Work is purposeful activity. which means that all work is activity but not all activity is work. How can you make sure that your organization is working and not merely busy? One way is to create focus and alignment of purpose. Everyone in the organization, from C.E.O. to File Clerk, needs to be focused on the core purpose(s) and their actions aligned to that purpose(s). I’m going to walk you through several management practices, which if viewed and executed through this prism will make you a more purposeful and productive enterprise.
Strategy
Maybe you have a fat binder gathering dust on a bookshelf that speaks to the strategic plan. If you do, try to distil it down to one page. Or maybe it would be easier to start from scratch. In any event, what you want is a list of up to 5 things that speak to why your organization exists and how it may prosper in the future. The following is a somewhat dated example of the raison d’etre for the Athens County Public Library in Ohio.
- Provides customer service that is timely, thorough, friendly and helpful.
- Educates and entertains customers through programming for children, families and other specialized audiences.
- Promotes and provides access to services, collections and information.
- Provides safe, inviting and functional facilities and equipment.
Jobs
Jobs are bundles of work. I say work instead of tasks because each task needs to connote work instead of merely activity. The following excerpt from an Athens County Public Library job description organizes the work of a position according to the purpose being fulfilled. Writing job descriptions in this way helps you to identify non-value added activity. If employees are engaged in activity that does not fulfill a purpose eliminate the activity.
Promotes and provides access to services, collections and information:
- Promotes the library in the community at every opportunity.
- Posts signs and places advertisements to advertise library events.
- Visits schools to inform them of services and to encourage visits.
- Represents the library at meetings, conferences, presentations and workshops.
- Develops comunity partnerships for the purpose of enhancing library services.
Competencies
You need a purpose(s). You need work that fulfills a purpose(s). Therefore you need competencies that allow you to perform the work.
The base of the Competency model is Innate Capacity. We are not all created equally. We have varying capacities to learn. There is nothing you can do about Innate Capacity. The lesson is to learn how to make smart hires. A smart hire is about capacity rather than credentials although the two need not be mutually exclusive.
Readiness is about education and acculturation. It’s the refinement and development of Innate Capacity. Formal education forms the baseline for skills development and the quality of our upbringing forms our disposition toward the world. Knowledge and Attitude are, to a degree, malleable qualities but by the time one is of employment age the foundation should already be laid.
Performance involves the application of skills and behaviors that are developed on the job. Any organization that takes competencies seriously also takes training and coaching seriously. Your job is to build performance competencies, measure the application of those competencies and continually shore up deficiencies.
Outcomes refer to aggregate performance, the realization of purposeful goals and strategies that demonstrate a competent, high-performance organization.
The Customer Focus array below is a simplified example of a measurement tool that describes Ineffective, Effective and Exemplary performance.
Customer Focus
1 2 3 4 5
| Ineffective |
Effective |
Exemplary |
| Allows clerical or “off desk” duties to interfere with customer service. Sees to customer demands at one’s own convenience. Views customer service as a burden. |
Behavior reflects the belief that the customer is always to library’s top priority. Treats all customers fairly without playing favorites or holding grudges. |
Empathizes with the customer. Looks at every transaction as an opportunity to serve. |
| Performs customer service begrudgingly – as a mindless routine rather than a series of interpersonal transactions. Carries on personal conversations in front of customers |
In every situation, listens to the customer’s needs and responds accordingly. Avoids passing the buck. |
Anticipates needs. Offers assistance before being asked. Exceeds expectations. Follows up to insure satisfaction. |
| Favors an adversarial relationship with customers. May be too rigid in enforcement of policies and rules. Corrects or chastises customers. |
Works within established guidelines to allow every customer to have a positive experience at the library. Gives customers the benefit of the doubt. |
Suggests and promotes policies and procedures that ae as customer friendly as possible. Feels empowered to suggest solutions when extenuating circumstances arise. |
Compensation
If performance is variable then so should compensation. The compensation band below is an example of a market-based range for a job(s) at varying degrees of competency and performance.
Min. 1st Quartile 2nd Quartile Mid 3rd Quartile 4th Quartile Max
| $12.00 |
$14.00 |
$16.00 |
$18.00 $20.00 |
| Novice |
Practitioner |
Master |
Mentor |
The band is segmented into 4 quartiles labeled Novice, Practitioner, Master and Mentor.
Novice: The minimum rate is the market rate below which you would find no acceptable candidate for the job. The Novice segment of the range is appropriate for newer employers who are acquiring baseline competencies and are performing at acceptable standards.
Practitioner: The Practitioner segment (2nd quartile) is the range of pay appropriate for a fully trained, fully competent employee. The midpoint rate approximates the median market rate for the job.
Master: The Master segment (3rd quartile) is reserved for advanced competencies and high performance.
Mentor: The Mentor segment (4th quartile) represents pay appropriate for maximally competent, high performers who also have the ability to transfer skills to others (trainer and coach) and lead (Supervisor).
Integrating compensation and competencies systems requires mapping specific competencies and performance expectations to the various segments of the pay band.
What I have described is an organization where purposeful strategies are realized through value-adding work and supported by and motivated by competencies and compensation. What I have described is nothing short of the purposefully performing organization.
