Execute Strategy, Objectives & Tactics
Executive management drives success through goals and corporate strategy. If executing strategy is so important, why do so many companies fail to execute efficiently? The reason is that most corporations execute strategy and objectives by assigning action items through email, meetings and phone calls. These forms of communication fail to provide accountability, commitment and status. The result is poor execution.
There is a better way. Matrix Manager provides a structured collaborative environment that is designed to record commitments, create accountability and provide real-time visibility of a strategic implementation. With Matrix Manager, you have on-demand visibility of your portfolio of strategies and objectives. Since the action items that implement an objective are captured as a byproduct of the work process, there is no cost to gather status.
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Gain Accountability and Commitment
How does Matrix Manager create accountability and commitment? In 2003, Set Forward filed a patent application on the underlying workflow engine that drives the execution of strategy. Matrix Manager’s workflow engine connects the strategic plan to the people and actions that implement it. The workflow engine enables two employees to negotiate an action regardless of their position in the organization. As opposed to using a generic communication such as email, the workflow engine maintains a complete record of every action item and collates it to the underlying strategy. Using Matrix Manager is simple and intuitive because of the board game style interface.
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Energize Collaboration
What forces motivate individuals to contribute to strategic goals and tactical objectives? Employees are motivated by recognition, compensation and promotion which come almost exclusively from direct management. Because of this dynamic, work that is critical for an organization but not aligned with an employee’s departmental goals may not be executed. How do we recognize an employee for contributions made toward implementing strategy? The answer is to provide automatic visibility of an employee’s action items to their upward, inline managers. In this manner the employee, the manager and the department get recognition and credit for executing strategy!
In sum, the workflow engine enables the spontaneous creation of cross-functional teams to come together to execute strategy within your current organizational structure. This enables horizontal work to flow freely while providing visibility to all upward managers.
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View Strategic Implementations
Today, gathering status is a time consuming process that produces a subjective view. In Matrix Manager, the negotiation and assignment of work is capture first hand. Status logs are recorded as they are entered and assignments are automatically collated the associated strategy. Therefore status is not longer an errand that yields subjective information; in Matrix Manager, the status of an implementation is now complete, immediately available, and completely objective. Once you become acquainted with the awareness that Matrix Manager provides you on your team’s progress in achieving goals and objectives, you will wonder how you ever managed without it.
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Recognize and Reward Employees
Why is it so difficult for an employee to request work from a coworker located outside of their department or reporting hierarchy? The answer is motivation. Employees are motivated by recognition, promotion and compensation which come almost exclusively from direct management. Performing work for coworkers outside of their reporting hierarchy is often seen as a favor because the work may not be visible or considered important by their manager. At times, work that is critical to organizational success is hindered by this dynamic.
Matrix Manager solves this problem because the managers of the originator and recipient of an action item have visibility of the work transaction. In fact, all upward, inline managers of the employee performing the work can view the action items on demand. Therefore the recipient of an action item knows that he/she will receive credit for the work regardless of the department that requested it. Now employees will be motivated to perform work that is crucial to organizational success because the work is now visible therefore offering the opportunity for recognition and reward.
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Achieve Regulatory Compliance
Today's executives understand the benefits and the daunting challenge of enforcing compliance as demanded by agencies such as OSHA, FDA, SEC, and FASB. Compliance is about details, therefore it's hard to enforce specific actions carried out by hundreds of employees scattered throughout the organization. OSHA's training manual states "Records can provide evidence of the employer's good faith and compliance with OSHA standards. Documentation can also supply an answer to one of the first questions an accident investigator will ask: 'Was the injured employee trained to do the job?'"1.
Don't get caught unprepared, let Matrix Manger help your corporation meet compliance standards. Matrix Manager's workflow engine can be used to document the assignment and completion of compliance related actions. For example, employees operating heavy equipment can be assigned the action item of completing required training classes. Laboratory staff can be assigned the task of disposing hazardous materials with the EPA guidelines specified in the task description. Increase your documentation today to reduce your future liability.
1. Training Requirements in OSHA Standards and Training Guidelines. US Department of Labor. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA 2254. 1998 (Revised).
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