Management System
Management System
We help leadership teams build a management system that holds the organization together and makes accountability shared.
We help leadership teams build a management system that holds the organization together and makes accountability shared.
The management system is how the leadership team maintains congruence as it runs the business. It connects the organizational choices made through the Congruence Model to the decisions, commitments and accountability of the leadership team.
The management system is how the leadership team maintains congruence as it runs the business. It connects the organizational choices made through the Congruence Model to the decisions, commitments and accountability of the leadership team.
Commitments guide the work. Data informs the forums where leaders make decisions and revise those commitments.
Leaders remain accountable for how the organization works together.
Leaders remain accountable for how the organization works together.
The strategy establishes the work the organization must perform well. The Congruence Model helps leaders examine the relationships between that work, formal organization, people and skills, and culture. Leadership is part of that examination, including the decisions and behavior of the senior team.
The strategy establishes the work the organization must perform well. The Congruence Model helps leaders examine the relationships between that work, formal organization, people and skills, and culture. Leadership is part of that examination, including the decisions and behavior of the senior team.
The lines connect all six relationships in the model. A performance gap prompts leaders to examine those relationships and the evidence before deciding what needs to change.
The lines connect all six relationships in the model. A performance gap prompts leaders to examine those relationships and the evidence before deciding what needs to change.
The leadership team takes collective responsibility for the organization’s performance.
The leadership team takes collective responsibility for the organization’s performance.
Each leader brings responsibility for a business or function. The management system gives the team a way to examine how those responsibilities intersect, resolve competing demands and make commitments to one another.
Each leader brings responsibility for a business or function. The management system gives the team a way to examine how those responsibilities intersect, resolve competing demands and make commitments to one another.
Leaders review the organization behind the results.
Leaders review the organization behind the results.
A missed commitment should prompt more than a request for a recovery plan. The team examines whether the work, responsibilities, resources or incentives are contributing to the gap, and agrees on what must change.
A missed commitment should prompt more than a request for a recovery plan. The team examines whether the work, responsibilities, resources or incentives are contributing to the gap, and agrees on what must change.
Decisions remain connected to commitments and follow-through.
Decisions remain connected to commitments and follow-through.
The team establishes which decisions belong in which forums, what evidence is needed, who must participate and how commitments will be reviewed. Leaders hold one another accountable for decisions made together, including the changes required within their own areas.
The team establishes which decisions belong in which forums, what evidence is needed, who must participate and how commitments will be reviewed. Leaders hold one another accountable for decisions made together, including the changes required within their own areas.
A review makes commitments between leaders visible.
A review makes commitments between leaders visible.
This illustrative record shows a leadership team reviewing a new service launch. It demonstrates the questions and decisions the management system needs to support. It is not a client case.
This illustrative record shows a leadership team reviewing a new service launch. It demonstrates the questions and decisions the management system needs to support. It is not a client case.
What did we commit to?
What did we commit to?
Launch the service with a consistent customer experience. Sales owns customer commitments; Operations owns delivery capacity; People owns the training required before launch.
Launch the service with a consistent customer experience. Sales owns customer commitments; Operations owns delivery capacity; People owns the training required before launch.
What is happening?
What is happening?
Demand exceeds the capacity assumed in the plan. Sales is making exceptions to the agreed service offer, while delivery teams lack the skills to handle them consistently. Leaders test these explanations against customer, capacity and training evidence.
Demand exceeds the capacity assumed in the plan. Sales is making exceptions to the agreed service offer, while delivery teams lack the skills to handle them consistently. Leaders test these explanations against customer, capacity and training evidence.
What requires a collective decision?
What requires a collective decision?
Decide whether to narrow the initial offer, phase the launch or add capacity. Examine how sales incentives and exception approvals affect the work, and agree which customer commitments must be preserved.
Decide whether to narrow the initial offer, phase the launch or add capacity. Examine how sales incentives and exception approvals affect the work, and agree which customer commitments must be preserved.
Who commits to what next?
Who commits to what next?
By Friday, the Sales and Operations Directors will agree which customer commitments the available capacity can support. The People Director will confirm the training required for that plan. At Monday’s review, all three will present a joint readiness recommendation, and the leadership team will decide whether to proceed.
We build and test the system through a priority your leadership team owns.
We build and test the system through a priority your leadership team owns.
We begin with the work your strategy requires and examine how commitments are made, resourced and reviewed. We trace where decisions wait, how competing priorities are resolved and which measures shape behavior. Together, we define the forums, evidence and decision rights the leadership team needs.
We begin with the work your strategy requires and examine how commitments are made, resourced and reviewed. We trace where decisions wait, how competing priorities are resolved and which measures shape behavior. Together, we define the forums, evidence and decision rights the leadership team needs.
Your leaders make the decisions and run the system. Our practitioners facilitate the work and coach teams as they use it, building their capability to diagnose gaps, resolve dependencies and adapt the system themselves.
Your leaders make the decisions and run the system. Our practitioners facilitate the work and coach teams as they use it, building their capability to diagnose gaps, resolve dependencies and adapt the system themselves.