Geary A. Rummler, PhD

What we will cover:•Geary’s Background•Performance Improvement Model•Nine Performance Variables•14-Step Performance Improvement Process•Tools used in the Performance Improvement Process•Rummler’s Model of the Human Performance Systems

and the Factors that Affect it

Rummler’s Career

•BA, MA, and PhD from University of Michigan

•National president of the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI)

•Member, Board of Directors of the American Society of Training and Development (ASTD)

•Member, Editorial Board of Training Magazine

Education/ Professional Affiliations

•1962: Co-founded Center for Programmed Learning for Business with George Odiorne

•1969: Co-founded Praxis Corporation with Tom Gilbert

•1981: Founded consulting firm

•1987: Firm became Rummler-Brache Group

•2000: Founded Performance Design Lab

Founder

•1998: Training and Development: A Guide for Professionals with George S. Odiorne

•1990: Co-authored Improving Performance, How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart with Alan P. Brache

•2004: Serious Performance Consulting - According to Rummler

Author

•1986: Induction into the Human Resource Development Hall of Fame

•1992: The Distinguished Professional Achievement Award from ISPI

•1996: The Enterprise Reengineering Excellence Award from Enterprise Reengineering Magazine

•1999: The Distinguished Contribution Award for Workplace Learning and Performance from ASTD

•1999: The Life Time Achievement Award from the Organization Behavior Management Network

•2000: Presidential Citation for Intellectual Leadership from ISPI

Awards

Rummler believed it was all about improving performance

Manage the white spaces

Global Competitive pressures• Product/Service Quality &

Reliability• Higher customer

expectations• Fiscal efficiency• Productivity

Agile companies are competitive• Smaller Workforce• Workers have

interdisciplinary skills• Organizations have flexible

management, labor, process and product capabilities

Performance – Key Issue for Business

Job/Performer Level

Process Level

Organizational Level

“Organizations are systems, and people are only as good as the systems that they’re

in”

3 Levels of Performance Improvement Model

Nine Performance Variables

Organizational Level

Process Level

Job/Performer Level

Goals

Organizational Goals

Process Goals

Job Goals

Design

Organizational Design

Process Design

Job Design

Management

Organizational Management

Process Management

Job Management

Performance Levels

Performance Needs

14-Step Performance Improvement ProcessPhase 1:

Performance Improvement

Process

Phase 2: Organizational Improvement

3. Define the organization’s

system

Phase 4: Job Improvement

Phase 5: Process Management

• What is the performance problem?

1. Define project

• Establish dates & events for process improvements2. Develop

project plan

• Project definition worksheet• Project planCreate

Documentation

Phase 1: Performance Improvement Planning Process

" A process is the series of planned actions in the value chain that convert a given input into a desired result.”

• How does the process fit the organization’s big picture?

• How does work flow from inputs to outputs?3. Define the organization’s

system

• Where can the process be improved?• Identify missing, unnecessary, confusing, or

misdirected inputs or outputs4. Identify organizational

improvement opportunities

• Develop relationships that eliminate disconnections• Evaluate different ways to group people or establish

reporting hierarchies5. Specify improvement

actions at the organizational level

6. Identify processes that affect this critical issue most

•Relationship map•Organizational analysis and improvement worksheet•With actions•With process(es)Create Documentation

Phase 2: Organizational Improvement

Manage the white spaces

CEO

VP

Line Manager

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

VP

Line Manager

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

VP

Line Manager

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

Individual Contributor

Assistant

Manage the White Space

“A primary contribution of a manager at the second level or above is to manage interfaces. The boxes already have

managers; the Senior manager adds value by managing the white space between the boxes.”

• Create Maps• Identify what is, and what should be7. Define the process

• Identify process gaps8. Identify process

improvement opportunities

9. Specify improvement actions at the process level

• Identify the largest gaps10. Identify the job that

most affects the process.

• Process map(s)• Process improvement and analysis worksheet

• With actions• With job(s).Create Documentation

Phase 3: Process Improvement

"Training and development is a solution in search of a

problem”

11. Create job specifications to support improved processes

12. Identify job performance improvement opportunities and the

gaps between what is and what should be.

13. Specify improvement actions at the job level

14. Implement and evaluate performance action at all three

performance levels

• Job models(s)• Job analysis• Performance system design worksheet• Action planning worksheets

Create Documentation

Phase 4: Job ImprovementPhase 5: Process Management

Rummler was an engineer. Engineers like diagrams.

Developing Performance Logic

Performance specifications

Do they exist?

Do performers know about them?

Do performers think they can attain them?

Task support

Can performer recognize input needing action?

Can task be done w/o interference from other

tasks?

Are procedures/work flow logical?

Are there adequate resources?

Consequences

Do they support desired performance?

Do performers find them meaningful?

Are they timely?

Feedback

Do performers receive info about their performance?

Is that info• Relevant• Timely• Accurate• Specific• Understandable

Skills and knowledge

Do performers have skills/knowledge required

to perform?

Do performers know why performance is desired?

Individual capacity

Are performers able to perform:• Physically• Mentally• Emotionally

Memorials

• AllBusiness• Big Dog Little Dog• ASTD (requires

membership)

• Pursuing Performance Blog

Questions?

Prepared for EME 6691 – Performance Systems Analysis Fall 2009– Lea Ann Gates– Gina Minks

More info:http://thepactwiki.wikispaces.com/Rummler+Quotehttp://delicious.com/gminks/rummlerhttp://www.geary.com/Geary_Rummler_-_Management_Consultant