
• The tangible, nonhuman components of an operation (e.g., systems, processes, equipment),
• The intangible, human components of an operation (e.g., leadership, organizational structure, culture),
• The inputs of an operation (e.g., raw materials, customers, information).

In the chapters of this book, I will explain how these components, as well as other factors, are assessed and optimized according to eight steps and their related tactics. These steps are designed to be succinct and as efficient as possible to implement. It is also important to note that they can be universally applied to any organization or operation in any industry.

Whether a single operation requires improvement (as illustrated in Example 1 of the Preface) or the performance of an entire organization needs transformation (as illustrated in Example 2 of the Preface), the approach for optimizing performance is the same. This is because improving performance involves improving operations. And because the anatomy and function of an operation are the same, regardless of its industry, size, complexity, or type, improving any kind of operation involves the same approach.

So, how does it work? Managing in Reverse is based on first examining the current outcomes of an operation prior to considering any improvements. After outcomes are assessed and measured, they are compared against the overall objectives to determine if a gap or an opportunity for improvement exists. You then move backward from the outcomes to the operation itself, and then to the inputs. Working through the remaining sequential steps ensures that the best solutions are identified, implemented, and refined to achieve optimal results. The eight steps are divided into two separate phases: Phase I: Assessment, and Phase II: Implementation, outlined as follows:

PHASE I: ASSESSMENT

Step 1: Measure current performance

Step 2: Establish performance targets

Step 3: Evaluate underperforming operations

Step 4: Benchmark best practice operations

PHASE II: IMPLEMENTATION

Step 5: Recommend operational improvements

Step 6: Implement recommendations

Step 7: Monitor outcomes

Step 8: Refine improvements

Typically, though this will vary based upon each improvement project, Managing in Reverse employs a balanced approach where you devote about fifty percent of your time to the Assessment Phase and fifty percent to the Implementation Phase. From a bird’s-eye view, during the Assessment Phase, you will specifically identify where operational problems or opportunities for improvement exist. You then quantify the problems or opportunities in operational terms (e.g., quality, volume, speed, etc.) as well as in financial terms, when possible (e.g., revenue, costs, operating margin, etc.). Next, you isolate and examine the causes of the problems, and then you finish this phase by benchmarking against best practices to find potential solutions.

During the Implementation Phase, you formulate the right recommendations and implement them as efficiently as possible. You then refine and monitor the implemented recommendations so that the organization can realize sustained improvements.

As you go through this process, you will find that each of the two phases is further broken down into two stages, totaling four stages. These four stages reflect the logical sequence of a performance optimization project in even greater detail. Each stage then consists of two related steps, as illustrated below:

PHASE I: ASSESSMENT

Stage I: Opportunity Analysis

Step 1: Measure current performance

Step 2: Establish performance targets

Stage II: Operational Review

Step 3: Evaluate underperforming operations

Step 4: Benchmark best practice operations

PHASE II: IMPLEMENTATION

Stage III: Recommendations and Implementation

Step 5: Recommend operational improvements

Step 6: Implement recommendations

Stage IV: Sustainability and Refinement

Step 7: Monitor outcomes

Step 8: Refine improvements

Stage I, Opportunity Analysis, consists of practical, straightforward data analytics to determine if, and to what extent, an operation can be improved. The opportunity analysis assesses the actual performance outcomes of an operation and compares it to expected or targeted outcomes (i.e., the objectives). A negative variance between actual and targeted performance indicates an opportunity for improvement. Once the performance opportunity is identified, it is converted into a financial opportunity when possible so that the costs associated with improving an operation can be compared against the financial opportunity to estimate a return on investment.

After completing the opportunity analysis, it is time to move backward, “managing in reverse,” from the outputs of the operation to the operation itself. Stage II, Operational Review, outlines a sequence of eight tasks that will allow you to scrutinize the current state of an operation. These tasks help you determine where specific problems and opportunities exist and also help you identify the underlying causes of those problems. While quantitative analysis (data analysis) is necessary in this stage, qualitative analysis (non-data analysis) is also used to pinpoint specific problems and opportunities within underperforming operations. Potential solutions also emerge during this early stage.

Once Stage I and Stage II (which make up the Assessment Phase) are complete, the next task is to formulate and implement the right improvement recommendations. This is done in Stage III: Recommendations and Implementation. During this stage, recommendations are carefully evaluated, prioritized, and then implemented according to proper project management and change management principles.

The final stage, Stage IV, Sustainability and Refinement, is where you monitor and modify the implemented recommendations to ensure that the organization will realize and sustain optimal outcomes. If everything is done correctly in Stages I through III, Stage IV is the simplest stage, where...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 7.3.2023
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
• ISBN-10: 1-6678-8663-0 / 1667886630
• ISBN-13: 978-1-6678-8663-3 / 9781667886633