Performance Management & Strategy Execution Blog: The Glue

Why You Should Attend ActiveStrategy's 2010 Client Conference

ActiveStrategy's 2010 Client Conference is a truly unique opportunity for decision makers involved in strategy execution, performance management, and performance measurement to learn from and share ideas directly with peers from many industries, with many levels of experience, all working to tackle similar issues and achieve comparable goals.

This year's theme is "Why Managing Performance is More Critical Than Ever -- And How to Do it Better," which I'm sure resonates with many readers of this blog. If you'd like to gain insights from real-life practitioners on how to improve results now -- despite tough economic times, read on.

Nearly all of the presentations at this annual event are made by senior leaders from client organizations, discussing real business issues, such as strategies for defining the best scorecard measures, successfully transitioning an organizational culture to focus on measurement, driving breakthrough financial improvement, engaging employees in executing strategy, and many other topics.

Speakers will share best practices, discuss challenges and ideas for overcoming them, and in many cases will show examples from their real scorecards and performance measurement frameworks in ActiveStrategy Enterprise software.

Some of the speakers scheduled to present include:

•    VP Quality Operations, Banner Pharmacaps
•    CEO of Datron World Communications
•    Former City Manager of Carson City, NV
•    Lt. Col. from NATO
•    Performance Improvement Director, Oakwood Healthcare
•    Executive Director, Operational Performance Improvement at Peninsula Regional Medical Center
•    President, Root Learning, Inc.
•    Program Manager, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
•    Manager of Strategy Development, Nuclear Services, Westinghouse

Since we hear again and again that meeting other business users is of utmost value, we build significant networking time into the agenda and encourage best practice sharing and relationship building beyond the formal program.

Who should attend? Executive sponsors, business decision makers, and "product champions" from ActiveStrategy clients, as well as leaders from organizations considering implementing software to deploy a performance management and measurement framework.

ActiveStrategy Software administrators interested in learning ways to administer the software more effectively and efficiently should also attend our new dedicated Administrator Track.

When is it? The Client Conference takes place April 27-29 at the Sofitel Hotel in Philadelphia, PA. See the agenda here.

If you'd like to learn more, visit our website or contact us for more information. But don't delay! Early registration discounts end this Friday, February 26th. 

Hope to see you in Philly!

Are You In the Game Or Just Riding the Pine?

Well, football season is over – hats off to the Saints for a great year and a strong, determined effort from start to finish. Now we can focus on college basketball. If you're a basketball fan, or just love March Madness, this time of year is great.

One of my favorite leaders of all time is legendary coach, John Wooden. His 10 NCAA National Championships in a 12-year period while at UCLA are unmatched by any other college basketball coach. What's more remarkable to me is the focus and diligence Coach Wooden put into leadership and the management of his teams. Even if you're not a sports fan, his lessons about leadership and successfully managing teams are quite valuable. If you have a few moments, take a look at his website, www.coachwooden.com.

Coach Wooden has published several books – within them, he often refers to his “Pyramid of Success,” which correlates just as well to leading business teams as it does to coaching college athletes.

The base of this pyramid contains key components you must exemplify and ingrain within your team to begin building momentum and establishing open lines of communication: things like loyalty, cooperation, and enthusiasm. If your team members (and your peers) don’t sense your urgency or the importance of your goals, they may not participate at the level you need, so these things form a critical foundation.

The next row on the pyramid focuses on action and control. Not control in the sense of being a control freak, but controlling yourself (displaying disciplined emotions), staying focused, and helping others stay focused.

On this blog, we talk about the many benefits of scorecards and the role they can play in improving overall organizational performance. One of the chief benefits is actually the dialogue that occurs when organizations begin to really use scorecards. They provide a fantastic framework that puts intense focus on solving the the most important issues. Coach Wooden would describe this as having "alertness,"  "initiative," and "intentness." Keeping your eye on the ball, having the attitude that you can and should make positive change, and being firmly focused on your goals. Do your scorecards and your approach help instill an attitude and approach like this?

The next row of blocks on the pyramid speaks to your mental and physical character. Many successful leaders will point out that they take care of themselves (exercise, diet, sleep) in order to continuously lead at a high level. Coach Wooden also points out the importance of life-long learning and “team spirit.” Successful strategy execution is a journey, and many times it's a hard journey. Imagine how much better you and your teams can approach that journey if they have focus on the Wooden pyramid blocks of “condition, skill, and team spirit.”

Near the top of the pyramid, Coach Wooden places “poise” and “confidence,” attributes that are critical to any successful team member or leader. I'm sure Coach was an expert at recognizing false confidence, arrogance, and players who didn't fit in with his program, just as good business leaders must be able to do. As you look to deliver on your strategy, ask yourself if you have the right players on your team. Do your tools and your approach bring out a higher level of accountability, rewarding those who successfully carry out your chosen strategic goals? Or do initiatives and the great ideas from your planning sessions always seem to fall through the cracks because teams don't deliver and aren't being held responsible when they fail?

For Coach Wooden, each block in the pyramid supported the ultimate goal of achieving “competitive greatness.” His quote within the uppermost block of his pyramid says “Perform at your best when your best is required. Your best is required each day." 10 NCAA National Championships in 12 years. It goes to show that when you expect the best and build the right  foundation for achievement, amazing things can happen.