Thanks for the

feedback report
Now What?
1

2009-2010

A feedback report
represents an opportunity
to:

Role model a systematic approach for

analysis
Celebrate (and build upon) strengths
Improve the organization
Improve the next application
Enhance alignment
Foster frank, two-way communication
Establish priorities for improvement

2009-2010

However
Common responses to the feedback
include:
Defensiveness
Denial / Overwhelmed
Defeat / Confusion

2009-2010

Defensiveness
The ANALYST: What sector were those
examiners from anyway? Obviously, they didnt
understand our organization.
The DETECTIVE: Where did they find that in the
application?
Favorite responses:
Were not really like this.
We used to be this way, but we changed
between when we submitted the application
and now.

2009-2010

Denial / Overwhelmed
The HERO: You have confirmed what we always
knew: Our company is the greatest! Just look at all of
these strength comments!
The BUSY Executive: No time for this Weve got
more important things to do!!
Favorite responses:
The comments about our strengths are accurate,
but not the comments about our weaknesses.
What do they mean not deployed? We sent out
an email to everyone the week before the site
visit!!!
I think two data points make a trend were better
now than the last time we measured.
Nobody is perfect well put this on the agenda
later.
5

2009-2010

Defeat / Confusion
The DELEGATOR: Well just let the writing team
fix it.
The PROCRASTINATOR: Im not sure where to
begin, so Ill file it for now and deal with it later.
Favorite responses:
The examiner team didnt really get to know the
company that well.
Nobody could really answer ALL of those
questions.
Pssst I heard that most companies score low.
Im not really sure what some of these
comments even really mean!
6

2009-2010

How good you feel

Conscious Competence
Model

2
7

How much you know

2009-2010

It really IS progress
Cycles of improvement through the selfassessment process of writing the
application
Increased knowledge in the organization
about this journey toward performance
excellence
Increased knowledge in the organization
about the Baldrige criteria
Cycles of improvement from feedback
analysis and response
8

2009-2010

What did they really

mean?
Understanding the examiners language will help
Many terms and phrases have somewhat different
meanings in Baldrige-speak

Advantages & Challenges

Aligned
Anecdotal
Approach, Deployment
Early stages
Innovation
Integrated
Performance Projections
Systematic
Well deployed
While and Although

Key resources: Glossary & Scoring Guidelines

9

2009-2010

There is opportunity in
(almost) every comment
Analyze
each
comment

Yes
Opportunity
for reward,
recognition,
celebration

Ignore

Agree
+ or
?
Strength - ?

OFI

Agree
?

Yes

Applicati
on OFI?

No
Create
action plan
to address

No

Yes
Ignore

No

10

2009-2010

Agree with an
identified strength?
Celebrate it
Keep it in the application for next year
Strengthen it even more
Capture the cycles of improvement
Continue to evaluate and document
related results

11

2009-2010

Disagree with an
identified strength?
Self-identified OFI
Take the hint and run with it
Presume that benefit of the doubt was
given in the examination process
Perhaps the examiners found a strength
you didnt know you had check it out!
Create an action plan what can you do to
make it a real strength?
Or, ignore it
12

2009-2010

Agree with an
identified OFI?
Create an action plan
Benchmark with other organizations
All Baldrige recipient applications are
posted online
Similar organizations
Dissimilar organizations, similar processes
Keep documentation to show cycles of
learning and improvement in the next
application
13

2009-2010

Disagree with an
identified OFI?
Consider how you can ensure that the next
examiners understand your its really notan-OFI perspective

In the application
At site visit

Consider whether they may indeed be

correct an approach that you have is not
fully deployed, so they didnt see it need
an action plan
Or, ignore it
14

2009-2010

Why almost
every comment?
Some are prescriptive

Embrace it anyway?
Dismiss as taking action will not add sufficient
value to the organization

Some are invalid, and not necessary to

address

Remember, examiners are human, occasionally

have OFIs themselves
They dont know your business as well as you do

Shouldnt be very many comments ignored

15

2009-2010

Most routes lead toward

action planning
Analyze
each
comment

Yes
Opportunity
for reward,
recognition,
celebration

Ignore

Agree
?

+ or
-?

Agree
?
Yes

Applicati
on OFI?

No
Create
action plan
to address

No

Yes
Ignore

No

16

2009-2010

Action Planning

17

2009-2010

A word about action

plans
SMART is good SMARTER is
better!
The most effective action plans are:

18

Specific
Measurable
Aligned
Realistic
Time-bound
Evaluated
Reviewed

2009-2010

Specific Action Verbs

Probably result in task
accomplishment Obtain

Increase
Reduce

Decrease
Identify

Design
Analyze

Redesign
Review

Eliminate
Examine

Deliver
Determine

Implement

May not be as helpful

Explore

Consider

Seek

Study

Investigate

Research

Discuss

19

2009-2010

It's in how you evaluate

what you measure that
I
matters
t
t
s
s
m 's

u ing
j
t th
o
n g e
s rin r t
'
t
I u ta n
s a ta
a
e th or
p
m
im

t h ak n o t
at in
ju
g
m ac you su st
ea cu h re
s u ra a v
re te e
m
en
ts

20

2009-2010

Aligned
Accomplishment of the specific actions must

logically lead to attainment of strategic goals

Balance the needs of all stakeholders

Support our objectives & goals

Creates conditions for our success

Consider the impact on:

Other processes one solution may have

an adverse response on another process
Other people who else does your solution effect?
All key stakeholders do they know what you are
doing?

Nice to do vs. Need to do?

21

Optimization of all subprocesses does not equal

2009-2010

Look Familiar?
Good thing this never happens here

22

2009-2010

Realistic
Benchmarking How are others doing it?
Comparison data How well are others doing it?
Competitor information How well are they

doing?
Establish goals or targets that are reasonable,
but will make us have to improve / innovate to
achieve
Determine how to address gaps between goal
and actual performance / projected performance
Law of diminishing returns is in effect not all
improvements are worth pursuing
23

2009-2010

Time-bound
Short-term planning horizon
Near-term planning horizon
Longer-term planning horizon
Long-term planning horizon
Well get to it when we get to it

Synonymous with
probably not going
to happen any time
soon if at all
24

24

2009-2010

Evaluated
Measured / Monitored means we need a
process to keep track of the plans progress
Collect the data
Analyze the data
Convert the data into information
Use the information to:
Support decision making
Communicate with stakeholders
Build excitement
Generate ideas for further improvement

25

25

2009-2010

Reviewed
Hawthorne Effect what is measured moves in

the desired direction

Review Effect what is reviewed by senior leaders
moves even further in the desired direction

Venue for reporting

How often?
Who will be looking at the results? (Whos going to call if the
results arent looking so good?)

Identification and sharing of best practices

Implications for accountability

Accomplish the plan

Drive improvements
Decision regarding changes to planning
Additional resources needed?

26

2009-2010

Where do we begin?
Team
growth &
developmen
t

Difficulty to address

Next
priority

27

First
priority =
Easy Wins
Importance to the organization

Benchmar
k
informatio
n
Key available
Theme
s
Not
really
OFIs

Low
hangi
ng

2009-2010

Tackle the easy wins

First priority
Anything important to the organization, and not
too difficult to address
Get to something of importance quickly
Shows that you regard the feedback report to be
valuable to the organization
Emphasizes that the major purpose of the
assessment was to improve the organization
Reinforces a learning organization culture
Helps everyone get past feelings of
defensiveness, to excitement about reaching the
next level
28

2009-2010

Build on the momentum

Next priority
Projects, plans, and processes that are more
difficult to address, but are of high value to the
organization
Usually those that require a greater degree of
change and / or involve more people resources
Role model we can do thistogether attitude
and behavior
Involve SLT as champion / coach
29

2009-2010

Decide how far to go

?
Maybe, Maybe Not
Some items may not be difficult to address, but also
not very important to the organization
Determine the costs and benefits considering the
needs of all stakeholders
Are they important issues to one of your
segments?
Is it a pet project for someone?
Would some individual or work unit perform
better or feel more valued if it was addressed?
30

2009-2010

Feel compelled to
address everything?
Dont bother!

Opportunities for improvement which

would add little value, and would not be
easy to accomplish

These will distract your attention from high

priority items
People will feel that they are accomplishing only
busy work, or just doing it for the award
You will have a different examiner team next year
they may not see the same picture

31

2009-2010

What are Your

Questions?
info@quietexcellence.com

Denise
Haynes
330.573.40
32
25

Doug
Serrano
703.869.66
58 2009-2010

Management By
Asking Really Good
Questions
33

2009-2010

Online Search of
Management by
Exception
Objectives
Walking Around
Wandering Around
Intimidation
et al.

34

2009-2010

The Evolution of the

Management by
Journey
MBE
A
W
MB

MBO

WA
&L

MBWAWAP

MB

B
M

R
&

MB
vs WT
.
MB
F

35

2009-2010

Management by Exception
First described by Lewin, Lippitt, and White in
1938 along with the autocratic leadership and
democratic leadership styles
Managers intervene only when their people fail to
meet their performance standards
Managers stay out of the way of improvements
that the employees generate. If personnel are
performing as
expected, the manager will take no action.
Major advantage: Empowerment of the
employees
Major disadvantage: Effective only in limited
circumstances
36

2009-2010

Management by
Objectives
First popularized by Peter Druckers 1954 book
'The Practice of Management'
Still commonly used
Integrated management system with planning as its
dominant function
Aim: increase performance by aligning organizational
goals and subordinate objectives central focus is the
cascading of objectives from the organizational level
to individual levels
Intermittently replaced and sometimes simply
exchanged with Management by Objectives and
"It's just another tool. It is not the great cure for
Results
management inefficiency ... Management by Objectives
works if you know the objectives; 90% of the time you don't."
-Drucker
37

2009-2010

Management by
Objectives
Advantages:
Objectives can be set in all domains of activities and for
various levels of the organization; relatively ease to use;
widespread acceptability, and longevity in usage
Disadvantages:
Short-term and narrow focus on bottom-line results can
become a major facet of its use
Possibility that the pressures resulting from strict
adherence
could be counterproductive and contribute to a climate
that may lead to distortion of the system, manipulation of
accounting figures, and, ultimately, unethical behavior.
(2004 Management Accounting Quarterly)

38

2009-2010

Management by
Wandering Around
Developed by executives at Hewlett-Packard
in the mid-20th century
Popularized by Tom Peters in the early 1980s
in his book with Bob Waterman,
In Search of Excellence
Other derivatives include:

MBWAWAP (Without a Purpose)

MBWA&L (and Listening)

39

2009-2010

Management by
Wandering Around
Advantages:

Executives get out of the office to build relationships,

motivate, and keep in direct touch with the activities of the
workforce
Reflects commitment to keep up to date with individuals and
activities through impromptu discussions, "coffee talks,"
communication lunches, etc.
Creates opportunities for frank, two-way communications

Disadvantages:

Depending upon the organizational culture, some employees

may suspect MBWA is just an excuse for managers to spy
and interfere with their work
Suspicion may be heightened if MBWA is implemented
during a high-stress time for the organization

40

2009-2010

Management by
Intimidation
Managing people based on fear
In direct opposition to Demings 8th point of
management to Drive out fear, so that everyone
may work effectively for the company
enabling employees to feel secure enough to
express their ideas and ask questions
Has most significant deleterious effect on the
morale of employees
Most organizations have some managers
or leaders who use MBI approaches
Advantages: None known
Disadvantages: Myriad
41

2009-2010

Management by
Wishful Thinking
MBWT Also known as ostrich syndrome
Toxic form of management
No known how to books, but is recognized as not
particularly uncommon, and something to be avoided
Demonstrated in organizations where:
Plans are developed in the absence of a planning process
Meetings are held to generate enthusiasm
Managers retreat to bury their heads in the sand (or the
other work that they have) and hope that the
organization will be successful
Frequently associated with get rich quick fads
Advantages: None known
Disadvantages: Myriad
42

2009-2010

Management by Fact
One of Demings guiding principles whereby all employees
collect data about the work they perform, and use that
information to make decisions affecting their work
One of the Core Values and Concepts of Baldrige

Customer, product, and process performance measures

Comparisons of operational, market, and competitor
performance
Supplier, workforce, partner, cost, and financial performance
Governance and compliance outcomes

Depends upon analysis extracting larger meaning from

data and information to support evaluation, decision
making, improvement, and innovation
Requires segmentation of data (e.g., markets, product
lines, and workforce groups) to facilitate analysis
43

2009-2010

Management by Fact
Advantages:

Supports decision making in a changing environment

Supports more viable strategic planning
Supports more accurate review of performance
Supports efficient improvement of processes
Supports accomplishing change management
Supports comparing performance with competitors or
with best practices benchmarks

Disadvantages:

Requires agile measurement system

Requires resistance to making decisions on the fly
Requires patience and diligence

44

2009-2010

Where to next?

45

2009-2010

Management By Asking
Really Good Questions
Advantages:
Holistic approach to organizational improvement
Leading edge of validated management practices
The focus is on results, not on procedures, tools, or
organizational structure
Really Good Questions
Disadvantages:
It is not easy
Not a How to book
There are no Answers
Not a quick fix
It takes time, patience, & stick-to-itiveness
46

2009-2010

Why does MBARGQ

work?
Compels us to maintain a comprehensive strategic
focus on overall organizational competitiveness and
sustainability
It examines and evaluates our key processes
Linked activities with the purpose of producing a
product or service for a customer (user) within or
outside the organization
Generally, processes involve combinations of
people, machines, tools, techniques, materials, and
improvements in a defined series of steps or
actions
And through examination and evaluation, it
compels us to improve

I see the Baldrige process as a powerful set of mechanisms for disciplined people
engaged in disciplined thought and taking disciplined action to create great organizations
47
that produce exceptional results.
Jim Collins, author
of
2009-2010

SO

YOU JUST MIGHT ASK

48

2009-2010

How can I use the criteria

to best help my
organization?

Read / understand the key terms and questions,

and how they interrelate; use them as part of your
language
Is this a systematic approach? Is it well-deployed?
Think of the organization as a whole
Rarely does optimization of individual processes /
departments optimize the system / organization
Be on the lookout for opportunities for improvement
Understand and coach others that an opportunity
for improvement is not a criticism of the status quo
Be prepared to question-drop at appropriate times
49

2009-2010

Question-dropping
can help !

Focus our thinking and our efforts

Empower people to think
Clarify whats important
Highlight the strengths
Identify best practices
Discover opportunities for improvement
Create the conditions for innovation
Encourage two-way communications

50

2009-2010

SOME REALLY GOOD

QUESTIONS YOU WONT
FIND IN THE CRITERIA

51

2009-2010

Key questions for

Key systems

Leadership
Communication
Strategic Planning
Action Planning
Customer Relationship Management
Performance Measurement, Analysis, & Review
Knowledge Management
Workforce Engagement, Development, &
Management
Process Management & Improvement
Disaster & Emergency Preparedness
52

2009-2010

Leadership
Who are all of the stakeholders in this decision
we need to make, or in this process we are
about to change?
What are the stakeholders requirements and
expectations in this process (especially the
customers)?
How will we role model or live our Mission,
Vision, and Values?
How will we recognize and reward the behaviors
we want to encourage, and hold people
accountable for organizational results?
53

2009-2010

Communication
Who needs to know what, by when, and to
what degree of detail?
How will we communicate this information to
them?
Different mechanisms for different groups?
Is one-way communication sufficient, or do
we need two-way mechanisms?
How will we assess the effectiveness of the
communication to ensure that we didnt just
broadcast a message?
54

2009-2010

Strategic Planning
What are the challenges and advantages we
face, both now, and in the foreseeable future?
What are our critical success factors?
Does our plan address them all?
Will the achievement of our strategic
objectives and goals logically lead to the
attainment of our vision?
Is our plan too broad / too narrow / just right?
Do we have the right priorities?
55

2009-2010

Action Planning
Do our objectives and goals have SMARTER
action plans?

Specific
Measurable
Aligned
Realistic
Time-bound
Evaluated
Reviewed
Do all of our organizational objectives / goals have
action plan support?

56

2009-2010

Customer Relationship
Management
Do our customers know all that we have to offer

them?
Why would / should / do they go anywhere else?
Do we know their requirements and expectations?
How can we meet all of their requirements and
exceed their expectations?
How do we recover their loyalty if we let them
down?
Are they really engaged with us, or merely
satisfied?

57

2009-2010

Performance
Measurement, Analysis,
& Review

What are the key measures that spell

success
for this organization?
What can we stop measuring?
Are we measuring this to drive improvement,
or just to monitor?
How can we find comparison / competitor /
benchmark levels of performance?
Are we comparing apples to apples?
Is more improvement worthwhile for us to
strive to achieve right now?

58

2009-2010

Knowledge
Management
Do we know what we need to know about this
topic?
If not, where can we find out more?
Is it worth the cost ($ / time) to find out more?
Do we think we know, or do we know we
know?
How can we best use all of our knowledge
repositories to enhance learning and sharing?
Workforce, databases, documents, guides,
policies / procedures, software, etc.
59

2009-2010

Workforce Engagement,
Development, &
Management

Do we have the right capabilities and capacities?

How do we foster the skills, knowledge, talents,

attributes, and characteristics we want to have?

How do we engage the workforce, in addition to
satisfying them?
How do we prepare our workforce for the future?
How do we provide a safe environment
physically and emotionally?
How do we foster innovation?

60

2009-2010

Process Management &

Improvement
How do we focus on what is right not who is right?
How do we promote understanding that
opportunity for improvement is not criticism of
the status quo, or the people who created this
system?
How do we move from reacting to problems to factbased, systematic evaluation and improvement and
organizational learning through innovation?
What process management and improvement tools
are we using PDSA/PDCA, ISO 9000, Lean,
Balanced Scorecard, Six Sigma, something else?

61

2009-2010

Disaster & Emergency

Preparedness
How do we identify / assess our risk level

for various threats?

How can we prevent / mitigate the risks?
How will we continue our operations, if
something happens?
How (and how quickly) can we recover?
How do we use our actual events and our
drills to improve?

62

2009-2010

Our final consideration

of a
Really Good Question

Would it be helpful
?

63

2009-2010

Some thoughts by some

who have gone before us
This is not an agenda item its how we do

things around here

The award is wonderful and its amazing what
these questions have done for our organization
Getting everything into 50 pages is hard work
there is way too much great stuff
Results are not an issue these are the same
ones that we review on a regular basis, anyway
It used to seem like a foreign language now
it makes total sense

64

2009-2010

What are Your

Questions?
info@quietexcellence.com

Denise
Haynes
330.573.4025

Doug
Serrano
703.869.6658

65

2009-2010