Workshop 1: Talent Management

The Talents for a High-Performance Culture

High Performance Organization

Introduction:

A High-Performance Organization is an organization that achieves financial and non-

financial results that are exceedingly better than those of its peer group over a period of time of
five years or more, by focusing in a disciplined way on that which really matters to the
organization.” André de Waal – HPO Center.

High Performance Organization is a conceptual framework for organizations that leads

to improved, sustainable organizational performance. It is an option model to Taylorism. This
bureaucratic model is termed as scientific management that analyzes and synthesizes
workflows. Its main goal is to improve economic efficiency, especially labor productivity.

There is no clear definition of High-Performance Organization but its certain that an

organization that fits to this model holds a common set of characteristics. One of these is the
ability to recognize the need to adapt to the environment where the organization operates in.
High performance organizations can change their operating structure and practices to achieve
needs. These organizations focus on long term success while working on short term goals.

The culture and management of these organizations support flatter hierarchies,

teamwork, diversity and adaptability to the environment. Compared to other organizations, high
performance organizations spend more time on improving their capabilities and give importance
in their workforce, that leads to increased growth and performance, thus sometimes called high
commitment organizations.

When employees know how to apply their strengths, they can focus on meeting their goals.

Goals. Employees personal goal attainment should contribute to success for the whole
department and organization.
Human resource management can create work systems that contribute to high
performance. The challenge facing managers today is how make their organizations into high –
performance work systems.

References:

The High-Performance Organization (HPO) Framework. https://www.hpocenter.com/hpo-

framework/?cn-reloaded=1

Kello, John (2007). “High Performance Organization Model” Encyclopedia of Industrial and
Organizational Psychology (Vol 1, pp. 306-308)

Holbeche, Linda (2005). The High-Performance Organization: Creating Dynamic stability and
Sustainable Success. Routledge. ISBN 9780750656207.

De Waal, Andre (March 2007). ‘The characteristics of high-performance organization”

ResearchGate
Course Details:
Course Title: High Performance Organization
Duration: Approximately 2.5 hours
Type: Instructor-led
Version: 1.0
Content Creator:
Target Audience: Line Managers

Learning Objectives:

 To align and build individual objectives along with the organizational objectives of the
company.
 To enhance the skills and personal development of employees, with the help of
managers and leaders.
 To familiarize managers with the tools required for performance management.
 To improve productivity
 To develop the concept of “Managing for Success”.

Training Content:

1. Agenda
1.1 High Performance Organization History
1.2 High Performance Organization Characteristics
1.3 High Performance Organization Strategies

2. Discuss WIIFMs with the Learners

3. Contents

1.1. High Performance Organization History

During World War II there was increased in manufacturing and industrial production.
This increase concerns over the human impact on work. The Hawthorne studies were part of
the reason why more importance was placed on considering the human impact of work. The
Hawthorne effect is a type of reactivity in which individuals modify an aspect of their behavior in
response to their awareness of being observed. In this period, industrial manufacturers followed
the standardized large scale production method, characterized by mass production, scientific
management, and stringent division of labor. This standardization increased boredom among
blue collar workers who would do the same repetitive job on a daily basis. Management in this
period was characterized by careful and calculated monitoring which would cause workers to
feel a sense of distrust.
In 1960s management for the industrial manufacturing industries had difficulty attracting
and retaining its workforce. During the 1960s there was a push for job enrichment. This grew
out of the sociotechnical systems approach to work, which was pioneered by the Tavistock
Institute. This system is characterized by the open systems model and self-directed work team,
which are also key to the success of a high performance organization. Research on the
sociotechnical systems approach to work has shown that this approach is related to increased
employee satisfaction and motivation.
 Another important step towards the high performance organization was the Japanese
Revolution in manufacturing, which pointed out another flaw to the scientific model of
production. Because workers were so focused on only doing one monotonous task, they were
not aware of the bigger picture. Most employees were completely unaware of the quality of the
products that they were producing. The focus that Japanese manufacturing companies put on
quality, through their early quality circles, eventually led to the implementation of total quality
management which is a key factor of producing quality products that meet consumer demands
at low price points. Another reason for the move away from the older, highly bureaucratic
approach towards the high performance organization was the rapid change in the business
environment since the 1980s.
The 1980s were characterized by a difficulty in American production due to increased
competition from foreign firms, increased inflation on oil prices, and a decrease in
productivity. This change was characterized by increased globalization, an increase in diversity
in the workplace, large technological advances, and increased competition. To better meet the
demands of the changing market place, organizations first tried to implement increased
technological innovation in their production facilities in order to regain the competitive
advantage. These companies soon came to realize that the human factor was also necessary in
regaining its competitive footing. The realization of the importance of the human factors in work
have led organizations to rely on the high performance organization to drive production and
increase their employee's quality of work.

Activity Prior to Learning: Connection before Content

Objectives/Criteria:
1. Connects people to each other
2. Connects people to the purpose of you are here
3. Creates option or choice for authenticity and vulnerability

Activity Flow:
- Host to throw a single question that begins with How or What that could meet all three
of these criteria.
- Question is, what are you intending to achieve at work and what about that is important?
- Ask the audience to group into three (3), all the members of the group will have their
conversation, answering the question, what is something you intend to achieve at work
and what about this is important?
- Give the audience between 10 – 15 minutes to discuss.
- After that, bring all the clicks and breakout groups into one community and share out
with question, what struck you about the experience?
- Make the activity more purposeful rather than and less pointless and eradicating that
activity and uplifting connection before content.
- And so, you got to bring people out and get some voices into the large group and give
another 10-15 minutes to hear their voices.
- What struck you about those conversations, what have you notice about those
conversations, and once you hear that, then declare that they are connected.

1.2 High Performance Organization Characteristics

Organizational Design
 Teamwork and collaboration are priorities of high performance organizations in
their organization design. It basically flattens hierarchies and make it easier for cross-
functional collaboration to happen. Barriers are reduced between functional units and
eradicating complex bureaucracies. Relationship among distinct function employees
strengthened which improves organizational performance. Evident example for this is
hospital.

Teams

Teams operate semi-autonomously to set schedules, manage quality, and solve

problems. These self-directed work teams thrive off of information sharing from all levels
of the organization and are multi-skilled with the flexibility to solve problems without the
need of direct supervision. Members of self-directed work teams have been shown to
have greater job satisfaction, more autonomy and idea input, and improved work
variety. In order for these teams to truly operate at high performance, they must buy
into the teamwork framework. Team members who are part of high-performance teams
tend to have strong personal commitment to one another's growth and success, and to
the organization’s growth and success.
Individuals
High performance organization promote an organization of learning where they
invest much in their workforce. They do this typically through leadership development
and competency management. This organization develop a clear set of core
competencies that they want the organization's employees to master. They put value in
keeping these competencies prominent through training and development. They will
often be referred to as team members or associates as opposed to employees or staff.
Leaders
The roles of managers in a high performance organization are also reinvented.
Traditionally leaders closely monitor or supervise their teams. Team leaders in HPOs are
more concerned with long term strategic planning and direction. Leaders in HPOs trust
in their employees to make the right decisions. They guide their team members by giving
them support and keeping them focused on the project at hand. These leaders lead
depending on the situation and have the capability to adjust their leadership style based
upon the needs of their team members. They know when to inspire people with direct
communication and also have the ability to read when a more hands off approach is
necessary. Although these leaders act with a hands-off approach, they hold non-
performers accountable for not reaching their goals.
Organization strategy and vision
HPOs create strong vision, value, and mission statements which guide their
organizations and align them with the outside environment. The mission, vision, and
values of the organization act as foundations on which the organization is built. They
inform employees what is rewarded and also what is not. A common understanding of
the organizations strategy and direction creates a strategic mind-set among employees
that helps the organization achieve its goals.
Innovative practices
 HPOs reward and incentivize behavior that is in line with the organization’s goals.
They implement reward programs that aim to benefit employees who follow the values of
the organization.
Flexibility and adaptability
The success of HPOs is due to their ability to have structures in place that allow
them to quickly adjust to the environment that they operate within. HPOs have the ability
to reconfigure themselves to meet the demands of the marketplace and avoid its threats.
A HPO's growth is facilitated by creating partnerships and creating networks with other
organizations after careful examination of the value added by entering into these
relationships. They have high external orientation and strive to meet customer demands.
They meet and exceed customer demands by fostering close relationships with
customers, understanding their customers' values, and being responsive to their
customers' needs. HPOs maintain relationships with their stakeholders by creating
mutual relationships.

1.3 High Performance Organization Strategy

Strategy 1: Deploy a High Performance Leadership Strategy

Design and deploy a strategy where leadership is exercised, formally and informally, throughout
the organization. In this session the importance of having structures and systems for decision-
making will be learned, selection and development of leaders and managers and reinforcement
of values, directions and performance expectations.

Strategy 2: Common Purpose and Vision Toward the Future

This shows on how to align the vision, mission and values to insure everyone in the organization
is heading in the same direction.

Strategy 3: Provide Direction and Lead by Example

Leadership is the driving force behind profitability and excellent organizational performance.
Leaders are the role models through their ethical behavior and personal involvement in
planning, communications, coaching and development of future leaders, organizational
performance and employee recognition.

Strategy 4: Customer and Market Focus

Meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of customers are always priority. Build and
maintain relationships internally and most especially to customers or clients.

Strategy 5: Create a Charged Environment that Engages the Workforce

This focuses on creating incentives to reward and recognize the workforce and insure they
consistently deliver excellent results. Success depends on valuing each employee’s satisfaction,
motivation, well-being and development. Appreciation is the key to a more harmonious
relationship within the organization. Recognition programs help meet that need as well as
generate behavior in alignment with organizational goals and standards.

Strategy 6: Talent Management

This strategy will transform the entire workforce into a high-retention culture, saving countless
money for the organization. Money brings employees through the front door, but bad work
environments drive them out the back. Build a high retention workforce that reduces employee
turnover, helps people reach high levels of productivity, greater employee motivation and
increased sales.

Strategy 7: Creating and Managing Change

Sam Walton said, “To succeed in this world, you have to change all the time.” The high
performance organization is unafraid of change and embraces new innovations and trends in
order to remain competitive. The organization does not maintain status quo; but is enabled to
make meaningful change to improve their programs, services, products and processes and to
create new value for the organization’s stakeholders.

Strategy 8: Tear Down Walls and Barriers

Communication is very important as well as teamwork among the workforce. Remove barriers
that inhibit customer service and cause customers to leave for the competition. The organization
spends time pinpointing and removing barriers, obstacles and non-valued work obstructing
workflow, communication and productivity. Individuals are free to go to anyone in the
organization for advice and assistance.

Strategy 9: Manage Ideas and Innovation

It has been said, “Be Innovative or Be Gone.” High performing organizations have a system to
capture, nurture and implement the ideas of their workforce from the bottom to the top. They
learn and apply new knowledge, trends and create work environments focusing on continuous
improvement.

Strategy 10: Manage Performance and Measure Productivity

High performance organizations manage individual performance and help others reach their
potential. Additionally, they effectively measure, analyze and review performance data to drive
improvement and organizational competitiveness.

Activity (Formative): Project-based Lesson

Materials Needed: Pen and paper

Mechanics/Instructions:

- 5 members per group

- After the session of High Performance Organization Strategies. How would you apply
these strategies in creating, leading and growing your business to achieve exceptional
results of a high performance organization.
 - Within 15-20 minutes strategize and come up with a business idea with the aide of the
strategies presented.
- Choose a leader to present your project-based lesson in 10 minutes.

References

Morley, Michael (1967). "The high‐performance organization:: developing teamwork where it

counts". Management Decision. 33 (2): 56–63. doi:10.1108/00251749510081737.

Jump up to:a b c Katzenbach, Jon R.; Smith, Douglas K. (2015-09-22). The Wisdom of Teams:
Creating the High-Performance Organization. Harvard Business Review
Press. ISBN 9781633691070.

Jump up to:a b Bonebright, Denise (2010). "40 years of storming: a historical review of
Tuckman's model of small group development". Human Resource Development
International. 13: 111–120. doi:10.1080/13678861003589099. S2CID 144331444.

Jump up to:a b c d e f Owen, Keith (2001). "Creating and sustaining the high performance
organization". Managing Service Quality. 11: 10–21. doi:10.1108/09604520110362443.

The HPO methodology provided a perfect means of bench-marking where we were, what we
really needed to focus on, a target to aim for and the means to measure our progress.

— Huw T. Owen - CEO Ark Data Centres Ltd

This approach is rigorous and is based on a close systematic examination of the facts across
time, cultures and different industries. Giving definition to what is meant by ‘performance’.

— Mike Haffenden, Director Corporate Research Forum

Culture is very important at HPOs and the HPO research by André de Waal provides us with a
tool for thinking in terms of the long run.

— Carel Maasland, former HR Strategist at IKEA International

Activity (Summative): Business talk Show Interview

Mechanics/Instructions:

- Invite 2 audience to act as an interviewee and interviewer.

- Prepare at least 10 questions based on what was tackled.
- The outcome should focus and highlight an organization that was created, led and grown
into an exceptional high performance organization.
- Participants should come up with their scripts in 20 minutes and the talk show interview
within 10 minutes.