Organisational Cadence

Enlightened Organisations move with a natural rhythm like seasons in the year, each similar but each with its own unique features. More than seasons they are like a musical masterpiece with layers of rhythm...

Enlightened Organisations move with a natural rhythm like seasons in the year, each similar but each with its own unique features. More than seasons they are like a musical masterpiece with layers of rhythm from deep periodic beats of the drum to more regular beats of base instruments and then the melody - interwoven in cycles, at times repeating itself, at times with significant variation.

The Organisation’s purpose (mission) and valuesprovide the periodic drumbeats that run throughout, changing little and setting the framework for the rest.

Strategic Plans- with a 20-year scan to the horizon, and a more focused definition of five-year outcomes, programme and projects - set the tempo to which all then move in harmony. Occasionally research is coalesced and a retreat of key stakeholders, be it board, senior staff or others, sets the big picture, from which the Plan is born.

The Planning Programming and Budgeting Cycleis systematic, following a period of annual review - providing a twofold outcome; an annual report on one hand and a strong input into the next year’s work plan on the other. Annual retreats may also break down the vision and Strategic Plan’s parameters to smaller Annual Operating Plans; resources are identified and Budgetsset in accordance with these.

Organisational Annual Plansshould also be broken to group, division and unit work plans, depending on the depth of the Organisation, so that all can see their place in the Organisation’s direction.

The Planning Programming and Budgeting System, briefly outlined above, interfaces with the Performance Management System- working largely at the individual level. The values of the Organisation define the behaviours sought from its participants. Individuals’ contributions to the organisation’s projects, programmes and activities are placed in PDPs and Personal Performance Plans.

Scheduled timeframes for setting individual work objectives - both behavioural and deliverable,  regular scheduled two-way feedback and information exchange, and annual reviews form yet another series of cycles that defines a harmonious theme running though the enlightened Organisation.

Yet another definition of the rhyme and metre of the Organisation is the Communications Cycle. A hierarchy of meetings, each with a defined purpose and regularly held, should ensure all are informed and engaged. Two many meetings like too many notes in a song can overpower, and a good thing becomes too much and looses its value; timing purpose and efficiency are important. Deciding what information is transmitted in meeting and what is sent through other media, intranets, emails and news letters both internal and external is part of the Communications Cycle. 

All of this is kept in the script the Annual Calendarof events with various levels that capture critical Organisational events such as Board meetings, the annual cycles of the Planning and Budgeting and Performance Management and the various of the events that make up the year. 

The alternative agenda, such as social occasions, news, legends and stories also define the rhythm of the Organisation; perhaps more like solo performances that often move in harmony and often challenge the main rhythms.

Feedback on all of this is via the Reporting Cycle, be it monthly, quarterly or annually. While vision and direction cascade from the top, data and information for reporting flows from the bottom. Front line activity is captured in effective systems as it happens and links through a pyramid of coagulations and filters to the top in alignment with Organisational objectives and goals. The use of icons in reports and key indicators shows the way and drill down capacity can unfold the detail upon which decisions are made.

They that use this information initially are front line staff – analyzing their own progress and achievements against targets and standards set in the Plans and Performance documentation. At a level up management sees progress of a unit and this is repeated until the Board and CEO can see the Organisation as a whole and decide where intervention is needed and where applause and reward is due.