by for Collaboration, Global Business, Leadership
Many organizations are interested in improving collaboration across business units and functional groups, as well as with external partners. To do this requires a culture that is effective and entrepreneurial in nature. Clarity has defined a model for effecting this kind of cultural change. This model consists of five areas that require attention: Training, Networking Technology and Events, Tools and Templates, Policy, and Metrics. These areas are described below.
MODEL FOR IMPROVING COLLABORATION
| Area |
Description |
| Training
|
Employees will benefit from participating in training programs that reinforce critical success factors and provide for skills development in collaboration. |
| Networking Technology and Events
|
Existing technology offers a number of tools that are designed to enable the communication and knowledge sharing/transfer that are critical to successful collaboration. There are also industry best practices such as internal networking events that foster collaboration as well. |
| Tools and Templates |
These may consist of process maps, articles, assessment tools, leadership aids, templates, and/or other tools that can be used in developing a collaborative approach to a given project or program. |
| Policy
|
Management policies such as performance appraisals, intellectual property guidelines, and organizational boundaries affect the way teams work together within an organization and with other companies. Some policies will need to be modified, added, or deleted to enable greater collaboration. |
| Metrics
|
Organizations that have been successful in developing a collaborative culture cite the fact that they incorporate measures in their performance appraisals to ensure collaborative behavior. |
by for Global Business, Leadership, Process Improvement, Project Management
A friend of mine recently initiated a transformation in his physical health. One day he learned that his cholesterol was dangerously high. He realized he had a choice to make. He could take incremental steps and hope for a prolonged period of improvement, or he could make radical changes and improve his condition very quickly. He took charge of the situation. He changed his eating and exercise habits so dramatically that his cholesterol level dropped by 20 points in less than a month.
This story is analogous to the challenges that corporations face daily across the global marketplace. Some have stepped up to the plate and made the radical changes needed to become financially healthy and maintain their viability in the market place. They decided that they wanted to live and not die.
Historically, individual budgetary concerns and department performance have weighed too heavily on work processes in many corporations. This behavior helps organizations optimize at a functional group level, but sub-optimization is the result for the overall entity. If a company is to avoid the iceberg of corporate mortality, then everybody had better start moving the ship – and they better be moving in the same direction. Serving customers and succeeding as an enterprise must drive decisions and, consequently, work flows.
Does your organization reflect the sub-optimization reality? Don’t feel badly – you’re in good company. Where should you start so you can experience your own transformation? Glad you asked. Keep these two things in mind:
1. Prioritize Carefully
Project portfolio management and prioritization are imperative. No organization can do everything that comes across the radar screen. Your team needs to be allowed to focus on the “critical few” items in order to accomplish its strategic goals. The list of the critical few should be populated with projects that address customer-driven products and services, quality, safety, and compliance. This list should also be limited in scope. Furthermore, items on the list should be important enough to be fully resourced.
2. Eliminate or Reduce Non-Value Added Work
Non-value added work can consume a disproportionate amount of time each day. Tasks that fall into this category typically are driven by departmental requirements, not by the needs of your customers. Figure out how much time your organization spends on activities that serve your customers versus those that only serve the bureaucracy. Empower your organization, and charge them with eliminating or at least reducing the latter.
by for Global Business, Outsourcing, Process Improvement, Project Management
Outsourcing Vendor Selection: Get Schooled on How Not to Get Schooled
Sponsored by the Outsourcing Institute
Date: August 12, 2010
Time: 12:00pm – 1:00pm EDT
Registration: Click Here to Register for the Webinar
Cost: Free
Choosing your outsourcing vendor can be risky business. If you are unfamiliar with proven methods and criteria for selecting your vendor, valuable time and money can be wasted.
Join us on Thursday, August 12, from noon-1pm EDT so you aren’t learning the ins and outs of vendor selection from…the school of hard knocks.
This webinar will focus on the importance of a robust vendor selection process and cover key aspects of vendor selection methodology. Expect to learn the following take-aways:
- Developing a vendor strategy aligned with your business strategy
- Understanding the vendor market landscape
- Developing vendor evaluation criteria
- Maintaining objectivity
- Managing risk
- Avoiding pitfalls in contracting and negotiations
Join Kevin Parikh, CEO of Avasant, as he explores these and other topics while fielding your questions on all things vendor selection along with an expert panel. Panelists include Monica D. Johns, MBA, PMP, President and CEO of Clarity Management Consulting.
Registration: Click Here to Register for the Webinar
by for Global Business, Leadership
Self-sufficiency is a characteristic that influences the way women share risk as entrepreneurial leaders. Women play diverse roles in their professional and personal lives. Consider a woman who has a career, a family, and an elderly parent. Each role demands a high level of commitment. These roles do not always come with additional resources for delegation. Consequently, the woman who has to fulfill these commitments must do the job herself in many cases. This results in a level of self-sufficiency that is unique to women.
Women develop an acute sense of responsibility in these situations. This is an essential part of risk sharing. Entrepreneurs shoulder complete responsibility for their businesses. These leaders often have to step in and take up the slack in critical situations to ensure success. Women who succeed as entrepreneurs become proficient at delegating responsibility while holding themselves accountable for business results. They learn to share risk over time. Their self-sufficiency in meeting the challenges of their day-to-day lives provides a unique foundation upon which to build these skills effectively.
by for Global Business, Outsourcing, Quality
ManufacturingD
Global Sourcing Strategies: Quality vs Price?: Outsourcing spending has con… http://bit.ly/cjJcO7
