From reactive to proactive: Behaviours…. The process of change. By Robin Tidd
Robin Tidd’s final article on how management can build a proactive organisation.
My previous article covered the ‘mechanisms’ necessary to systemize pro-activity. But, as we all know, its not enough just to have a system in place. To build a proactive organization, people will need to behave and think in a different way – both in their formal and informal relationships.
Continued...
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But how can you measure behaviours???
Working to achieve the changes of behaviour mentioned are certainly a prime way of improving performance. Of course, behaviours are difficult to assess and even more difficult to measure. And how can the behaviours be linked to the objectives the business is trying to achieve??
Traditional auditing says it can do this, but it cannot. It requires a 360 degree view of what behaviours are being experienced - allowing a rounded picture of what is happening to be generated. And then, how do these behaviours either support or detract from the achievement of the objectives?? This all requires a level of analysis, understanding and knowledge that is beyond traditional auditing - internal or third-party.
Equally importantly, how can these be related to risk profiles that will inform the senior management about where their business risks are being generated? And how can they see the level of risk changing over time - reducing as a result of improvement, or not, as the case may be. This can only be achieved through consistent assessment over time.
There are tools now available to do this, working at the behavioural level to assess against the drivers of performance. With the focus on behavioural change, plus the method to assess if they are a positive influence, there is a real chance of progress. If anyone want to know about these, just let me know.
Interested
Rob - I have grave doubts about much of what is done in this area but I'm always willing to be persuaded. I can be contacted at dahowlett [at] gmail [dot] com