Being at the top of the industry is a primary goal for many organizations. Leaders of all organizations compete for the highest levels to enjoy specific benefits which come along with being at the top. A lot of research has been done for decades to try and understand the strategies that High Performing Organizations (HPOs) use to dominate the market. These values have been embraced by some of the highest performing organizations around the globe.
A HPO can be defined an organization that can post good and consistent financial results. The result of a high performing organization is sustained growth, ability to respond to changes, and development of the workforce as opposed to merely making profits, which is, however, very important. The following are some of the notable features of HPOs.
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Leadership
At the center of the values which can make or break an organization, is the role played by leaders. The leadership of a company is crucial to its survival in the market. Leadership can be viewed the influence someone has on others. From a business perspective, leadership is the ability of a person to propel a company or an organization towards the realization of their goals.
Jeff Stevens and Matt Hayes have noted in their book, The Heart of Business, that when profit becomes the driving force of any organization, then people tend to become self-serving. In such organizations, where people serve their interests, then passion and loyalty fade away. A profit-motivated organization result to people wanting as much as possible with least effort possible. Leaders ought to propel their organizations towards the achievement of a higher purpose.
Organizational Design
The design of an organization regarding processes and teamwork is critical to the success of an organization. HPOs can use great collaboration and teamwork skills across their departments to enhance their effectiveness.
Strategy
HPOs use grand policies that are based on a winning attitude amongst their workforce. For a strategy to be effective, it has to balance between short-term and long-term goals. Over the years, organizations have set their strategy based on the SMART principle, which has withstood all the tests. The goals of an organization, therefore, ought to be measurable, realistic, and achievable.
Technology
Business in the 21st century is won or lost in the field of technology. If organizations are to survive and continue to adapt to the changes in the market, they have to make technology their priority. HPOs have successfully used technology to stay ahead. The mainstream media has also been the focus of HPOs to maintain their presence.
Process Management
Management of process is also a key feature of HPOs. A process management system is designed to reinforce the central values of an organization and support the strategy that has been laid down. Processes are meant to be constantly improved to cater for changes in the organization. A HPO pays attention to the most important matters to measure the progress. A HPO is therefore keen at searching for opportunities to enable them to improve their processes.
Triple Bottom Line
This is an accounting framework, associated with John Elkington, which measures performance regarding environmental, financial, and social standards. This framework has been used widely to measure performance. Organizations can use this tool to make improvements in their output about environmental, financial and social impacts. The framework goes beyond measurements such as profit and Return on Investment. In this model, everyone focuses on being the best provider, employer, and investor. The bottom line for HPOs is dependent on their clients, workforce and their investors. Leaders in such organizations understand that profit is the outcome of taking care of customers and creating an enabling environment for their staff.
SCORES Model
According to Ken Blanchard, high performing organizations perform every time. The SCORES model is a representation of six essential elements which are found in all top performing organizations. S represents shared information and open communication, C stands for compelling vision, O represents ongoing learning, R represents a relentless focus on customer results, E stands for energizing systems and structures and S stands for shared power and high involvement. This model is a description of the feature of top performing organizations.
The triple bottom line can be used by individual leaders to foster the development of the organization and the society by maintaining high environmental standards. By using this measure, a leader can focus on three aspects of the business to improve its performance. To achieve the desired results, leaders should focus on their staff so that the staff can then cater for the needs of the customers. Additionally, the leaders should make sure that the employees work in an enabling environment where they are free to air their views.
Leaders should also efficiently apply the scores model to unleash great potential and power of the organization. A leader should direct the staff to focus on the requirements of the customers relentlessly. A leader should do this by motivating the staff to be purposeful and visionary in line with the organization's requirements.
References
Blanchard, K. H. (2010). Leading at a higher level: Blanchard on leadership and creating high performing organizations . FT Press.
McCall, M. W. (1986). Leadership and performance beyond expectations, by Bernard M. Bass. New York: The Free Press, 1985, 191 pp. $26.50.
Manz, C. C., & Sims, H. P. (1995). Business without bosses: How self-managing teams are building high-performing companies . University of Texas Press.
Bolman, L. G., & Deal, T. E. (2017). Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and leadership . John Wiley & Sons.
