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Introduction
Today's leaders in both the private and public sectors
are finding that they are experiencing rapid change and reorganization,
accompanied by shifting priorities, which lead to new organizational goals
and objectives. Organizational Development is the process that supports the
improvement of workplace performance by effectively managing change and
providing the ability to proactively address these issues.
The most significant organizational development issue for private
and public sector organizations is how to identify, develop and retain
talented leaders for the future. The key to any organization’s success is
the right people in place to lead tomorrow immersed in the organization’s
values so they can sustain the culture. Succession planning has also been
identified as top factor for employee retention.
The Theory of Organizational DNA
Every organization has unique products, services or
processes that define its' mission and competitive advantage. Whether the
organization is an automobile manufacturer, a system integrator or member
sponsored association, the one thing they all have in common are business
processes that require unique talents to produce a quality product or a
satisfied customer. This uniqueness that differentiates the organization,
sometimes known as the organization's core competencies or best practices,
is what we are referring to as Organizational DNA.
Webster's dictionary defines DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) as the molecule that encodes genetic information in the nucleus of
cells. DNA carries the instructions for making all the structures and
materials needed for the cell to function. DNA is a double-stranded molecule
that determines the structure and behavior of a cell.
In Organizational DNA, the knowledge and skills
required for the organization to function are the double-stranded helix of
instructions that must be encoded and conveyed to each individual
contributing to the success of the organization. These elements of knowledge
and skill must be organized in a way to enable access at the moment the
information or process instructions are required to support performance. In
addition, these elements must be comprehensive enough to meet the
performance need and granular enough to be useful at the moment they are
requested. The execution of a successful succession plan will require
that measures be in place to determine which individuals are best prepared
to perpetuate the organization's DNA code.
The Succession Planning Process
With KMx, you will be able to build the foundation for
a customized succession planning process that will work specifically for
the organization. KMx Performance Management enables you to put the
groundwork into place today for developing the best talent at every level of
the organization. By designing a performance management profile for every
key job in the organization you will be creating a succession planning
roadmap for the future.
Stage 1 – Creation of Knowledge and Skill Profiles
(K/S Tables)
In KMx, K/S Tables are a listing of knowledge and
skill behaviors associated with a particular subject area. K/S Tables are
subdivided into types (normally knowledge and skill) and areas to further
classify behaviors. K/S Table behaviors are sequenced in order of increasing
complexity or logical progression. In addition to providing the primary
content cataloging schema with KMx, K/S Table also provide the foundation
for development of personnel labor classifications that are specific enough
to support the succession planning process. Leveraging wizards provided by
KMx, the organization will be able to quickly identify and document the key
knowledge, skills and competencies to drive the performance management
program and set the framework for a succession plan.
Stage 2 – Mapping organizational best practices and
corporate values to create a succession planning program
Mapping best practices to subject area behaviors
(created during Stage 1) with organizational performance measures provides
the measuring stick for performing an analysis of the gap between current
personnel capabilities and the needs of the organization. In addition to
this key element in the succession planning process, the indexes created
during this phase are incredibly valuable for:
- Just-in-time performance support
- Curriculum maintenance
- Selection and certification of training materials
The mapping process is central to the KMx architecture
and is supported by expert system wizards to facilitate the effort.
Stage 3 – Create the plan and supporting
documentation
In KMx, personnel requirements are mapped to
supporting content and to the behaviors, conditions and standards of the
requirements. The indexes created by this mapping process provide the
organization with the ability to perform continuous monitoring and
development of the following key succession planning elements:
- Employee skills verification documentation
- Training continuum development and maintenance
- Individual career management and performance
evaluations
- Organizational labor classification development
- Leadership development and planning documentation
- Overall staff development and recruiting planning
Stage 4 – Execute the plan
Succession planning requires executive sponsorship.
KMx provides the technology, reports and structure to ensure a comprehensive
plan. KMx will also provide the means to communicate, manage and deliver a
meaningful performance management program that is coupled to the succession
plan. What KMx can not provide is the leadership to implement the plan or
the talent necessary to ensure the plans success. The executive sponsor of
the organization’s succession planning process must be prepared to accomplish the
following tasks:
- Prioritize the key skill competencies that the
organization requires for successful growth
- Link the corporate values and culture to the
succession planning process
- Create an executive committee dedicated to driving
the best talent forward
- Link performance management, training and
recruiting processes to sharpen talent for the future
Knowledge Management Solutions, Inc. provides the
technology and expertise to capture and index the knowledge and skills
required for your organization to function at maximum efficiency and execute
a successful succession plan. Our KMx technology platform organizes and
delivers this information to the right people at the right time in context
with the behaviors, conditions and standards of performance required to meet
the unique needs of the organization while providing executive management
with the tools and reports necessary to plan for the future. |
