Learning in the Matrix World

The first (and most important) is the horizontal dimension which is comprised of the relationships between your customers and suppliers. It is the dimension
where authority doesn’t exist and cross-functional teams are the primary way to get work done. The second dimension is the vertical dimension which is comprised of the relationships between bosses and subordinates. In this dimension authority is used (when needed) but its main purpose is to support the successful execution of the horizontal dimension.

In order for the matrix to be successful the new management technology – New matrix management needs to be put in place. With the new matrix management we implement seven elements that position the organization to operate effectively and create the catalyst that shifts the organizational culture from one of reaction and blame to one of collaboration and proactive learning.

Position the Organization to Operate Effectively - The Elements of the Matrix Management

1. Horizontal Maps – Horizontal maps represent the crucial pieces of the organization, the “how we do the job”, “who has accountability” and the “support required and provided to manage each process from start to finish.” Maps are needed for each business process of the organization and need to include the customer/supplier
   relationships both within the process and between processes, the products produced, the owner of each process and the composition of the steering council that oversees the process.
2. Steering Councils – Governance in the horizontal dimension is done through horizontally based councils instead of vertically aligned staff meetings. Councils start
   at the top with a Strategic Steering Council and then cascade down through the organization with a council to oversee each cross-functional horizontal segment. Each
   council is led by a segment owner and is comprised of the leaders who participate in that segment.
3. Shared & Individual Goals – In order to ensure that leaders within the councils work together, the goals of each steering council are shared by council members and all the members are held accountable for these goals. In addition, these shared goals are decomposed into individual goals which members are also held accountable for.
4. Proactive Accountability – Instead of using reactive accountability, based on the requirement that the person accountable have authority or control; proactive
   accountability asks people to make something happen instead of looking for whom to blame when things don’t happen as planned. This proactive accountability does not require authority in order to get things done and it supports individual and organization learning versus cover your backside and risk aversion behavior.
5. A Project System – There are only two ways that work gets done: through projects or business processes. Everything that is new or improved is a project. Therefore, the strategic plan is no more than a portfolio of projects and it needs to be managed as such. A project system starts at the top with a Project Steering Council whose job is to oversee the portfolio of projects in the organization, includes a resource allocation process that allocates no more than 100% of people’s capacity to do project and business process work and requires project oversight by a project sponsor, whose job is to make sure direction is set, resources are allocated, and obstacles are removed so the project leader can be successful.
6. Business Process Management - Business processes must be managed, otherwise they degrade. Like the project steering council, a business process council is led by an owner and is comprised of the business process leaders who oversee functions. It is the job of each business process steering council to oversee the operation of its business process and ensure that process performance is maintained. The council identifies when improvements or redesign (reengineering) needs to be done, which then become projects.
7. Team Based Methods – Most management is done by teams. Because of this, teams need common methodologies they can use to get the work done, together. Examples are: project management, group decision making and problem solving methods. Regardless of which method is chosen, all need to foster team participation and cooperation which give leaders have the ability to promote understanding, ownership and buy-in. Since most team members don’t ‘report’ to the team leader, we can not rely on authority as the basis for getting work done and must be replaced with collaborative, team-based methodologies that promote team success.

A Proactive Learning Orientation – The Learning Performance System In a matrix many systems (defined as a company-wide standard practice) are deployed to
support the dimensions. But one system, Goal Setting/Accountability/Performance Measurement, is critical to our ability to achieve the strategic plan. This system is
deployed in both dimensions and provides a direct link between the organizational goals and individual and team performance.

In the vertical dimension, managers have accountability for developing the resources within their sphere of influence so they are capable to perform in support of the
organization. This requirement upon managers often translates into requests for training - requests to build skills upon skills and then require learners to move ahead and succeed. However, this type of learning culture doesn’t work. In fact, studies show that 93% of training is not retained nor is it used by the learner. But we continue to spend millions of dollars searching for new programs and new deployment systems to push the learning in the organization – which still doesn’t work. So how do organizations identify the right development initiatives for employees and then measure performance to real-time business results. The answer: A Learning Performance System (LPS).

Learning Performance System (LPS)

A Learning Performance System is a new innovation of Performance Matters Redefined, a strategic consulting firm and deployed through Martin Training Associates a leader in working with Matrix Organizations.

Through the right mix of methodology and planning, along with technology and learning the Performance Redefined LPS is redefining the way organizations think about performance development and measurement as a way to achieve their strategic goals.

The Performance Redefined LPS brings together three components that bring learning to a new level.

By bringing planning plus learning plus measurement into a single platform organizations now have a way to decompose their strategic plan throughout the entire organization, develop and facilitate learning on organizational, technical and management skills and then measure performance in direct correlation to organizational objectives.

Planning

The first part of the LPS and the component that ensures the right learning is deployed and measured and the right initiatives are funded is the planning component. This component is supported by a powerful methodology that is applicable within any organization or industry. This methodology is E-VOLV.

E-VOLV is an organizational methodology that addresses the concerns of every senior management team: ‘How are we going to ensure our employees are prepared to execute the strategic plan faster, cheaper and easier?”

Through a four-step process beginning with Evaluation and Visioning followed by Organizational Alignment, Launch and Valuation E-VOLV provides the process every organization needs to execute their strategic plan.

E stands for Evaluation. This is where the organization does the SWOT.

V stands for Visioning. This is where the mission and vision is set. The organizational goals are identified along with targets and measures. Here the strategic initiatives are identified and aligned to the organizational vision.

O stands for Organizational Alignment. This is the process for decomposing the strategic initiatives down through the organization - each business unit and individual using E-VOLV as well to align their own goals to a specific goal on the strategic plan.

L stands for Launch. Projects are initiated, planned and executed. Business process management is implemented and workforce development continues.

V stands for Valuation. Here projects are evaluated for lessons learned. Business processes are evaluated and recommendations are made for improvements. Individual performance is rated. Then all three are rated and measured against the broader organizational goals from the Visioning stage.

Learning

In the Performance Redefined LPS learning is supported through asynchronous deployment of subject matter that is relevant to the organizational objectives. Through three types of learning the LPS helps everyone achieve their goals. This component works in conjunction with any existing LMS already in place or can meet that need for organizations that don’t want to invest large sums of money to deploy virtual learning.

The Foundations Level is the deployment of e-learning in its truest sense. Through interactive presentations, audio, video and quizzes this level deploys any type of training for any type of learner.

The e-facilitation Level is the asynchronous deployment of guided instruction for following the planning process, creation of business, project and individual targets and measures for the relevant initiative, project or skill. E-facilitation is automatically provided for the entire E-VOLV process with the LPS.

The Reinforcement Level is the deployment of self-directed or management directed programs over an extended period of time to ensure all learning is successful in moving a learner from an unconscious incompetent or conscious incompetent to a conscious competent stage.

Measurement

The part of Performance Redefined that sets it apart for any other Learning Management System is the capability to measure real-time results against planned targets at the individual, business and organizational level with little work on your part.

Through the use of sub-systems at the most needed levels, the system takes the aligned strategic plan, tracks the results and then rolls them up so the management teams get a clear picture of what they organization has achieved.

Process and Project Tracking There are only two ways work gets done in every organization – through processes and projects.

Business processes are a series of steps that turn inputs into outputs. It are these processes that keep the organization running – by selling, manufacturing, fulfilling and servicing your external customers and supporting those processes by running the business from the inside out.

Projects are also a series of steps that turn inputs into outputs. But, the main difference here is that they are used to create new products and services or improve processes you already have. Projects are how we keep the organization growing and are the decomposed deliverables of your strategic plan.
In both the Business Process and Project Tracking systems organizations can have one source for tracking the processes and projects. Projects are aligned to specific strategic initiatives, so we invest our portfolio of project dollars on the right projects and business processes are listed so we can track the goals of each and also determine organizational impact when we make changes.

Workforce Tracking

Any organizations workforce is their most precious and expensive resource. We spend millions of dollars each year trying to figure out how to get them to work harder and better, however one of the most basic things organizations don’t do is find ways to help them work more effectively. As a result, we find employees who are not clear about what they need to achieve, or they don’t have the skill required to achieve a specific goal or they are working on things that are not really important to the overall strategy. In a word, they are wasted.

Through the Workforce Management System (WMS) organizations now have a way to align every individual in the organization to a specific goal of either a project or process. Through this system, employees create personal goals that are linked in the system to goals on the project or process they are working on which are then link to a goals on the strategic plan and then provide a virtual way for them build skills. Then, the system provides a way to not only track their actual results against their goals, but also track their performance of a developed skill as it relates to a specific goal

Why implement a Learning Performance System (LPS)

Organizations have been struggling with the question of measuring performance and developing skills that link directly to execution of the strategic plan. Now, through the use of the LPS, organizations not only deploy e-learning, but can track the alignment every business unit and individual in the organization to common organizational goals and measure actual results for each level.

So think about it. No longer does your organization need to struggle with the question of aligning individual performance to organizational goals. If you implement the principles of the New Matrix Management as you deploy the strategic plan down into the organization you’ll have employees that have shared goals that require collaboration, a culture that operates with proactive accountability and individuals that focus on organizational and individual goals so they can work cross-functionally more successfully. Then consider redefining the way in which you deploy the development of skills for the resources on your teams and measure their performance by using a Learning Performance System.

Cathy Cassidy is a partner and managing director of Martin Training Associates, a leader in the New Matrix Management Paradigm and principles of accountability. They work with any type of organization to implement these principles at every level within the organization. To learn more about our training and consulting services and the new Performance Redefined Learning Performance System (LPS) contact us at 866-922-3122 or check us out on the web at www.martintraining.com.