Masonry Magazine August 2001 Page. 9
BUSINESS GOALS: Translating Achievement Into Performance-Based Numbers
By Richard G. Ensman, Jr.
If your employees may be performing up to par, filling orders within a standard twenty-hour time allotment, but you've been asked to "speed things up," perhaps by moving processing time down to 17 hours. You'll approach this goal based on improvements in efficiency - much differently than you'd approach a goal arising out of performance problems.
TRANSLATE YOUR WORK INTO SPECIFIC, STEP-BY-STEP PROCESSES
Before you can set quantifiable goals for yourself or for others, you must carefully analyze the steps involved in the tasks you're studying. Only then will you be able to set measurable standards for the work you're doing.
If, for instance, you're trying to improve your filing efficiency, you might break out the steps involved in filing: examining and dating all materials; placing them in pre-sort boxes; placing documents in the appropriate files. In examining these steps, you might realize that by creating one more step - sorting documents before filing you can speed the entire process up. So, instead of spending four hours a day in filing, you may discover that you can cut it down to three hours in the future.
SET MEASURABLE, BUT REALISTIC GOALS
By this time, you should have a clear understanding of the work you're trying to improve as well as an understanding of the steps involved in doing the work. Your tendency at this point might be to shoot for some very broad, ambitious goals, but beware. Solid goal-setting and goal achievement - doesn't always come that easily. Temper your sights with a healthy dose of realism and keep your goals modest; you can always set your goals higher later on.
Suppose, for instance, that you're a customer service rep trying to boost the number of customer complaints you can resolve satisfactorily. After analyzing the calls you receive right now, you realize that most customer problems fall into one of nine standard categories, such as merchandise quality complaints, delivery problems, and so on. You find that you can address most of these problems quickly and efficiently. But you need time-consuming supervisory authorization to deal with one category of problems: returns by customers who have simply "changed their minds." You believe that you can better accommodate the needs of customers-and boost your resolution rate from 65% to 80% if your supervisor gives you the authority to handle these problems on your own. By focusing on specific, realistic changes in work methods and precise goals you can make a strong case for positive change.
Don't forget your colleagues... unless you're trying to boost achievement in a task for which you're soley responsible, you'll need the support and cooperation of others - your boss, your subordinates or your co-workers - to make things happen. Don't forget to involve them in your analysis of work procedures and in your goal setting.
Let's suppose, for instance, that you've just been named sales manager for a group of fifteen sales reps. While the majority of reps make the required number of calls and turn in healthy sales figures each month -you're not sure that six of the reps are performing adequately. By bringing the entire sales force together to review past call reports and achievements, the group as a whole can buy into some reasonable work standards-standards which can then become the minimum norm for all fifteen reps.
SET UP A SIMPLE INFORMATION MONITORING SYSTEM
How do you know that your quantifiable goals are being achieved? How do you intend to monitor them once they're in place? If your goals are very simple like boosting the average daily production in a small department - you can probably measure their achievement by personal observation. Other goals can be monitored through existing information systems. If, for instance, you're trying to boost attendance and reduce tardiness, your payroll system can probably provide you with week-by-week statistics on goal achievement.
But you might need to develop and implement a simple monitoring system of your own. If, for instance, you're trying to reduce spoilage and waste by 15% over the next year, you might have to set up a simple record-keeping system for tracking waste. Every time waste occurs, employees might be required to complete a simple form, which becomes the basis for a monthly "spoilage and waste" analysis and the means by which you can track achievement of your goal.
From time to time, almost everyone falls victim to imprecise, unclear language in the workplace-language that can deaden enthusiasm and impede high performance. But next time you feel a hint of frustration at those ambiguous phrases phrases like "faster," "more accurate," or "more reliable" - step back for a moment. Work with your supervisor, your subordinates or your colleagues to translate those phrases into meaningful steps and meaningful, goal-oriented numbers. The result, most likely, will be less frustration and the achievement you've been seeking.
MASONRY-AUGUST, 2001 9