Re: Revaluing Administrators LO1731

Barry Mallis (bmallis@quickmail.markem.com)
22 Jun 1995 08:16:44 -0400

Reply to: RE>Revaluing Administrators LO1712

Doug,

I'll take a stab at some thoughts about your daunting task of "revaluing
administrators".

While it's impossible to touch and taste the quality of organization life
you briefly describe, I will say that your choice of words is revealing to
me, and may point a course of action.

One phrase in particular, "access is seen as...", triggered a second and
third reading of your observations. I am struck in your brief description
by the unusual amount of inference. You may have been apprised of the
situation in briefings to date, but what qualitative data is available to
you? Imagine the number of hidden agendas peppered through the
organization!

My suggestion is that you do one thing, and do it well for your day on the
ranch. Specifically, I would present the fishbone diagram as a tool, then
break the participants into small, cross-functional groups of six to eight
(max.). At the head of the fishbone (Also called Ishikawa) you may choose
to write a weakness-based question like: "Why are administrators unable to
provide fuller value-add to their tasks?"

The groups would reconvene and share their findings in mid-afternoon.
They would select the vital few which they feel would provide some
progress based upon the 80/20 rule. Then, depending on group size, you
could consider an action matrix for the vital few actionable items. Each
item would be viewed under five different headings/questions--the four W's
and an H: What (a goal); Who (will work on it); Where (dept., facility,
office, etc.); When; How.

Good luck!

--
Barry Mallis
Total Quality Resource Manager
MARKEM Corporation
150 Congress Street
Keene, NH 03431
FAX 603 357 3665
bmallis@markem.com