Chapter 1 – Introduction and Outcomes

# MODULE 1 | BUILDING A DAILY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ## CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND OUTCOMES ### 1.1 INTRODUCTION Performance-driven teams are the foundation of performance-driven companies. Such teams are aligned and continuously improve performance towards achieving the company strategy, goals and o...

# MODULE 1 | BUILDING A DAILY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ## CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND OUTCOMES ### 1.1 INTRODUCTION Performance-driven teams are the foundation of performance-driven companies. Such teams are aligned and continuously improve performance towards achieving the company strategy, goals and objectives at all levels throughout the organisation. The formation and effective functioning of performance-driven teams cannot be dependent on the initiative of certain individual leaders. Becoming a performance-driven company requires an enabling management environment, or management system. In Building a Daily Management System, the key building blocks of such a management environment will be introduced and discussed. Just as it is the responsibility of the captain of a ship to read the environment, assess the weather and keep their eye on the horizon, it is also the responsibility of the leadership of a company to read the market, the business environment, and to look at trends that will influence the company and anything that might be a threat or an opportunity. Leaders who embrace this responsibility are able to steer their company through possible threats, challenges and changes towards future growth and success. Enhancing a company's culture by introducing continuous improvement is not an easy task. It requires wisdom, flexibility and vision. Building a Daily Management System defines leadership roles required to navigate the business successfully towards a culture of continuous improvement and implementing best practices. It also provides guidance on how to best go about implementing this change. Leaders that successfully lead the change towards a performance-driven culture display specific mind-sets and behaviours. One such mind-set is to view people as key role players in the most important part of the organisation: that of getting the work done at the highest levels of quality and efficiency, i.e. delivering value-adding work. They see their leadership role as that of supporting their team members who perform that value-adding work every day. In the performance-driven company, the leader's role is complemented by the commitment of team members to deliver results. Team members are driven and resourceful in contributing towards building and sustaining high performance. Mutual trust and respect for people form an integral part of implementing this foundational model. This means fostering a corporate culture that enhances individual creativity and teamwork, while honouring mutual trust and respect between team members and team leaders. These concepts are graphically depicted below: - **PERFORMANCE:** People development and respect for people - **LEADER STANDARD WORK AND DISCIPLINED EXECUTION:** Method of delivering improvement - **CULTURE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT:** Mediclinic continuous improvement thinking and tools ## IMPORTANT INFORMATION - The leader's role is to support team members to reach performance targets. They do not only ask questions like, ‘Can you show me your statistics or backlog?' but add questions such as: - 'What are the rocks in the way that I can remove to support you in doing your job?' - 'What can I do to support you to deliver on your targets?' - This behaviour demonstrates the leader's mind-set that team members add real value to the company and is illustrated in the 'upside down triangle'. - Front-line team members play a major part in performing the daily value-adding work, which is at the heart of a company's operations. They are therefore depicted at the top of the structure. All other levels are shown in support of creating value on a daily basis. This approach aims at establishing a culture of supportive leadership. - **Team members:** - **First-line managers:** - **Department managers:** These levels are in support of team members who perform value-adding work - **Senior management:** ### 1.2 OUTCOMES OF THE MODULE Building a Daily Management System enables the implementation of continuous improvement. The main objective is to align with the company strategy, goals and objectives at all levels throughout the company. The implementation of this module will strengthen leadership by aligning top-down and bottom-up management. **This module's main outcomes are to:** - Foster an understanding of the maturity of the implementation of Module 1: Building a Daily Management System - Align the team goals and objectives with the company strategy - Align top-down and bottom-up management through strengthened leadership - Establish visual management as a leadership practice to create a constant focus among leadership and teams on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and improvement actions that are ultimately aligned with the company strategy - Establish a coaching process to enhance leadership support for a performance-driven company ## ACTIVITY 1 In your own words, describe the following: - **The obstacles (rocks in the way) that you encounter to do your job:** - **What can your manager do to support you to deliver on your targets?** - **What needs to be done in your area of responsibility to ensure the environment and culture reflects the ‘upside down triangle'?**