Assessments
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Project: |
Implement
a managerial assessment program that would allow
world-wide managers to assess their managerial strengths
and weaknesses, thus serving as a framework for targeted
career development |
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Situation: |
Alcon wanted to solidify,
unify, and streamline their worldwide management practices
without stifling any countries unique qualities or
contributions. |
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Critical Task: |
Encourage and build the
managerial competencies critical to the organizations’
international success. |
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Major Issue: |
Assist International
managers to understand their strengths and weaknesses on
twelve key managerial competencies defined by the American
Management Association. |
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Key Problem: |
There were a variety of
management techniques practiced internationally due to
cultural issues, such as language, management style, and
communication. It was important to account for these
issues when assessing manager competencies and creating
plans for targeted professional development. |
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Action: |
Each participant
participated in an all day video-based assessment focusing
on twelve managerial competencies. After results were
calculated, they were compared with U.S. managers and with
their native managers if sufficient data was available. A
full day of interactive feedback and discussion provided
the foundation for completion of Individual Development
Plans. |
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Result: |
Each manager learned about
the management competencies and expectations critical for
success at Alcon, how their individual strengths and
weaknesses impacted the organization in their home
country, and how their managerial competencies affected
productive relationships with other cultures. |
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Project: |
Prepare subject matter
experts (Customer Service Representatives) for a
critical task of training new hires on new processes
and applications within their call center. |
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Situation: |
As a result of opening a
new call center, many Customer Service Representatives
were transitioned into the role of Trainers. |
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Critical Task: |
Assess the new Team
Leaders to determine their competencies necessary to
be successful trainers, and then provide them with the
training necessary to build those competencies. |
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Major Issue: |
There were several
issues that made this challenging: very short
timeframe; extremely mission-critical project that was
completely changing the way Atmos serviced their
customers, and Team Leaders had never trained adults.
It was critical that Team Leaders be ready to function
as full-time trainers to effectively transfer their
technical expertise to new hires. |
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Key Problem: |
Many participants
believed that special skills, techniques, or training
was not required to be a "good trainer," technical
expertise was the only prerequisite. |
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Action: |
To provide the
participants with the desire to learn, we began with a
video-based assessment (the Trainer’s Assessment of
Proficiency) that measures twelve key trainer
competencies. Once they recognized and understood
their areas of need, SPG conducted an intensive
five-day train-the-trainer program (The Catalytic
Instructor) to develop each of the twelve critical
competencies. |
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Result: |
First, the new trainers
recognized that effective training requires more than
technical expertise. Secondly, they identified their
strengths and areas for improvement as trainers.
Finally, they learned a great deal about training
adults, learning theory, as well as many effective
skills and techniques for effective training. Given
these new skills, the Team Leaders were successful in
training the call center new hires. |
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Project: |
Develop a more consistent
selection and development process for manager group. |
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Situation: |
There was a wide variation
between the performance levels of the various managers
hired. |
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Critical Task: |
Identify the major elements
that differentiate between average and superior front-line
hospital managers translating those into more effective
hiring and development practices. |
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Major Issue: |
Develop a consistent, valid
and fair selection and development process for the hiring
and development of this key management position. |
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Key Problem: |
Hiring criteria for
managers, other than educational and technical
qualifications, consisted of "impressions" and "gut
feelings" during an unstructured interview. |
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Action: |
Profiled the hospitals’
"ideal" managers to identify the critical job objectives,
tasks, and attributes that result in superior performance. |
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Result: |
The hospital is using the
criteria established for selecting and promoting new
managers. |
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Project: |
Identify the key
competencies of front-line supervisors to provide a
targeted training program based around core competencies |
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Situation: |
Wanted to improve
productivity of supervisors and ensure that training was
just-in-time and relevant to specific supervisor needs |
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Critical Task: |
Identify the distinguishing
competencies between average and superior performers in
order to determine training requirements for successful,
productive performance by supervisors. |
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Major Issue: |
Identify key elements that
affect on-the-job performance |
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Key Problem: |
Wide geographical locations
of various manufacturing facilities made it difficult to
deliver training cost-effectively. Also, vast educational
differences in supervisors made it challenging to create
curriculum for all supervisors. |
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Action: |
Conducted detailed job
analysis with superior supervisors to analyze the
differences between average and superior performers
(prioritized critical task data, job context data, person
attribute data). Developed competencies for the
supervisory position. Compared the requirements of the
position and competencies with the current training
programs to produce a gap analysis of training needs.
Suggested additional and alternative curriculum to build
the competencies necessary for superior job performance. |
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Result: |
Complete job description for
superior supervisor position. Comprehensive analysis of
training requirements to ensure that supervisors receive
the necessary training to make them excel and increase
productivity |
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Project: |
Accelerate organizational
culture change from autocratic to participative/teaming –
job redesign, hiring system (hiring criteria, assessment,
interview guides), cross-functional team formation
individual development program |
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Situation: |
Desire to change their
current culture from an old style of management towards an
employee-focused, team-based environment thereby
increasing employee satisfaction, profitability, and
customer satisfaction. |
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Critical Task: |
Benchmark superior
performance and create an environment where every employee
has the knowledge, opportunity, and support needed to
succeed. |
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Major Issue: |
Change the organization from
a highly autocratic environment (Theory X) to a team-based
culture (Theory Y) through the hiring and development of
each individual employee. Overall, the effect of the
cultural change would result in increased productivity and
customer satisfaction. |
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Key Problem: |
Past management practices
created an environment of punishment, distrust, and little
pride or ownership of work. |
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Action: |
Utilize superior performers
to analyze key positions, develop competencies for
positions, and identify hiring criteria for superior
performers. Assess 200+ employees, match individuals with
job requirements, facilitate individual development plans,
build teams according to individual leadership,
subordinate and team types. |
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Result: |
The culture is positively
changing, trust is being re-established and employees are
beginning to take pride and ownership in their work. The
teams are well rounded and contain the variety of
individuals essential for high team performance. Employees
now have a clear understanding of what the job requires
and the competencies needed to perform at a superior
level. |
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Project: |
Job design and redesign of
key top management positions. Creation of a more effective
hiring and development program for the position of
Consultant. |
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Situation: |
Division completed first
year of operation and desired to reexamine current and
future direction. |
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Critical Task: |
Analyzing key management
positions to clarify major job objectives, critical tasks,
job context variables, and essential attributes critical
for job success. Identify the consultant positions’ key
success factors to create more effective selection and
development processes. |
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Major Issue: |
Realigning the
organizations’ leadership and changing the hiring
practices to better select and develop individuals within
the Consultant group. |
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Key Problem: |
Incredible growth caused
confusion of roles and responsibilities resulting in the
mis-match of job requirements and the individuals’ skills
and attributes. |
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Action: |
Utilized the organizations’
"Best of the Best" consultants to clearly define job
objectives, tasks, context, and attributes extrapolating
the key competencies essential for success. Assessments
were selected, administered, and competency-based
behavioral interview guides were developed to aid in the
selection and development processes. |
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Result: |
The organization has begun
to rethink what, why and how they are going to meet their
core business objectives. Likewise the organization’s key
position of Consultant was refocused on those elements
that distinguished the superior from the average
performers. |
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