Articles
Strategy & Operation
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- Written by Peter Razenberg
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." , Japanese proverb
This ancient proverb smartly captures how the two opposite forces; vision and action or as described in the RPM model; strategy and operation are entwined. Where internal and external influences can pull an organisation towards 'Vision' one moment, the next moment the focus can be pulled in opposite direction towards 'Action', resulting in an ongoing fluctuation in focus between these two essential forces.
Objectives & Perceptions
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- Written by Peter Razenberg
"Listen to your customers and stakeholder, but then ignore them. Remember your vision and objectives", author unknown
Customer and stakeholder opnions are important but too much focus on external perceptions alone will distract an organisation from achieving its objectives and will require a movement back towards vision and objectives. In return an opposite movement towards customer and stakeholders perception will be required the moment an organisation threatens to get dissconnected from its customers, stakeholders, environment and the market by too much internal focus.
Process & Innovation
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- Written by Peter Razenberg
“Nothing stops an organization faster than people who believe that the way you worked yesterday is the best way to work tomorrow.”, Jon Madonna, retired, former chairman and chief executive officer of KPMG
Procedures provide us stability and help organisations to provide consistancy in their output. Knowing when it is time to review and revise procedures is the key to sucess. Changing the procedures to frequently will result in lower quality and an unpredìctable output. The culture of the organisation and its people determine its ability to be successful in finding the right balance.
Structure & People
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- Written by Peter Razenberg
"Organise around business functions, not people. Build systems within each business function. Let systems run the business and people run the systems. People come and go but the systems remain constant" , Michael Gerber, E-Myth Revisited
That said... Systems and technology are there to get the best out of people by supporting them in their daily tasks, creating smart ways to colaborate and support customers by increasing efficiency and reducing risks for errors. The moment systems and technology become an obstacle rather than supportive to business functions it is time to review if they are still suitable for the job.e.g. IT security measures and restriction are often an important reason for employees to search free external alternatives for the purpose of doing their job.