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Features of organisational excellence
In order to meet the requirements of the new Framework for Excellence, leaders and managers in the further education system will need to have a clear understanding of the climate and culture of their organisations and of the features that need to be harnessed or strengthened. The ethos of the National Teaching and Learning Change Programme is very much about drawing out the expertise that already exists within individuals in the workplace first — to truly maximise potential.
One model that aligns closely to the coaching approaches promoted in NTLCP is the Burke-Litwin model. What follows is an interpretation of how this model could support the embedding of a coaching culture within your organisation and how it could help you analyse the current performance of your organisation and its readiness to change. The Burke-Litwin model on which this version is based was developed at Harvard Business School from 1968 to 1992 by Burke, Stringer and Litwin. Using 12 variables as focal points, it links the wider organisational context with a means for examining how best to effect change in an organisation.
The model is based on the premise that the most powerful driver for organisational change comes from outside the organisation — the external environment — and that those external changes will lead to changes within the organisation. The changes start with long-term, transformational levers such as the organisation’s mission and strategy, leadership and culture. They then cascade through to more mid-term, transactional or operational factors and finally, short-term, individual or personal factors. Each of the variables interlinks, so in time a change in any one variable may affect others.
Click on each variable to see more information and some questions designed to clarify how the aims underlying NTLCP and the work of your Subject Learning Coaches can work in tandem with your overall organisational objective of continuing quality improvement.
Looking at the model from a different perspective you can see that, as leaders and managers, we have to get the transformational levers in place — organisations need the hard-wiring of strategy/structure and job/person fit shown down the left-hand side of the model. The central strand of leadership behaviours to establish effective and well motivated teams is something we aim for, and we do our very best to put in place effective processes which are in tune with our organisational culture as shown down the right-hand side of the model. What tends to happen when organisations are busy is that attention to the climate and especially to the importance of the individual gets neglected. The Professional Training Programme seeks to establish the value and importance of the individual and their role in the organisation’s overall aim for organisational excellence.
External environment
We have explored some of the key external drivers (eg curriculum changes, workforce development, quality improvement and the Framework for Excellence) but providers face a myriad of different drivers, many of which could work in parallel but also some that, on first glance, appear to stand alone.
Questions to ask yourself
- What are the key external drivers for my organisation?
- What impact will these drivers have on the organisation and on the work of my Subject Learning Coaches?
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Strategy
Clarity of vision and strategy are essential ingredients for success. Without a clearly articulated vision and a well considered strategy, you risk wasting time, effort and money as well as missing valuable opportunities to ‘work smarter’.
Questions to ask yourself
- What is the management vision for my organisation?
- How are the aims of NTLCP encapsulated within that vision?
- How is the organisation identifying areas where effort in one area will complement other key organisational objectives?
- How does what we do and say support the vision?
- How clearly do I and other managers communicate the vision to colleagues within the organisation?
- To what extent do all my colleagues understand the vision and strategy?
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Leadership
Identifying the formal and informal role models within the organisation, observing the leadership behaviours exhibited and the response to these behaviours as well as plotting their spheres of influence can provide valuable new insight and open up new opportunities. Research has shown that the behaviour of the leader or manager has a major impact on how it feels to work in an organisation.
Questions to ask yourself
- Who provides the overall direction for my organisation and who are the role models?
- What leadership or behaviour style is predominant within my organisation?
- As a manager, what is my own predominant leadership style or behaviour?
- In what ways do these behaviours create an environment in which an initiative such as NTLCP and the work of the Subject Learning Coaches can flourish and actively contribute to organisational success?
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Culture
Culture is shaped and influenced by history, customs and established practices over a long period of time. This means that we often see changing the culture as a difficult and lengthy process — yet small changes can sometimes have a big impact:
Questions to ask yourself
- What is the prevailing culture — the covert and overt rules, values, customs and principles — that guides our behaviour within the organisation?
- Are any of our cultural norms or practices impeding the work of our Subject Learning Coaches? If so, what can we do to make their impact more positive?
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Structure
Because external pressures change and because, as humans, we are constantly re-evaluating our practice and performance, it is a challenge to maintain organisational structures that are flexible and responsive enough to serve current organisational objectives well.
Questions to ask yourself
- How is the organisation structured? (Think about the functions, the key roles and levels of responsibility within key areas.)
- Does this structure enable or frustrate the role of an Subject Learning Coach? And does the structure recognise and make explicit the role of the Subject Learning Coach within it?
- What are the key relationships for decision making, communication and control? And what impact do these have on your Subject Learning Coaches?
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Management practices
Management practices may vary throughout an organisation: there will be some practices that are universal and others that are unique to individuals. For a more direct focus, look first at the area you can most influence — your own management practices, leadership styles and behaviours — before looking more widely at those of others in the organisation.
Questions to ask yourself
- As a manager, how do I use the personnel and resources at my disposal to fulfil the organisation’s strategy?
- What is the predominant management style and behaviour throughout the organisation?
- What is my own management and behavioural style?
- How well do I relate to our colleagues and employees?
- What impact does my behaviour have on Subject Learning Coaches?
- How does my behaviour motivate colleagues to be innovative and to embrace change?
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Processes
In light of impending changes in the sector, organisations will be looking at their policies and procedures and determining whether they are fit for purpose.
Questions to ask yourself
- What are the organisation’s policies and procedures (for example, for communication, resource planning, human resources management, performance appraisal, professional development and information management)?
- What impact do those policies and practices have on the work of Subject Learning Coaches — are they enabling or blocking improvements in working practices? Are there any changes you could make that would improve things?
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Team climate
The collective perceptions, expectations and feelings of staff will determine their levels of motivation and the amount of discretionary effort that they will give. This, in turn, will affect their personal performance as well as that of the organisation as a whole.
Questions to ask yourself
- How do staff perceive what it feels like to work in our organisation?
- Do people understand what I expect of them and why?
- Do people in my team feel encouraged to do their best?
- Do I give them feedback so they know when they are doing well and how they can improve further?
- How do I recognise them when they perform well?
- Do I understand how Subject Learning Coaches experience the climate in our organisation?
Find out more about the six dimensions for an effective organisational climate.
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Job/person fit
Just as organisational structures and processes evolve, so too do roles and expertise. Out of necessity, people at times find themselves doing something that does not best match their skills. On the other hand — perhaps as a result of personal or professional development activity undertaken since the last audit — you may find that some staff have expertise that is not being exploited.
Questions to ask yourself
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Motivation
In teaching, training and learning it is not unusual for the motivation to come from more intrinsic origins. The motivation of individuals within an organisation is a very powerful force and a major contributor to organisational success.
Questions to ask yourself
- Do people within the organisation, and Subject Learning Coaches in particular, feel motivated and empowered to do what is necessary to achieve the organisation’s stated strategy?
- Which of the other variables have the strongest impact — either positive or negative — on their motivation?
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Individual needs and competencies
Linking closely to motivation, it is worth looking more closely at each individual in your team.
Questions to ask yourself
- What do staff value in their work?
- What kind of support could I provide that would enrich the work of our Subject Learning Coaches?
- What factors would enrich their working lives and increase job satisfaction?
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Individual and organisational performance
If the environment is right for individuals to succeed, the chances of the organisation performing well are significantly enhanced. Getting the balance right for each of the other variables will place the organisation in a position where organisational excellence and year-on-year improvement can thrive.
Questions to ask yourself
- How do individuals perform in terms of learner and employer satisfaction, quality of provision and economic stability?
- How does this correlate to the success or otherwise of each work function and of the organisation as a whole?
- What role can my Subject Learning Coaches play in improving motivation and performance and how can I support them in the process?
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