PERSPECTIVES
Exploration, Performance Planning, Performance Culture and Successful Implementation. I’ve already mentioned the idea of
5. What aspects of Performance Management should be explored more through research?
done in this field, I wouldn’t wish these examples to be quoted publicly without specific permission from my clients. 7. Which are the main challenges of Performance Management in practice today? Over the years, I’ve developed a fishbone diagram, outlining common root causes behind the failure of initiatives in the field of Performance Measurement and Management to deliver to their full potential. You could group these several causes of failure into four generic areas: (1) Motivation - why would organizations wish to improve the way they are managed?; (2) Mobilization and Communication - how best to explain to people how to get involved and incorporate their thinking and suggestions?; (3) Design and Implementation - what best to do and how best to do it?; and (4) Support and Coaching - how to address individual and collective fears? What’s important, of course, is to look at these typical causes of failure and deliberately address them. The answer is not to worry about strategic management frameworks, performance metric definition, target-setting et al, but instead to think deeply about how performance information should be used by whom, why, when and how, along with issues around implementation.
I see the next big opportunity for developing an appropriate Performance Architecture. However, there is no point in research in the Performance Management having even the most elegant Performance field as focusing on ways to improve the way Architecture, unless the other four essential organizations are managed, rather than on elements of Connected Performance are improving how their work gets done, either not well-developed too. This is something internally and/or across end-to-end supply my colleagues and I will be addressing chains. This could help move the thinking in our paper for this year’s biennial PMA forward from pedestrian, well-understood conference in Cambridge, in July. Incidentally, it is also worth mentioning topics, such as strategy development and 8. What do you think should be that, under the heading of Performance execution, the definition of metrics and Exploration, Professor Tom Davenport’s so on to something more exciting and improved in the use of Performance Management tools and processes? phrase - “Competing on Analytics” is potentially helpful. A greater awareness of the framework relevant. As Professor Davenport explains, which I call “Connected organizations with a lot of fastIt is important to start by thinking about Performance”. moving operational data now have a real opportunity to move how performance information needs 9. What would you consider from “drowning in their data” to be used in practice (by whom, why, best practice in Performance to “competing on analytics”. Unfortunately, few organizations when and how and between functions Management? I think my answer to this worldwide currently exhibit and managerial levels), rather than about question is the same as my answer the highest maturity level of “Competing on Analytics” that how performance metrics should be put in to your earlier question, that’s to say Connected Performance. Professor Davenport describes. place. However, interest in this field 10. Which aspects of Performance 6. Please provide some examples seems to be growing exponentially. This is great news, as it may encourage of organizations which you would Management should be emphasized organizations to think more rigorously recommend for study due to their during educational programs? I think the most important thing to about how to enable frontline staff and approach to Performance Management communicate to students is the importance managers at all levels to extract actionable and achievements. While I’m happy to talk you privately of starting with the use of performance insights from their data, at the speed of thought (rather than having to submit through three examples of leading-edge information, rather than with defining work my colleagues and I have recently what needs to be measured. queries to a central analytical team). Performance Management in 2012
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