Selecting an Activity to be Observed

Not all activities impact or potentially impact the organization equally. Consequently, they should not be treated equally when being selected for observation. So what activities should be prioritized for observation?[wcm_restrict plans=”41983, 25542, 25653″]

The management observation program topical schedule or quota system defines the management standards (topical areas) to be reviewed and reinforced. While the activity needs to embody these standards and a reasonable number of subordinate performance criteria, observers should seek to choose an observation opportunity based on the following priorities:

Operational safety (personnel and equipment safety)
Business continuity and/or asset reliability
Organizational efficiency
Regulatory compliance

Priority should be given to significant and high-risk activities over more routine activities even if the routine activities support the topical areas to be observed. This is because significant evolutions are usually more indicative of employee behaviors and organizational issues. Note that it is important to observe less significant and low-risk activities from time-to-time in order to convey the importance of adhering to management’s standards regardless of the activity’s perceived importance. (Such observations should typically be directed by the management observation program manager.)

Also consider observing activities on backshifts and weekends. Doing so further reinforces the importance of adhering to management’s standards at all times.

Lastly, observers should remain alert for new observation opportunities. Emergent activities often provide useful insight into organizational performance.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”41983, 25542, 25653″]

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About the Author

Nathan Ives is a StrategyDriven Principal and Host of the StrategyDriven Podcast. For over twenty years, he has served as trusted advisor to executives and managers at dozens of Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the areas of management effectiveness, organizational development, and process improvement. To read Nathan’s complete biography, click here.