High Performance Companies (6 components)

They are created by

"...Setting clear expectations, defining employees' roles, creating a trusting environment, and encouraging employees' growth and development......Achieving sustainable growth requires commitment from the whole company to build a culture that can adapt to on-going changes in a competitive environment..."

Ehssan Abdallah et al, 2016

There are 6 crucial components to create a high performance organisation and they need to be integrated effectively To ensure success

i. Implement an effective performance management process

ii. Create empowerment and authority

iii. Increase leadership capabilities at all levels of the organisation

iv. Develop a customer-centric strategy

v. Increase communication and collaboration

vi. Enhance training and development

1. Implement an effective performance management process

This can have the biggest impact on sustainable growth and impacts on the other components

Performance management processes involved

- merit-based system to differentiate between high and low performers

- clearly defined standards and expectations for individuals, teams, departments and organisations

- develop transparent reward and recognition systems

- understand and demonstrate shared vision, mission, goals, objectives, etc

2. Create empowerment and authority

Trust and accountability are critical to creating empowerment and authority. In organisations where trust and accountability are strong, empowered employees are more likely to

- recognise and respond to changing information from the marketplace

- develop innovative ideas to meet market demands and stay ahead of competition

- connect with customers to create a better experience

Decentralisation in decision-making allows employees to contribute more and better

3. Increase leadership capabilities at all levels of the organisation

This is linked with the highest level of employee engagement with buy-in from employees who share a common vision/purpose and mission; with leaders accessible and visible.

Leaders encourage employees to

- communicate about the organisation's future

- connect with their work and changes to where the business is heading

- understand and live the organisation's values, vision, mission, etc

- inspire trust and respect throughout the organisation

- develop succession planning and active participation in the organisation

4. Develop customer-centric strategy

Need to connect organisation's brand, people, vision/purpose, mission with their customers and community.

The first step in creating and implementing this is staff understanding their purpose plus their individual and collective responsibilities in meeting customer needs and expectations. Succeeding in this can create opportunities to increase employee engagement.

Staff at all levels need to actively listen and respond to customers' needs. These stories around meeting customer needs should be shared with all staff as they are more powerful than any abstract concept or poster.

5. Increase communication and collaboration

"...Integrating customer service values, mission and purpose, leadership visibility, and authority and empowerment into a comprehensive performance management process will be successful only if companies communicate these initiatives in a coordinated way..."

Ehssan Abdallah et al, 2016

The best ways of doing this include"...

• selecting leaders and managers who have the potential to be top performers based on the right balance of talent, skills, knowledge and experience
• ensuring that leaders and managers understand their roles in the communication process, both within the company and with external audiences
• scheduling regular and open one-on-one conversation to disseminate individualised key messages and following up as needed to ensure employees understand and absorb those messages
• using a collaborative approach to resolve problems and pursue opportunities as a team and across departments and divisions, which is key to developing and maintaining high levels of responsibility and quality
• creating strong levels of trust amongst the diverse workforce..."

Ehssan Abdallah et al, 2016

6. Enhanced training and development

Need to invest in training and development so that staff are set up for success. Talent is viewed as a corporate asset with all staff encouraged to reach their highest potential via appropriate career pathways