Managing Mission Performance 

Senior executives need to make timely, informed decisions in order to deliver winning performance. Too often their ability to do so is hampered by an impenetrable mass of data and an inability to accurately distinguish between cause and effect. A typical organisational response to this is to seek ever more information in order to understand performance shortfalls and control the outcome. Only when they can see through the ‘fog of business’ can leaders identify opportunities and anticipate problems in sufficient time to take corrective action.

The Role of Performance Management

One of the challenges facing a complex organisation is how to produce a clear, accurate picture of what is going on from a large volume of data. Too often existing performance reporting hides key issues in the data and, by masking poor performance, does not support effective decision making.

The benefit of using effective strategic alignment techniques, including tools such as our 5MAP, is improved organisational clarity and focus. Developing a hierarchy of operational missions supported by clear and transparent objectives also provides the means of tracking performance and reinforcing accountability.

Performance Reports

In response to client demand we have partnered with a leading executive reporting and performance insights consultancy Executive Intelligence Ltd to develop a highly effective Mission Performance Management solution that significantly extends the return on investment in strategic alignment.

Regular insights linking cause and effect are central to informed leadership decision-making. For the insight to be trusted the data behind it must be consistently excellent. Our solution is a simple and effective executive dashboard displaying clear performance insights based on the outputs from our strategic alignment process.

We present it in a concise and easy to manage Excel-based format, customized to your requirements and designed to be delivered efficiently by people within your organisation.

 We typically implement mission performance management as an integral part of a strategic alignment programme in a five stage process:

 » Stage 1 – Our diagnostic study looks at your current systems for managing mission performance and proposes improvements in process, content and format.

» Stage 2 – We prepare a dashboard mock-up to gain feedback and commitment to the new reporting style and content.

» Stage 3 – We produce the first ‘live’ report for you.

» Stage 4 – We automate the dashboard to ensure efficient regular production in line with your requirements

» Stage 5 – We provide support to complete handover to your team and quality check the outcome.

Performance Meetings

Companies seeking to improve mission performance often need to standardise their performance meeting processes and embed them in the day-to-day ‘operating rhythm’ of the business.  Done effectively, leaders can monitor and focus on the activity that is critical to successful mission delivery, taking timely decisions about corrective actions.

Many of our clients want people to take more individual responsibility for the results of the business; in other words to be accountable. Our structured approach to performance management reinforces accountability but places equal emphasis on empowering leadership behaviour and effective relationships.

Performance meetings are an essential component of any business rhythm. They require structure and content management to be effective. Performance meetings need to involve all owners of key components of the team’s mission and must take place on a regular schedule.

The key ingredient in performance meetings however, is not the objectives, targets or KPIs.  It is openness and trust engendered through honest conversations about performance, outcomes and causal factors. We provide facilitation and coaching to embed effective mission performance management processes and behaviours in your business.