EXECUTIVE POCKET EXECUTIVE POCKET EXECUTIVE POCKET EXECUTIVE POCKET
GUIDEBOOKGUIDEBOOKGUIDEBOOKGUIDEBOOK Executive guide to improved business success and
team member work-life fulfilment
Graham Little PhD
2
Executive pocket
guidebook
By
Graham Little PhD
3
Better science enables better technology that builds better bridges
(or washing machines or computers). Similarly, better social science
enables better social technology, and builds better organizations.
The Executive Pocket Guidebook is an easily read introduction to
the application of improved social science to building higher
performing and more satisfying organizations.
4
Published by
Institute of Theoretical and Applied Social Science Limited
Auckland
New Zealand
A reaching for infinity book
Copyright © 2015 Graham Little
Third Edition 2016
ISBN 978-1-877341-33-5
Graham Little asserts the moral right to be identified as the author
of this work.
All rights reserved. Except for purpose of fair reviewing, no part of
this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, now
known or hereafter invented, without permission in writing from
the publisher.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the National
Library of New Zealand
5
Contents
Seeking new thinking ...................................................................... 7
How to double profits .................................................................... 10
Goal—action .................................................................................. 14
Linking staff behavior to strategy .................................................. 18
Human performance driving results .............................................. 21
HR as rollout of strategy ................................................................ 24
Behavioral structure of the organization ........................................ 27
Understanding human psychology ................................................ 30
Linking people to the behavioral structure .................................... 33
Perfect human performance ........................................................... 37
Performance management ............................................................. 40
Built in flexibility .......................................................................... 44
A scientifically proven balanced solution ...................................... 47
Redefining engagement ................................................................. 51
Culture ........................................................................................... 55
All proactive HR policy is changed ............................................... 58
Lifting expectations ....................................................................... 62
Redefining leadership .................................................................... 65
Redefining management ................................................................ 70
Why has it not been done before? .................................................. 74
Stop. Reflect. Chose and improve ................................................. 77
6
Why can’t we do it ourselves? ....................................................... 80
Mind of the CEO ............................................................................ 84
HR as the ‘right hand’ of the CEO................................................. 88
Building a ‘verbal ready’ executive ............................................... 92
Understanding human motivation .................................................. 96
Building an implementing an integrated motivation policy ........ 100
Human capital .............................................................................. 104
Finding and developing talent ...................................................... 108
Choosing better ideas ................................................................... 112
Last word ..................................................................................... 116
7
Seeking new thinking
If you do what you have always done you will get what you
always got
The earliest reference I found to this quote was Henry Ford. There is
the story of Alexandra the Great, when faced with the Gordian Knot,
he decided to make his own rules at untying knots ...applying
original ideas is implied in the quote ...so took his sword and severed
the knot.
The quote is a common, popular thought. Even a cliché. A cliché is
phrase so familiar we yawn. Our mind slips off the idea because of
familiarity, and we lose sight of the fact it is true. We become
complacent at the ideas to which we attend.
The only solution is to be conscious of how we think, and shake
ourselves by the scruff of the neck and PAY ATTENTION to the
ideas we need attend, when we need attend, regardless of how many
times we may have heard them.
People and organizations
People in organizations has been studied for over 100 years. There
is no coherent theory. Independent theories abound, engagement,
culture, training, coaching, leadership, organization development,
management, etc. Performance management for example, is now in
slow decline, with major global companies stopping the practice
because it does not work.
Human nature
In The Origin of Consciousness, I offer a general theory of
psychology with integrated general theories of knowledge and
causality. The general theory of psychology states people acts on the
8
ideas they have in mind, the intensity of the action directly related to
the intensity of the emotions associated with the ideas. It is currently
the only general theory of psychology with this sort of intellectual
depth. You will wonder why on earth this intellectual stuff is
important. It is beyond important, it is crucial.
Good ideas are good ideas! Our job is to apply them to enhance
our success
Do people produce knowledge? Yes, of course. Should a general
theory of psychology account for all outputs from people? Yes, since
if not it is not a general theory of psychology. It follows that a general
theory of psychology must account for how people produce
knowledge. In short, any general theory of psychology must account
fully for its own existence. Similar argument applies to the
relationship of social causality and psychology. Further, what is an
organization? We create it. Therefore, a general theory of
psychology must account for how we create it, and indicate the
nature of our relationships with that which we created... etc.
Management and leadership are part of social science
Understanding people in organizations is NOT about management,
it is fully theoretical social science. But that in itself raises questions
of what exactly is theoretical social science...? The practical,
relevant questions crowd: What is the exact nature of the link
between people and organizations? How are organizations
constructed? How can we systematize construction of the
organization and its link to people so we better manage the
relationship and get better results? What does a team leader need to
do, exactly, to apply the improved understanding? What does the
CEO need do? And what is role of HR Department within this
theory?
9
Questions for reflection
1. What people do in organizations is part of overall what
people do. Therefore, organizational behavior can
only be understood as an aspect of the overall behavior
of people?
2. Think of the last HR initiative in your business. Was
it really based on new ideas, or was it just trying harder
with a new mix of old ideas?
3. If you had access to a scientifically solid, empirically
proven framework of ideas that would add profits and
develop staff satisfaction, would you and your
Executive team be interested?
4. Could staff performance in your business be improved
10% and what gain in profits would result?
10
How to double profits
Imagine a business with sales 100, costs 90, EBIT 10. Multiply the
numbers by any scaling factor the ratios do not change. Imagine sales
improved 5%, costs reduced 5%. Sales 105, costs 89.8 (on increased
sales). EBIT is 15.2, 52% increase.
Now, imagine a business with sales 100, costs 96, EBIT 4. Then
improve sales 5%, reduce costs 5%, so sales 105, costs 95.8, EBIT
9.2, 130% increase.
Chances are your business falls in the range of EBIT between 4%
and 10%. Which means with 5% changes in sales and costs you
could improve your profit by between 52% and 130%.
The large profit gains arising from small changes in sales and costs
is due the multiplier effect that is profit is the small difference
between two much larger numbers. Quite small changes in the large
numbers can dramatically improve profits.
We can do the numbers on more modest targets. Imagine sales
increased 2%, cost reduced 2%. With opening EBIT of 10, then it is
increased to 12.04, 20% increase. With opening EBIT of 4, then it is
increased to 6.04, 50% increase.
People ARE your greatest resource
We all know how hard it is to generate these extra gains, what I call
gains at the edge. By that I mean they are at the edge of what people
usually willingly do. To get beyond sort of ‘normal’ result, typically
requires intense effort by the team leaders to ‘stay on top of it’. But
once that effort released, as it must be, results slide back to the
’normal’ result, or worse, depending on how hard the leaders pushed
and the extent they managed to upset the team.
11
We now have the crucial question: Could human performance be
improved to increase sales and reduce costs by 2% without
disturbing the operational balance of your business and without the
need for team leaders to ‘push’?
Better science produces better technology enabling better
results
Unless you are deeply familiar with OPD theory you will not have a
clear and definite theory of how human behavior on the job is
directly linked to the profit and loss.
As a species, we can only act in accordance with what we know and
understand. The general theory of psychology states we choose and
apply ideas to manage circumstances we face. If the ideas are not
deliberately selected, then we are acting from habit based on ideas
we have learned and have used in the past. The intensity of action
depending on the emotions associated with the ideas.
You may well think you are clear on how to link staff daily actions
with the goals. But the clarity can only be based on current global
best practice thinking of how people are linked to the P&L. Global
best practice is just a popular set of ideas. Being popular does not
make ideas correct. At one time it was popular the earth was flat, and
the center of the universe.
We always have two choices. First, we accept our ideas as the tools
we apply to manage circumstances we face and get the result we
seek. This leaves the option of exploring new ideas that deliver a
better result. Second, we adopt ideas the same as everyone adopts.
We embrace the ideas accepted and applied by the group and we are
committed to those ideas. This means we are not likely to change our
ideas unless everyone is changing.
12
Investing in OPD-HCD™ is investing in the only scientific link
between people and the organization
Science is the activity of refining the ideas we use, proving they work
in practice, and then guiding distribution so everyone can enjoy the
improved theory and improved results.
The set of ideas people adopt to orientate themselves to the
circumstances of their life I call their ‘personal theory’. The nature
of those ideas sets the direction of any action, and the passion and
enthusiasm with which they are enacted determines the intensity of
the action and momentum. I describe a person’s current ideas as the
‘set of the sail’, and the associated emotions as putting the ‘wind in
the sail’. Change the set, change direction, change the passion,
change the momentum.
OPD theory is a detailed theory of the exact nature of the link
between a staff members mind and the goals in the job linked to
strategy; it is built from a general theory of psychology, itself derived
from a redesigned methodology of social science. It is theory, but
from the above you can see we all act on theory, that is on the ideas
we apply to circumstance. Therefore, the more apt, more accurate
and more appropriate the ideas (the theory), the more effective our
actions.
Investing in your people is the most significant project available
to your business
OPD-HCD™ is the technology derived from OPD theory. It offers
new thinking on linking people to the strategy and to the current
business plan.
Regardless of all other HR global best practice you may apply, OPD-
HCD™ is proven to lift human performance 10-15%. From our
13
experience with clients we know that a lift in human performance of
10% will increase sales by 3-5%, reduce direct costs 2-4%, and
reduce overhead costs 1-3%. You can do the numbers to assess the
gain in EBIT by applying it in your business.
In addition, the theory enables these gains with the full support of
people, who find the theory useful and enabling greater work
fulfilment.
Questions for reflection
1. Could staff performance be improved 10%?
2. What is the gain in EBIT of your business if sales
increased 4% and costs reduced 4%?
3. Is the increase in EBIT sufficient for you to consider
going after it?
4. What would your business ‘feel like’ with 40%
increase in EBIT, more satisfied and fulfilled staff,
and more content and relaxed leadership and
governance?
14
Goal—action
For every goal there are ideal actions that must be acted out if
the goal is to be achieved
I have yet to meet a manager who does not think team performance
could be improved 10%. But, and a crucial BUT, ensuring the
improved team effort drives increased team results depends entirely
on the exact link between staff effort and results. A 10% gain in
performance can drive a 4% change in sales and costs which due the
multiplier effect will lift profits 30-50%. With greater staff
satisfaction from the success. Who would not want that?
Doing ideal actions does not guarantee success but not doing
them guarantees failure
Think of a goal, any goal. Can you imagine it being achieved without
doing those actions needed to achieve it? The idea is silly. So we
have a general proposition, for every goal there are actions, called
ideal actions, necessary for the goal to be achieved. Ideal actions
offer the greatest chance of greatest goal success. They belong to the
goal and are of the quality that doing them does not guarantee
success but not doing them guarantees failure.
Organizations are collections of goals
Strategy is the foundation of the organization, its purpose, the reason
it exists. Derived from strategy are divisions, business units, teams
and roles in teams. Each unit has goals derived from the unit above.
The goal structure from strategy to every role in every team is called
the goal cascade. If each goal in each of the lowest units is achieved,
then the overall strategy is achieved.
15
Jobs defined by the role specifications
The lowest unit is a role. That is the actions of a person allocated
unique goals, for example, a job may be sales and marketing
manager, with role of sales manager and marketing manager. Or
production supervisor with responsibility for quality, so roles of
production planning, production supervision of shop floor, and role
of quality assurance. So roles can be in conflict, for example, the
conflict to get good out of the door without compromising ever on
quality.
Role specifications define the goals and the ideal actions arising
from those goals in every role. The ideal actions must also integrate
the processes that operate through the role and integrate it into the
rest of the organization.
The behavioral structure
Imagine the sum of all role specifications relative to a strategy. If the
goals that define those role specifications are achieved, then the
strategy is achieved. Further, if the ideal actions relative to every
goal are acted out to standard, then the goal is achieved. It follows
that the roll out of strategy is the apt identification and delivery of
the ideal actions in every role.
The sum of all role specifications is called the behavioral structure.
Therefore, rollout of strategy is the apt identification and delivery to
standard of the behavioral structure.
The role specification is adopted in mind by the person assigned the
role. In mind it is called the game plan of the person relative to the
role. This then leads to the OPD-HCD™ aim of Perfect game plans
perfectly delivered and the cultural aim of people striving for perfect
16
game plans perfectly delivered. This will be discussed in detail in
later chapters.
Success for people is delivery of ideal actions to standard while
organization success is achievement of the goals
Selection of ideal actions in a role was only partly the choice of the
person to deliver the role. The ideal actions are signed off by the
team leader, and manager of the team leader and ultimately by the
CEO.
Identification and delivery of ideal actions to standard is the rollout
of strategy. The CEO is responsible for strategy achievement, hence
is responsible for roll out of strategy. They can delegate the effort of
identifying goal and ideal actions in each role, but they cannot
delegate the responsibility for it. If the CEO is not committed to the
process of ensuring clarity of goal-action in every role, and
committed to the delivery of the ideal actions to standard in every
role, then organization results will be less than they could be.
People have the choice to do it or not
People have the choice of doing the ideal actions or not and so
choose success or failure. This choice is exactly the same as that of
any sports person intent on winning the game. Business is not a
game, but our relationship between the ideal actions necessary for
success in sport is exactly the same as our relationship with the ideal
actions for success in business. If people choose not to do the ideal
actions, then the organization has the choice of asking them to leave.
Building in flexibility and innovation
To be flexible in sport means having skills with different types of
play, and having the judgement of when each type of play is
appropriate and when not. The same applies in business. Flexibility
17
is crucial, but it must be ‘built in’ to the skills, understanding and
mind set of the person. The structure of ideal actions must take
account of flexibility, and guide creativity on identifying what has
been learned, what has changed, and what needs to be developed.
Each person working ‘on’ the business by creatively adjusting and
adapting their agreed ideal actions, and working ‘in’ the business by
delivering agreed ideal actions to standard.
Questions for reflection
1. Could the goal cascade be clearer? Could the ideal actions
be clearer? If ideal actions and KPIs 10% clearer, would
that enable an 8% gain in staff performance? If staff
performance improves 8%, could this improve sales and
cost 2%? What is the impact on profits of a 2% increase in
sales and a 2% decrease in costs? (If EBITDA is 10% at
start, it improves to 11.8%).
2. Who is responsible for driving the focus as outlined in 1?
The CEO...? What is role of HR, Executive team, and team
leadership...?
3. If goal-action principle fully applied, what is the effect on
performance management, training and coaching,
engagement, talent identification and management,
promotion, manager and leadership development,
recruitment, culture and cultural development ... etc.?
4. Is innovation and flexibility important? How does a tennis
player or golfer build it into their play? How could it be
built into ideal actions?
18
Linking staff behavior to strategy
The current business plan are the goals, derived from strategy,
to be achieved in the coming period. It follows that underlying
every business plan are ideal actions that must be delivered if
the plan is to be achieved.
Have you ever thought ‘I know that’... but when required to do it you
found you did not know as well as you thought? Is it helpful to write
it down first, to take the time to think it out step by step?
First step is to get it clear on paper
If we pause and get it clear on paper first, does this enable us to be
clearer in mind? If we are clearer in mind does this enable us to be
more effective?
HR is after the strategic decision and determines the rollout of
strategy
Organization design, and all HR is after the strategic decision. All
people activities are implicit in goal achievement, such as closed
sales in any period, and budgeted for in appropriate lines of the
extended profit profile. HR considerations would be bought to
account in the strategic decision if for example there could be a
shortage of skilled staff or skilled community supporting resources
such as contract engineering firms. If severe then this could be a
‘go/no go’ point in a project otherwise the problem is countered by
allowing extra cost in the appropriate expense line.
KPIs measure strategic success in a period
The current business plan is drawn from strategy and describes the
goal to be achieved in the nominated period. Divisions, departments,
team all then receive their KPIs (key performance indicators) they
19
are expected to achieve as their contribution. The KIs are what is
needed by the organization to achieve its strategic movement
forward for the period, and are not very negotiable. The Executive
team will normally set the strategic momentum and hence judge the
KPIs to be achieved and if realistic. KPIs also are the means whereby
the efforts of diverse teams, perhaps in different countries even
continents, are coordinated such the organization operates as an
efficient single mind.
KPIs in a role specify the contribution to strategy
The end result is KPIs in each role in the organizations such the effort
of the person assigned the role is coordinated in the team, the team
in the department, the department in the independent business unit,
the business unit in the group. If each person assigned each role
achieves their KPI to standard and in time, then the strategic
momentum set by the Executive for that period will be achieved.
Understanding the function of this goal cascade is crucially
important, as is understanding the need to ensure it is done with apt
judgement and done accurately. Errors and laxity here will
immediately erode results.
People must be able to look at their KPIs and ‘see’ the strategy and
their contribution to it. The goal cascade acts as a mental pipeline
linking the person to the purpose of the organization.
Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
The set of ideal actions is the end of the analysis of the organization,
specifying what the person accepting their assigned role(s) needs to
do to have greatest chance of greatest success. This is called the
behavioral best practice and must include issues of innovation,
flexibility and creativity.
20
Role specifications are the written definition of KPIs and ideal
actions needed by the organizations in the specified period
Role specifications are the behavioral best practice written and
worked through to ensure aptness and clarity. Game plans are the
role specification in the mind of the person assigned the role
Think of mind as a set of power point slides just behind the eyes. On
each slide are the ideas we use to ‘see’ and relate to the situations we
face. If a person is asked ‘when you think of work, what do you see?’
that which pops up we call the ‘game plan’. If the game plan is made
clearer and more apt, then the person has the option of acting more
effectively and with greater precision. The game plan is how the
person ‘sees’ their purpose in the organization, their link to strategy.
Role specifications are the coaching tool to build game plans.
Questions for reflection
1. If you have job descriptions, how effect are they relative to
this model?
2. Would this process clarify and sharpen game plans in mind
of your people?
3. If game plans clearer in mind, and if people striving to
deliver them to perfect standard, would you expect results
to improve?
21
Human performance driving results
Greatest result is when people are clear on what to do,
confident they can do it, and having fun doing it.
Ask yourself: If people are not clear on what to do, will they do it
well? And further, if people are required to think it out while doing
it, will they do it well?
Consider the extreme case, if people have no idea of what to do will
they do it? Clearly not, people can only do that which they know,
and they will only do assertively and positively that which they know
they know. If someone is uncertain they can do something, they may
push into it, but such overtly confident people are the exception,
most people are cautious and move into it tentatively. This all adds
up to getting clear first, and agreeing with the person on what to do,
and agreeing with the person they can do it.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
The second case of thinking it out while doing it places quite
enormous demands on people. Imagine playing the piano. Now
imagine having to think about where to place each finger. Would the
person be able to concentrate on the music, the nuance of soft-loud,
fast-slow, etc.? If one need focus on the physical demand of
something one will not be able to concentrate on the subtleties of the
task. For example, in business, it a sales person is preoccupied with
the next step in the sales process they will not be watching the
prospects eyes, nor listening carefully to the nuance of what they are
saying. They will be less ‘in tune’ with the prospect than say a
competitive salesperson, and lose the sale.
22
Clarity first
This sort of analysis leads to the idea of ‘finger memory’, that is
fundamental basics of any task need to become part of one’s physical
habits such as one can just do it, and do not need think about it. Then
and only then is the mind freed to focus on the nuance. For any
moderately complex task top results require top management of the
nuance. All of business involves moderately complex tasks. Hence
all business requires awareness and management of the nuance,
which in turn requires fundamental skills be ‘second nature’. People
can do the fundamental skills and crucially they know they can and
know they know they can.
OPD-SHRM role specifications give clarity of what to do and
identify core skills needed to do it
Goal-action builds clarity on paper. Clarity on paper enables clarity
in mind. Clarity in mind enables realistic skills assessment and
development. The deceptively simple idea of goal-action, building
clarity first, means the CEO must understand the concept, and that if
the KPIs are accurately devolved from strategy into ever role, and if
ideal actions are identified in every role, then the leadership task
from Executive down is to have each person in their job deliver
agreed ideal actions to standard. Delivery of ideal actions to standard
enables greatest chance of greatest goal success. Greatest chance of
greatest goal success enables greatest chance of greatest strategic
success.
Clarity-in-mind + motivation = greatest result
Within OPD-SHRM management is getting the concept right. Team
leadership is about having people accept the ideal actions and act
them out at work. The CEO must understand and commit to the
processes of the system as the driver of their intent to achieve
23
strategy. The proactive role of HR is to partner with team leaders in
their wrestle to get the ideal actions clear and agreed by every person
in their team, and then have those people deliver the ideal actions
with verve and commitment.
Human nature in The Origin of Consciousness is defined as the
ability to create ideas and apply them in managing the circumstances
we encounter, and the intensity with which we act depends on the
emotions associated with the ideas. We ‘see’ according to the ideas
we hold in mind and we act according to the emotional intensity we
bring to the ideas. The role specification provides clarity of thinking.
Most people are committed to work to a degree... but the term
‘motivation’ is the act of team leaders to get more than what is in
people. Fear is at times used, but it is not strong long term motivation
at work. Under OPD system the key role of the team leader is to
interact with their team each day and ensure they are having fun
while delivering deal actions to standard.
Questions for reflection
1. Could management be improved in your
organization?
2. Could leadership be improved?
3. Could the Executive be more effective in
developing a culture of high performance?
4. Could HR play a stronger proactive role in
organizational success?
24
HR as rollout of strategy
Within OPD theory the role of strategic HR is to partner with
team leaders and support them to identify and achieve delivery
to standard of the ideal action in their team that offer greatest
chance of greatest goal success
Applying goal-action to the organization changes every aspect of
organization design and operation. The logic dictates that underlying
every business plan are a set of ideal actions that must be identified
and acted out if the plan is to be achieved. Research confirms that if
the ideal actions are clarified, and if actual behavior are moved 10%
closer to those ideal actions, then goal achievement in business
improves 3%-5% depending on the industry and company. Hence
current research shows that improving clarity and delivery of the
game plan by 10% can improve sales and reduce costs by say 4%
and deliver 40% profit increase.
OPD Strategic HR as the proactive driver of results
Think of companies that have existed for centuries, Shell Oil for
example was founded about 1907. But much older companies exist.
DuPont 1802, Citigroup 1812, and Remington 1816 (put ‘oldest
companies’ search in Google, then go to the Wikipedia page, some
go back to sixth century). This alone makes the point that
‘something’ exists beyond people.
An organization is an idea which influences human mood and
conduct and ‘exists’ independent of any particular knowing person.
This ontological position is directly derived from the work of Karl
Popper, and again emphasizes how intellectual issues underlie
understanding of people in organizations. It follows that people and
25
the organization are ‘linked’. The OPD theory being the analysis of
that link.
HR in the organization is about enabling human effort in regard the
strategy, which in any given period is represented in the business
plan for that period. In short, HR is about guiding human
performance in achieving the business plan.
Now, given goal–action, improving human performance will
enhance goal achievement if and only if the improved human
performance results in increased delivery of those actions (called
ideal actions in OPD theory) that drive results. For example, one
cannot make sales without contacting prospects.
Within OPD theory the focus shifts from people to focus on
identification and delivery of the actions that most drive results, then
linking those to people. Seemingly subtle shift, but it is not, and it
profoundly redefines all aspects of HR.
Get the concept right first
It pays wherever possible to do the thinking before getting stuck in.
In short, effective thinking enables effective action. Get the concept
right first!
The shift in focus of HR in OPD theory is directly derived from the
analysis of organizations and human psychology. The analysis itself
grounded on resolving fundamental intellectual issues. There is no
hesitation in stating OPD theory has got the concept right. OPD
theory is built with better science.
Better science→ better technology→ better results
Current largely accepted global view of strategic HR is as the link
between business strategy and HR items. OPD theory states that is
wrong.
26
When formulating strategy, then HR issues are bought to account in
the appropriate line in the business case. For example, recruiting the
skills, or contracting necessary services. If it is likely to be difficult,
then more expense is allowed. If it is judged impossible, then that
may be a no-go to the project.
Once the strategy is settled, then it is fully rolled out by each team
leader identifying the goals (KPIs) then guiding delivery of those
actions to standard. Every team leader is assisted in that process by
the HR department, who are the leading ‘technical experts’ in linking
the mind of people to the ideal actions judged necessary for
organizational strategic success. Strategic HR is the proactive
aspects of HR identifying and delivery of those actions that offer
greatest chance of greatest success. The CEO is responsible for the
rollout of strategy and can delegate the task to team leaders
supported by HR but they cannot delegate final accountability.
Within the OPD theory HR has two aims:
1. Strategic proactive HR, partner with team leaders to:
a. Build apt and clear (perfect) role specifications.
b. Guide people build accurate game plans.
c. Ensure people having fun while striving for perfect
delivery of perfect game plans.
2. Compliance and administration: Ensure all compliance and
administration is completed to standard and on time.
Question for reflection
1. How clear are your Executive on the most effective integration
of HR into the organization such that results improve and
people find greater fulfilment and satisfaction?
27
Behavioral structure of the
organization
The aim of OPD-SHRM is to identify and deliver the
behavioral structure enabling greatest business success
Think of a goal you set for yourself. Say that relaxing holiday you
have promised yourself. Did you just jump in and do it, or did you
plan? Decided where to go, booked tickets and accommodation,
packed your clothes, organized your affairs while you were away for
the three weeks, arranged for a neighbor to feed and water the cat,
thought out what you wanted to do, the side trips you wanted...etc.
Goal-action plan, applies to every goal. The action plan we refer to
as the ideal actions relative to the goal. In a complex goal, there may
be several layers of ideal actions, each getting more specific. For
example, you decide to holiday with two other families. Then top
level actions will involve agreeing where to go, and that may involve
some research by each family. Once agreed, then more research on
activities, and not all families may want to do the same things, some
may just want to blob out, so then it begins to get specific and
detailed. Finally, there is a group action plan, and within that detailed
plans for each family.
Goal success depends on the aptness of the ideal actions and the
extent they were acted out
The goal is to have a memorable holiday. Then all the plans are the
ideal actions to achieve that. So, for example we do not want to get
on holiday to find we left important clothes at home, or that the
accommodation we planned but did not book was booked out, or the
car warrant expired while away and it was a full day hassle to have
28
it redone, or that we left no contact number and the police turned up
to check we were okay because friends got worried about our silence
when we said we would phone them...etc.
We refer to the plans as the behavioral structure relative to the goal.
Goal success is then determined by, first apt ideal actions are
identified and accounted for, and second we act out those ideal action
to the standard needed.
This DOES NOT preclude spontaneity or innovation when we get
there, it just means that those things for example, that could disturb
goal achievement are identified and accounted for, then we flow with
the circumstance. If we are not concerned with the accommodation
being booked out, since we know other is available, then fine, we
flow with that, etc.
Every organization is a collection of goals beginning with the
strategy
The organization structure maps the strategy on to the currently
defined market. The goal cascade defines the contribution of each
job to the strategy. The ideal actions are then derived from the goals
in each job. Within OPD we refer to roles. A job may consist of
several roles, with a role being a unique set of KPIs and ideal actions.
Each role having a role specification consisting of KPIs and derived
ideal actions.
Engagement: People striving for perfect game plans perfectly
delivered
The mind-set of a person relative to the assigned role, derived from
the role specification is their game plan for the role.
29
If the role specifications are apt, and if people build clear game plans
and act upon them, then there is greatest chance of greatest goal
success.
CEO: Committed to identify and deliver behavioral structure
enabling greatest chance of greatest business success.
HR: Partner with team leaders to identify and deliver ideal actions in
their team.
Executive: Verbal ready to build performance culture.
People: Engaged, striving for perfect game plans perfectly delivered.
Questions for reflection
1. How apt are the role specifications? Are they suited as the
core coaching tool for team leaders?
2. How clear are the game plans? If game plans in people are
made clearer would you expect performance to improve?
3. On a scale of 1-10, 10 high, rate the striving for perfect
game plans perfectly delivered?
4. If the striving for perfect game plans perfectly delivered
was increased would results improve? Would people have
the opportunity to be more satisfied?
30
Understanding human psychology
We see with our mind not our eyes. We act according to what
we see. Our actions given momentum by the emotions
associated with the way we see things
In 1978, two researches Anderson and Prichert published a
deceptively simple psychological experiment. They asked 50 people
to look at a house with the view of buying it, then bought them out
and put them in a room. They then took another 50 people and asked
them to look at the same house with the view of burgling it, bought
them out and sat them in a different room. They then asked each
group to write down all they could about the house. The two groups
produced lists that were so different one would not know they had
looked at the same house.
We are a spirit within a mind within a brain
The other two factors that shape our responses are our spirit, and our
attention mechanisms. Full discussion of both is in The Origin of
Consciousness (www.lulu.com/spotlight/grahamlittle) and I will not
go into that detail here. Suffice, our spirit is the core of our being, it
is that encoded in memory prior to thinking, and speech. It touches
all aspect of how we think and feel. Our spirit begins forming as our
center prior to birth, and is then elaborated after birth to take in our
self-esteem, and give ‘feeling’, ‘attitude’ to that which we think,
glass half full or half empty type of attitude, so our spirit is not the
idea itself, but how our personality slants it, then in addition the
emotions associated give the slant the momentum. For example, we
are positive the glass half empty.
We can understand our attention mechanism as those inputs into our
mind that trigger a strong emotional reaction, so we attend to them.
31
We can think of this as sensitized neurons in our brain that when
activated, trigger a cascade of emotions and the energy then brings
forward the ideas we feel so strongly about...our response, and the
background to it in the thinking lying behind it.
It is how we ‘see’ things that sensitizes our brain to the inputs from
our environment. Then on occasions, one part of our brain acts as
input to another part, and so we can trigger strong responses from
within our own mind.
Ideas orientates us to the environment and directs what we do.
The set of our sail.
We can imagine a simple model of our psychology as a set of power
point frames just behind the eyes. Think burgle up pops that frame
and that is how we ‘see’ the world. Think buy, up pops that frame,
and that is how we ‘see’ the world. I put inverted commas about ‘see’
to make the point it is our unique point of view, it is what we see, it
is not merely what is there. It is how we interpret what is there and
orientate ourselves to it via our ideas in mind. In business, getting it
clear on paper is the role specification, then translating that into the
person’s mind is them adopting their game plan derived from the
role specification.
Motivation is emotions associated with ideas. The wind in our
sail.
Think of something about which you feel strongly. What happens in
your mind? Bring up the idea and try to keep it separate from the
emotions. The ability to do that is called emotional intelligence.
Think of top tennis player, for example, steely still all game, then
after hitting the game winning shot drops to their knees with emotion
and relief. Getting the result depends on delivery of the game plan.
It is no different at work.
32
Increased clarity of game plan + positive emotion = improved
performance
Think of power point frames behind the eyes. Think of work. If
someone asked what they did at work, what do you think would ‘pop
up’? The point is to avoid being too clever or too complex about
people at work. What do they see? How clearly do they see? Are
there positive emotions associated with what they see?
Clarity. Clarity. Clarity.
At OPD we have the rule of CLARITY FIRST. When a person gets
clearer on the actions that enable greatest chance of greatest success,
the ideal actions, and then does those actions more often and more
effectively, results improve. As results improve, the person feels
more pleased with themselves, the boss is usually pleased, emotions
lift, which gives greater energy to the ideas, so effort lifts, which gets
further gains in results....
Questions for reflection
1. Could clarity of KPIs and ideal actions be improved in
your organization?
2. The game plan is the frame in mind carrying KPIs-ideal
actions for the job. Could game plans be improved?
3. Motivation is the emotions associated with the game plan.
Positive emotion gives zest and momentum to the action
arising from the game plan. Could positive emotion be
increased in your tem, and would that lift performance.
33
Linking people to the behavioral
structure
Get it clear on paper. Encourage people to choose work success
and choose to build clear game plans in mind. Then ensure
people enjoy the day doing what they need do to be successful
The key idea is goal→ action. It is general for every goal. The rule
is very simple, doing the ideal actions does not guarantee success but
not doing them guarantees failure.
Imagine a group of several goals. There will be ideal actions
underlying each goal. We can now group the goals into a ‘goal set’
underneath which is the set of all ideal actions called the behavioral
structure. We can now picture this applied across an organization.
The strategy is a complex goal pointing the direction. The business
plan for the period is the extent the strategy is to be achieved in that
period, hence the business plan for the period is the goal set for that
period. The tightly defined set of goals for the period. Underlying
the collection of goals that is the business plan will be a set of ideal
actions which are the behavioral structure relative to the strategy and
the business plan.
We can picture the organization structure as follows.
34
↓
↓
Get the role specifications clear on paper first
Think of your favorite sport. Now think of the key actions that make
for success at that sport... in golf, say sand saves, or closeness to the
pin from the fairway. Now ask: If you do those actions that determine
success more effectively, would you expect your result to improve?
Of course you would. It would not guarantee it, but you would give
yourself a much, much better chance of being successful. It is exactly
the same in business.
Strategy: The organization purpose, raison d’etre, the ‘direction’,
market purpose... etc.
Business plan: That aspect of the strategy to be achieved in the
period.
Organization structure: The manner the organization maps the
strategy onto the target market.
Business plan
Goal cascade (KPIs
in roles)
Behavioral structure: The set
of ideal actions in each role
35
Goal cascade: The KPIs in each role in the organization derived
from strategy that are the framework of achievement planned in the
period.
Role specification: The core performance document describing the
ideal actions for the role.
Behavioral structure: The sum of all role specifications underlying
the business plan.
Getting behavioral structure clear demands KPIs are apt and
accurate, and that the ideal actions derived from the KPIs are apt and
accurate. These are more difficult intellectual skills than they
appear, and are core skills that must be developed in HR Department.
Executive focus: Identify the behavioral structure and have
people act out the agreed ideal actions
For purposes of organization, human psychology consists of three
key elements.
Choice and engagement: People are asked to choose their own
work success to engage with themselves to make their work life
enjoyable, and fulfilling.
Ideas in mind: The set of the sail. Team leaders work with people
and review the deal actions in the roles they accept until they willing
say ‘yes, if someone does those ideal actions they have greatest
chance of greatest success with the KPIs’. People agree to translate
the role specification and build in mind their game plan as how they
will implement the agreed ideal actions and build their personal
success at work.
Motivation: The wind in the sail. Team leaders enable/support
positive emotions associated with the ideal actions so people are
36
enjoying that which they agree needs done for them to be successful
in their job.
There are several sources of positive emotion associated with the
game plan for the role.
1. From their choice to engage with their success at work.
2. By team leader having enabling team to have fun and
enjoy doing the work that needs done.
3. From the increased confidence and self-esteem, since
as game plans delivered, the team is more successful,
each individual is able to feel proud of their
contribution.
4. Team success means the boss is pleased, and if
expressed can further add to motivation.
Question for reflection
Is the thinking in your organization as clear and sharp as it could be
such that the concept itself makes people the most valuable resource
in the business?
37
Perfect human performance
Perfection is the standard we set for ourselves in our mind
Think of your favorite sport. It does not matter what it is, only that
you can ‘see’ in mind how to play. Now imagine some particular
aspects of the game that is important to being good at the game. I
imagine golf, although I was never very good, I enjoyed the round,
so an important aspect was being able to get close to the pin from
say 100 meters. Now think of someone very, very good playing that
aspect. For golf, ‘seeing’ a top golfer on TV play the shot, for
different lies and fairway situations. Be sure and ‘see’ it in detail. I
continue the golf example so I can be explicit. In mind, ‘see’ how
they approach the ball, the routine they use in the setup, any practice
swings, and depth of back swing to deliver the precise distance, etc.
In this first instance, our insight into perfect play depends on
watching in detail people very good at the play. Now visualize what
we do. It will be less than the expert play. The gap I call the
performance gap. If we now rate the expert at 10 out of 10, then we
can judge how good we are, and then begin the process of improving
our play making it closer to 10. If we make it closer to 10 our results
will improve.
Perfection is the performance level we can imagine in mind
beyond expert play
If we understand the process of using our imagination to ‘see’ what
to do, we can remove the ‘expert’ as our example, and we can now
set the standard as the ‘perfect play’, one even the expert can strive
for. We can then use our mind to ‘see’ ourselves delivering the
perfect play and by so doing we can develop our play so that our
38
actual play moves closer to the perfection in mind and our actual
results improve.
The idea of doing it perfectly depends on the standard we set
for ourselves
Ideal actions in business are the agreed actions that offer greatest
chance of greatest success at achieving the KPIs assigned and
accepted in the role. They sit in the exact same psychological
relationship to self as do the detailed play in our favorite sport. In
fact, we understand the relationship between actual and perfect
delivery of the agreed ideal actions in sport better than we do in
business. It is likely you will ‘sense’ the relationship and in particular
the emotional aspects of the relationship between the play in sport
better than you sense it with ideal actions in your job.
Your relationship with perfect play in sport is exactly the same
as your relationship with delivery of ideal actions in your job
Building a focused, non-emotional, performance relationship with
ideal actions in sport or business, where the intent is to deliver the
actions to the best of your ability I call professionalism. Top sports
people only release themselves from the ‘professional’ focus when
the actions delivered as best they can on the day, and they are joyous
or depressed with their performance. Under OPD theory, as in sport
so in business.
Our striving ensures we can say: I did my best
The difference between sport and business is typically the time in
which we need act. In sport, the action is simple, the forehand shot,
or the pitch to the green. The action is done in fractions of a second.
In business, the action is always over a much longer time. There is
39
almost no situation where we cannot pause, take a moment, collect
ourselves.
In business the ideal actions are almost always more complex than
in sport. Closing that big deal, ensuring production on time and to
quality standard, etc. The complexity in business is almost always
balancing the actions, which is where it is very important to have an
agreed set of ideal actions guiding effort.
Perfection in business is first identifying the ideal actions on
paper
The role specification links the job to the business plan, such that it
is agreed that if the ideal actions delivered to standard then the
person in the role will have fully delivered the expected contribution
to the business plan.
Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
The role specification(s) defines current insight and understanding
of the contribution to the current business plan from the job. Ideal
actions negotiated and agreed, the person agrees they seek work life
success and satisfaction, and willingly engage with their own success
which begins by them building their game plan. The team leader then
enables delivery of the game plan by supporting the person with
positive emotions doing each day at work.
Question for reflection
If ideal actions clearer on paper, clearer in mind, and people striving
to deliver them to lift their own success/satisfaction at work, would
results improve?
40
Performance management
Moving actual toward perfect performance
Within OPD theory performance management is the essential
team leader activity of working with the team member
supporting and encouraging them to realize the level of success
they choose and enjoy the daily task of doing it
I recall several years ago a TV program on a young lady gymnast
training for the Olympics. In one sequence she was practicing the
dismount from the beam. The coach demanded she repeat it and
repeat it. She became very upset, yelled at the coach and stormed off.
She sat and cried alone for a few minutes, then the coach went to her
and spoke quietly to her and she then returned to the beam and
repeated the practice until she got it to standard. It took a further 2
hours of work.
The program then cut to the Olympics, competing on the beam,
doing the exact dismount she had practiced. She won the gold medal.
She hugged her coach and was ecstatic.
The young athlete accepted the vision of her coach as having in mind
the standard needed to win. She accepted he could see perfect
performance, and was guiding her to that standard. She wanted to be
the very best she could, and was willing to work hard, but at times it
got on top of her and she reacted. Did she do it for the coach, for her
country, her team, or for herself? A little of each, with the balance
being toward her own striving to be good as what she had chosen to
do.
41
Within OPD theory: As in sport so in business
They say there is no ‘i’ in team ... however there is in win. In business
winning is not about the other person, the competitor, it is about
doing the things that need done to the standard they need done.
Winning is about whether or not we got it right, and that means each
person in the team got it right. Teams are collections of individual’s
assigned aspects of a task such that if each person delivers that
expected of them the team achieves it overall goal. A good team also
‘get on’, support each other, and generally enjoy the effort. The
fundamental is each individual is to their assigned task in the team
is as the athlete to the dismount. If the individual is not committed
to delivering the task to standard, then the team could fail.
Engagement as embracing our own success
A person who does not want to succeed wont. At work we are not
talking gold medals, just doing agreed ideal actions to a reasonable,
transparent standard. If ideal actions done to standard, KPIs
achieved, if KPIs achieved then team KPIs achieved, and if team
KPIs achieved, divisional KPIs achieved...etc. You should by now
be familiar with the organizational structure.
The psychological core is each person committing to strive for
personal satisfaction and success at work in exactly the same way
the young athlete was committed to their personal success. The
ONLY difference is the level and the intensity.
Imagine a team member at work: There is extensive discussion on
ideal actions and KPIs and the person agrees the ideal actions that
offer greatest chance of greatest success. The person agrees they
wish to be successful and work, and therefore agree that in the
assigned job success is delivery of ideal actions to standard. It is open
and transparent, the standard is realistic and achievable, the person
42
asked to do their bit in such a way they first serve their own self-
esteem and satisfaction, and second serve the team.
Clarity + skill + motivation = performance
Clarity: Clear in mind the ideal actions needed to ensure greatest
chance of greatest goal success.
Skill: Having the skills to do the ideal actions.
Motivation: The emotions associated with the ideal actions, with
self-at-work, with the team and company, and above all commitment
not to let oneself down. Positive emotions associated with work arise
from the desire to find satisfaction in life, to get up each morning
and look in the mirror and be proud of the person looking back, to
feel supported by the team leader and team making the work day
enjoyable, and the positive feedback from the team, and company
and senior team leaders congratulating the team’s performance and
success.
The team leader does the task of performance management each day,
part of the routine management by walking around. Guiding the
team have fun, enjoy the day while doing the tasks, refining skills at
delivery of ideal actions, reminding people of the ideal actions,
keeping them top of mind.
Once each month the team leader meets with each person as a formal
performance management review: Did we get the numbers? If yes,
what ideal actions really work for us and how will we build on them?
If no, which ideal actions were not done to standard, and what will
we do about that? It is not recorded formally, it is not for the
‘organization’, it is a working discussion on how the team leader and
the team member can work together on enabling greater work life
success for the team member. The team member ‘feels’ the team
43
leader’s commitment to support them to be successful and to build
work life satisfaction.
Questions for discussion
If each person in your organization was committed to their success
as above, and guided as above by the team leader, would results
improve?
44
Built in flexibility
Practical creativity is an emotional act to build rational ideas
better than one has now and apply them to get a better result
than one has got in past
Human nature, the central capacity that has got us to this point, is the
capacity to conceptualize the situation we face, project our model or
theory or understanding forward so we ‘see’ what is going to happen,
identify the factors we can influence now, so that we change what is
going to happen, all this mental effort backed and supported by the
skills to carry out the idea once created. Today, we take all of this
for granted, we call it planning.
As ideas in mind planning consists of two components. First the
plan, that is what we will do so that the outcome going forward is
more in our favor. The second, and crucially important are the ideas
that are the foundation of our plan. For instance, we need to cross a
river, imagine going to build a bridge but do not know the material
we have available is too weak and we go ahead and use it. The bridge
collapses but we are lucky and no one drowns.
Making it closer to home. We are building an organization, our plan
is set, but what if the foundation ideas we used to build the plan are
inferior to other thinking now available? Exactly with the bridge, if
we build inferior ideas into our plan then the plan will be much less
effective than it could be.
To seek and apply better ideas requires letting go of existing
ideas
How do we determine better ideas? What if we are attached to our
ideas, studied at university and got our degree in them, read about
them and discuss them are conferences and with colleagues...? What
45
if these less than effective ideas are the social and cultural norm...?
How do we decide if the fundamental ideas we apply in our planning
have reached the point of needing changed? How do we know when
to let go, search for better thinking?
We must not commit to ideas but hold them always as tentative,
and be willing to embrace better thinking
Humankind was behavioral as it is today 50,000 years ago. Farming
was developed 12,000 years ago. Illustrates the time scale of creating
and applying really good ideas. I suggest that the number of ideas
developed in the last 200 years is more than the ideas developed in
the previous 49,800 years. Think about it! I also suggest the rate of
idea development will increase.
So what does this mean?
When using ideas to plan our way past situation be aware of the ideas
one uses, do not allow ideas to slip into your plan that are implicitly
assumed. Question, question and question...is there any better
thinking.
Do not assume that what is popular is correct. There is a huge
difference between being popular and being an effective thinker.
Frequently the most effective thinking is dismissed at the time.
Einstein was ridiculed when he published the photoelectric effect for
which he later got the Nobel Prize! Accept all new ideas, give them
the benefit of the doubt, do not dismiss new thinking... ask is this
thinking an advance on what I use now? Do not rush to adopt, but
do not dismiss, interact with the thinker, reflect on the ideas, ask
question, then more questions. Reflect.
46
Applying sound reasoning. Even when it does not initially feel
right... reason it out, and wait to see what then emerges in your
instincts.
Systems give structure the philosophy and attitude are the
living flesh of the structure
The real enemy is fixity of mind, rigid thinking. If humanity had
been like that we would still be in small villages of hunter-gathers.
Hence the core of human nature is to get ideas, apply them, but
keeping them tentative and adopting better ideas when they come
along. That is the core of your nature if you allow it!
Questions for reflection
OPD system offers quite clear and definite processes enabling better
team performance. Systems form the core of the living organizations
that is made flesh through philosophy and attitude.
1. If the system were fully supported by the philosophy and
attitude of seeking and applying ideas to lift performance was
implemented in support of the system, would that assist lift
results?
2. If people understood and performance is applying ideas to a
situation, and we can change those ideas, would this ease the
problem of enabling change?
3. If the leadership exhibits rigid thinking, sticking tightly to
structure and policy, what would you expect of the staff?
4. Do you think fixed structure and flexibility of thought are both
essential? Why?
47
Scientifically proven balanced
solution
...to human performance as a driver of results
People create organizations. The link between the organization and
a person is psychological.
The world’s longest bridge is Kunshan Grand Bridge in China, part
of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The bridge, which
opened in June 2011, spans 165 kilometers.
Imagine building that bridge. Imagine the engineering behind the
plans. Imagine the science behind the engineering.
Do you think the bridge could have been built at all without the
science? From the science emerged the engineering, from the
engineering was developed the blueprints. The depth of
understanding gave confidence that the bridge would be safe.
Why are organizations different? The usual response is they deal
with people and people are unpredictable. What exactly makes
people unpredictable? Is human nature unpredictable? Is the
structure of human psychology unpredictable?
In 1927, at the Solvay Physics conference in Copenhagen, the
world’s leading physicists of the day determined that the
fundamental equation of quantum physics was a probability
equation. A disgruntled Einstein disagreed and quipped ‘God does
not play dice’, to which Bohr reputably replied ‘Albert, stop telling
God what to do.’ For the following ten years, Einstein and Bohr, who
were friends, argued in the literature over the nature and
interpretation of quantum equations. Then came the WWII, and the
48
atom bomb. By say, 1950, the debate was all but settled, the view
was that if a science equation gets the right answer then the equation
had to be right and reflect what was happening. Quantum equations
were probabilistic; hence the universe was probabilistic. What has
this to do with management? Well, just about everything.
Considerations of psychology, society and the like extend deep into
Western history. However, it is agreed that the modern term social
science emerges in the first half of the 20th century. Further that the
primary tool of for study of social science was statistics, again settled
upon early-mid 20th century (for extended discussions put history of
social science in Google).
Imagine yourself a social scientist say around 1980. You pondered
if there was any definite structure underlying human mood and
conduct. However, to argue there was in psychology left hanging the
question of the interpretation of quantum physics. How can there be
definite causal structure in social science and not in physics? Today,
We come to today, statistics dominate social science. The
explanation of why organizations are different then follows... people
are unpredictable. Hence the in-depth scientific understanding that
underlies the bridge and gives confidence it is safe, does not apply.
However, the reason is NOT that the inherent intellectual structure
underlying is probabilistic, but that it one is to argue it is not then
one faces the issues of causality in physical science.
A second argument is that even though core physics is probabilistic,
the foundation science of engineering still manages to give answers
and detailed structure ensuring confidence in what the bridge
builders are doing.
There may be different styles of bridge, and different ways to build
it. But the underlying intellectual structures will be definite and
49
clear. Once the style is set, there will be no choice on how to do it,
the style will require definite technology with underlying science.
Then, and only then will the builders be confident the bridge will be
safe. My point is that such an intellectual structure always applies if
one seeks confidence and consistency of operation.
The intellectual questions
What is causality? Is what we know of cause knowledge? Yes, it
must be, therefore what exactly the relationship between cause and
knowledge? People create knowledge. Therefore, what exactly is the
relationship between human psychology and knowledge?
Knowledge and cause and psychology are linked, and to solve one
is to solve them all, therefore what exactly is the structure of a
general theory of psychology and how is it linked to general theories
of cause, and knowledge? Given existing conundrums in the
intellectual structure of social science, what are the intellectual tools
and methodological platform that would enable coherent and
consistent theory creation in social systems? There is only one actor,
people. Therefore, how do we aggregate a general theory of
psychology to groups and larger social systems, such as
organizations and societies?
None of these questions is resolved within current global best
practice social science. All the questions are resolved in posts at
www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrlittle. Also in the book The Origin of
Consciousness, currently sixth edition being prepared, but earlier
edition at www.lulu.com/spotlight/grahamlittle. I will not go further
into the intellectual background, other than to say it is resolved in
full and gives rise to the technology below, OPD-SHRM that has the
potential to make people your greatest resource and improve EBIT
30-50% (refer posts at the LinkedIn profile and the earlier Chapters
in the background section?)
50
The practical technology and how it is managed
On the left is the scientific variable, in the middle are the practical
factors team leaders use to improve staff performance, and on the
right are the cultural audit factors measured quarterly. The audit
report is used to identify which of the factors the team leader needs
to work on to develop the team performance. The intellectual issues
are as to this leadership technology as the science is to the bridge.
Organization.
Business plan for
period.
1. Goal cascade,
KPIs in every
role.
2. Ideal actions
derived from
KPIs.
3. Role
specifications.
Psychology
4. Choice.
5. Engagement
6. Acceptance.
7. Agreement.
8. Clarity.
9. Motivation.
Fundamental is ideas
in mind with action
arising from those
ideas given
momentum by
associated emotions.
Management factor.
1. Improve the goal cascade.
2. Sharpen ideal actions.
3. Clarify role specification, integrate
business processes, operations policy.
4. Review choice of each person to be
successful at work.
5. Review commitment of person to
actively seek work life success.
6. Review with person their acceptance
of the role specification.
7. Review with person they agree that
doing the ideal actions offers greatest
chance of greatest success.
8. Review with person they are clear on
the role specification, and have a
clear game plan in mind.
9. Review with person they have no
negative feelings about doing ideal
actions. And that they feel supported
by their team leader in the striving to
deliver the game plan each day.
Practical actions the team leader can take
that will improve one or more of the factors
that underpin high quality performance.
Cultural audits.
• Focus. Audits
1, 6, 7.
• Accuracy.
Audits 2, 3, 8.
• Commitment.
Audits 4, 5, 7.
• Leadership.
Audits 9, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8.
• Business
processes.
Audits 3, 7, 8.
From the audit
result, the team
leader decides
action on the
factors judged to
improve the audit
result for next time.
All people striving for perfect game plan perfectly delivered
51
Redefining engagement
Engagement is attaching positive emotions to those ideas and
actions we choose to include in our life
We choose to include ideas and their actions in our life if and only if
they are important enough to us. What is it that will make ideas and
their actions important enough?
Imagine working for a company. It is well managed; the people are
fun to be around the work is enjoyable. Business ethics are strong,
you, like all the team, feel respected and valued. You would go out
of your way to get the result, since you know the directors and
governance of the company would go out of their way for you.
Is this enough to ‘engage’ with this company? Yes, it is. Could you
be more ‘engaged’?
Now imagine the dark side. Things get difficult, the company asks
for help, and everybody agrees a pay cut so no one gets laid off. The
company gets sold. You disagree with some marketing decisions as
the company fights to build sales. Now, your personal finances are
not as solid, you have some concerns about what is going on and
while it is still a good place of work, you are facing a different
reality.
Engagement with the company remains solid, but with reservations.
Aiming to build own success is something that will always serve
you
The most important thing in your life is your health and welfare. If
that goes, then all those whom one loves and whom supports will
lose the quality of that support.
52
In other writing I show how our daily activities are linked to the
national economy by doing our bit at work (posts at LinkedIn, and
the book Why Work). Your success at work is precisely doing the
ideal actions agreed in your role to the fullest extent and standard
you are able. But, one acts out the actions not for the company, but
for ourselves. Each morning, when one looks in the mirror, the pride
swells knowing the person looking back did a solid day yesterday,
delivered the ideal actions agreed to a good standard, and in so doing
served oneself, served the company, served the team, served the
team leader, whom one likes, and served society.
Engagement is our commitment to our life
We engage with ourselves and in doing so we engage with life. Our
engagement with doing the ideal actions at work to serve our own
success is exactly the same as engagement with our grandchild, or
with the darts team at the club, or the energy in the reading group, or
rebuilding the bathroom. We do things to the level we set and agree
first with ourselves so that we feel good about our involvement.
Work is part of our life, not something separate from it, but
something central to it, and from which one can draw life
satisfaction. We engage with life, part of which is engaging with our
own success at work.
Review again the table below from Chapter 13. Three key variables
define the structure of the organizations, the goal cascade within
includes the organization structure and mapping the strategy onto the
market, the ideal actions agreed to offer the greatest chance of
greatest KPI success, and the clarity of the role specifications.
The organization design is then integrated with the psychology.
People make the choice to be successful in their work life, they
accept the role specifications as defining success in their job, they
53
agree the ideal actions offer greatest chance of greatest success,
engage by actively adopting the role specifications in mind, building
game plans with associated positive emotions that drive behavior at
work and actively visualize themselves acting out the ideal actions,
they build clarity in game plans, making their efforts more effective.
By choosing to be successful, accepting and agreeing the role
specifications as the means of personal success, and actively
engaging in mind with game plans, people build significant
‘intrinsic motivation’, exactly as exhibited by any sports person
seeking to win the game. They are willing to go the extra, to fight,
not for anything outside themselves, but for their own pride, and
personal success... they want to feel good about themselves. The
intrinsic motivation is then actively supported by the team leader
who ensure people are enjoying the day, do what they need do and
have fun while doing it.
54
The immediate practical act of engagement is visualization of
ideal actions with no negative emotions
Organization.
Business plan for
period.
1. Goal cascade,
KPIs in every
role.
2. Ideal actions
derived from
KPIs.
3. Role
specifications.
Psychology
4. Choice.
5. Engagement
6. Acceptance.
7. Agreement.
8. Clarity.
9. Motivation.
Fundamental is ideas
in mind with action
arising from those
ideas given
momentum by
associated emotions.
Management factor.
1. Improve the goal cascade.
2. Sharpen ideal actions.
3. Clarify role specification, integrate
business processes, operations policy.
4. Review choice of each person to be
successful at work.
5. Review commitment of person to
actively seek work life success.
6. Review with person their acceptance
of the role specification.
7. Review with person they agree that
doing the ideal actions offers greatest
chance of greatest success.
8. Review with person they are clear on
the role specification, and have a clear
game plan in mind.
9. Review with person they have no
negative feelings about doing ideal
actions. And that they feel supported
by their team leader in the striving to
deliver the game plan each day.
Practical actions the team leader can take
that will improve one or more of the factors
that underpin high quality performance.
Cultural audits.
• Focus. Audits
1, 6, 7.
• Accuracy.
Audits 2, 3, 8.
• Commitment.
Audits 4, 5, 7.
• Leadership.
Audits 9, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8.
• Business
processes.
Audits 3, 7, 8.
From the audit
result, the team
leader decides
action on the factors
judged to improve
the audit result for
next time.
55
Culture
The primary drivers of human mood and conduct are ideas
with the intensity of emotion giving thrust to the actions
derived from the ideas
Carefully read the table below.
Organization.
Business plan for
period.
1. Goal cascade,
KPIs in every
role.
2. Ideal actions
derived from
KPIs.
3. Role
specifications.
Psychology
4. Choice.
5. Engagement
6. Acceptance.
7. Agreement.
8. Clarity.
9. Motivation.
Fundamental is ideas
in mind with action
arising from those
ideas given
momentum by
associated emotions.
Management factor.
1. Improve the goal cascade.
2. Sharpen ideal actions.
3. Clarify role specification, integrate
business processes, operations policy.
4. Review choice of each person to be
successful at work.
5. Review commitment of person to
actively seek work life success.
6. Review with person their acceptance
of the role specification.
7. Review with person they agree that
doing the ideal actions offers greatest
chance of greatest success.
8. Review with person they are clear on
the role specification, and have a clear
game plan in mind.
9. Review with person they have no
negative feelings about doing ideal
actions. And that they feel supported
by their team leader in the striving to
deliver the game plan each day.
Practical actions the team leader can take
that will improve one or more of the factors
that underpin high quality performance.
Cultural audits.
• Focus. Audits
1, 6, 7.
• Accuracy.
Audits 2, 3, 8.
• Commitment.
Audits 4, 5, 7.
• Leadership.
Audits 9, 4, 5,
6, 7, 8.
• Business
processes.
Audits 3, 7, 8.
From the audit
result, the team
leader decides
action on the factors
judged to improve
the audit result for
next time.
Variables 1, 2, and 3 on left define the behavioral structure, namely
those actions which if delivered enable the greatest chance of
greatest goal success. Variables 4, 5, 6, and 7 build intrinsic
56
motivation, the internal commitment by the person to lift the quality
of their life committing to their own standards of success, pride, and
self-esteem. Variable 8 build clarity of action. Finally, variable 9 is
the team leader, supporting the intrinsic motivation by ensuring each
person enjoying their day while doing that which they agreed needs
to be done to enable the greatest chance of greatest success.
Read the table again. Now, imagine a team living out the principles
as embodied in the able.
People make the choice to be successful in their work life, they
accept the role specifications as defining success in their job, they
agree the ideal actions offer greatest chance of greatest success,
engage by actively adopting the role specifications in mind, building
game plans with associated positive emotions that drive behavior at
work and actively visualize themselves acting out the ideal actions,
they build clarity in game plans, making their efforts more effective.
By choosing to be successful, accepting and agreeing the role
specifications as the means of personal success, and actively
engaging in mind with game plans, people build significant
‘intrinsic motivation’, exactly as exhibited by any sports person
seeking to win the game. They are willing to go the extra, to fight,
not for anything outside themselves, but for their own pride, and
personal success... they want to feel good about themselves. The
intrinsic motivation is then actively supported by the team leader
who ensure people are enjoying the day, do what they need do and
have fun while doing it.
Do not try to manage culture. Support team leaders to manage
people as per the table. The culture will emerge
Innovation and creativity are teams taking time out, working ‘on’ the
business by reviewing the role specification and ideal actions,
57
making changes on paper, then adopting those change in game plans
in mind and then the disciplined, self-satisfying task of acting out the
agreed game plans.
In business ‘culture’ expresses how the people populating the
organization go about doing that which they need do to make
the organization successful
58
All proactive HR policy is changed
An organization is an idea influencing people. The organization
becomes ‘real’ through people and only through people.
Therefore, all aspects of what people do in organizations is
determined in their mind. It follows that if we better understand how
the mind works, we will better understand the link between people
and the organization. But understanding how the mind works
demands a depth of science not appropriate to practical management,
for example, the link between ideas and action (body-mind
problem), and theory creation in social science. It is important a
practical manager can have confidence the intellectual work has
been done, then and only then is the technology derived from the
science reliable, consistent and reproducible.
OPD-HCD™ team leadership technology is derived from a
scientific theory of psychology itself derived from a tightly
defined social science methodological platform.
OPD-HCD™ divides the link between people and the organization
into two.
1. Current compliance, and administration of people in the
organization, largely unchanged.
2. Strategic human capital development, or strategic HR, the
pro-active aspect of HR, is completely changed from
current global approach.
The strategic management of all human performance in the
organization is the identification of the ideal actions derived
from strategy in every role (the behavioral structure) and
59
delivery of those actions to standard (perfect game plans
perfectly delivered).
Identification and delivery of the behavioral structure to standard is
the priority of the CEO determined to roll out strategy so it has the
greatest chance of greatest market success. Responsibility for this
task is delegated to the HR Function who become the ‘right hand’ of
the CEO overseeing skills and application of all team leaders across
the organization. The ‘team leader’ is accountable for team output.
The HR Business Partner supports, coaches and guides the team
leader in the OPD-HCD™ technology enabling the team greatest
chance of greatest success. Therefore, enabling each person greatest
chance of greatest work life success.
The key difference in OPD-HCD™ technology is in the detail.
The following definitions illustrate. These details are overall quite
different from current global best practice and are a well-defined
team performance technology offering clear tools to all team leaders
that will achieve consistent, reliable results.
• OPD-HCD™ the technology each team leader is to apply
in refining and full implementation of the behavioral
structure of the team to standard.
• HR Business partner: The HR person assigned to coach,
support and guide team leaders in applying OPD-HCD™
technology enabling the team greatest chance of greatest
success.
• Organization development: Defining the organization on
paper, down to the ideal actions in each role. Identifying
and refining clarity and definition of the behavioral
structure from the agreed budget for the accounting period.
60
Specifying each job via its role specifications. Each role
being a unique set of KPIs and ideal actions within the job.
• Game plan: The psychological frame within the mind of
each person that is their understanding of ideal actions in
the roles in their job, and is applied by the person in
forming their own daily behavior on the job.
• Engagement: The commitment by the person to their own
work life success.
• Commitment: The agreement with the person they will act
such as to positively build their own work life success.
• Agreement: That delivery of the ideal actions to standard
offers greatest chance of greatest success in the role.
• Positive acceptance: The person has no negative or adverse
emotions when they think of themselves delivering the
agreed ideal actions to standard.
• Intrinsic motivation: The ‘internal’ motivation of the
person. Engagement plus commitment.
• Team motivation: The ‘external’ motivation being applied
to the person. The team leader ensuring every person is
having fun each day at work striving to deliver the
behavior structure to standard.
• Training: Focused on the person skills at delivery of the
agreed ideal actions in the role. It follows, that training
should immediately lift results.
• Change management: Agree new goals and identify the
ideal actions derived from those goals. In the jobs
involved, refine the role specification→ agree the new role
61
specification with the person assigned the role → coach,
practice/role play the new ideal actions → support person
refine their game plan→ performance review with person
to consolidate ideal actions as habit. Within OPD-HCD™
change management is clear and non-threatening.
• OPD cultural audit: The regular (quarterly at least)
monitoring of the implementation in the team of OPD-
HCD™ technology. The team leader with support of the
HR Business Partner selects the audit factors to be
improved for next audit.
• Performance review: The regular (monthly at least)
meeting between the team leader and team member on the
effectiveness of the team member in acting out the agreed
ideal actions to standard.
• Talent identification and management: Identifying those
people with greatest skill at contributing to the refinement
of the role specifications in their job and with the greatest
willingness to apply themselves in pursuit of their work
life success. Giving opportunity to those judged with most
talent.
When implemented these details carry the organization to a focused,
helpful, organized, friendly, and enjoyable working environment
with which customers pleased to interact.
Building culture where every person striving for perfect game
plans perfectly delivered.
62
Lifting expectations
People are expected to strive for their own work life success
and satisfaction.
Under OPD-HCD™ people are not asked to achieve goals. In the
sense of performance results there are no expectations.
Goals (KPIs) are the tool to link the daily actions of the person with
the strategy. The ideal actions in the role are derived from goals and
agreed by the person, the team leader of the person, the manager of
the team leader and finally signed off by the CEO.
People are asked to commit to their own work life success and
satisfaction. In agreeing the role specifications, they agree the ideal
actions represent the greatest opportunity for greatest success.
Therefore, delivery of ideal actions to standard is the agreed way a
person needs to seek success in the job.
Accepting the job is acceptance of the ideal actions inherent in
the job.
If a person is uncomfortable with acting out the ideal actions, yet
intellectually they agree that is what is needed, then they have no
other ethical choice but to resign. This is exactly equivalent to the
CEO resigning if they are uncomfortable and cannot live with the
strategy directed by the board.
If a person does not think the level of results will be achieved by the
ideal actions adopted, they should table their opinion and then
commit 100% to deliver of ideal actions as specified so that if the
result is not achieved, then it is not due their underperformance.
63
The CEO is responsible for roll out of strategy.
Apt and accurate ideal actions, via the goal cascade is the only
scientific and most effective way of rolling out strategy. Therefore,
a priority of the CEO is ensuring role specifications apt accurate
relative to strategy. The second internal priority of the CEO is
ensuring all team leaders are guiding committed delivery of the role
specifications to standard.
A person is expected to manage their own conduct at work.
The person succeeds if and only if they deliver to standard the agreed
ideal actions in the role. The person is NOT responsible for the
result, that is the responsibility of the leadership team up to and
including the CEO. If a person delivers ideal actions fully to standard
and the goal is NOT achieved, then the person is NOT responsible
for that failure.
The link between ideal actions and goals is determined by the
leadership, by the HR Function and discussed and agreed with the
person accepting the role. Identifying ideal actions relative to a goal
is a crucial intellectual task that must not left to just the team leader
and person, it is too important. In combination with the goal cascade
it is the task defining the behaviors necessary from staff to achieve
the strategy.
Deriving ideal actions from a goal is a task that must be done with
the skill that ensures the ideal actions adopted offer the greatest
chance of greatest success. Doing ideal actions does not guarantee
success, there are always factors beyond the control of the person
doing the job. Not doing ideal actions guarantees failure.
Once settled, the person accepts the ideal actions as offering them
greatest chance of greatest personal work life success, and commits
64
to manage their daily behavior at work to deliver the agreed ideal
actions to standard.
The start point of every person’s work life success is adopting in
mind a game plan for the job derived from the formal role
specification of the job.
Organization and personal learning.
Over time s team will learn which ideal actions work best. This is
‘organizational learning’ and needs to be captured, and the role
specifications amended to reflect the learning.
As people manage their behavior to match the ideal actions, they will
develop more skill, so they personally learn what they need do, their
personal style of delivery of ideal actions, to do it to get best results
for them.
Non-threatening change management.
As the market or strategy changes so the goals may change. If the
goals change the ideal actions change. These changes must be
recorded first in the role specifications, then discussed with the
people. When agreed and signed off by all concerned, then the team
leader works with the person to adopt the role specification to build
a revised game plan in the mind of the person they then use to guide
and manage their behavior at work.
The process of change management is clear, direct and non-
threatening to the person.
People striving for perfect game plans perfectly delivered.
65
Redefining leadership
People act upon the ideas they apply to ‘see’ any situation the
intensity of that action determined by their emotions associated
with those ideas.
Ideas we use to ‘look’ and ‘see’ situations are on a frame that
represents the structure of our psychology. The ideas on the frame
are our unique point of view. The emotions associated with the ideas
are the intensity with which we feel and act out the ideas.
The ideas we apply are called the game plan. The emotions
associated with the ideas are our engagement with the game plan.
The psychological equation is Game plan (focus + clarity) +
Engagement = Result. This says we can lift results by improving the
game plan, that is improving our ideas (focus) and clarity of that
focus, or by increasing our engagement (emotions associated with
our ideas), or both. (For a full discussion on our psychology see Chapter 8.)
Psychological principle 1: The clearer in mind the more
effective our action.
1. Current effort and current game plan delivers the current
result.
2. If we build a better game plan apply current effort, we get
an improved result.
3. If we build a perfect game plan and apply current effort, we
get a much improved result. (For a discussion on perfect human
performance see Chapter 10.)
66
Psychological principle 2: If we increase the effort with a better
game plan we get a much improved result.
4. If we apply improved effort to a better game plan, we get a
much improved result.
5. If we apply improved effort to a perfect game plan, we
greatly improved result.
The diagram illustrates these relationships between clarity and focus
in mind versus effort.
67
There are now two major tasks. Management, thinking our what
has to be done to have greatest chance of success, and leadership,
Strategy
Organization structure, roles defined by KPIs
Current effort Current game plan Current result
Improved
effort
Better game plan Improved result
Much improved
results
Greatly
improved
result
Satisfaction in
success.
Engaged.
Finding flow and
having fun.
Perfect
game plan
68
interacting with people guiding them do what is needed with
commitment and energy.
Management is getting it clear on paper first.
Management is a crucial step done at one’s desk, applying the goal-
action principle to every role, drafting the role specification on
paper, sharpening it, refining the business processes so the role is
tightly and smoothly integrated into the whole organization. It is
thinking out what the team needs to do to enable the greatest chance
of greatest success. (For a full discussion applying the goal-action principle in
organizations see Chapters 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 15.)
Leadership is guiding people to act out that which they agree to
on paper.
There is an important step between ‘definitely’ management and
‘definitely’ leadership, namely having people agree that the role
specification, represents the greatest chance of greatest success in
the role. I prefer to see it as the last step on management, where
people asked to apply the intellect, their experience and answer the
question: If a person acts out with commitment the ideal actions in
the role specification, would they achieve the results stated? There
is no commitment, no emotion, merely judgement. Hence
management.
Leadership task 1: Keeping the game plan top of mind.
The role specification is agreed, the person memorizes it and adapts
it to their personal skills and style. It must be located on a frame
which is how the person ‘see’ their delivery of role, then and only
then will it act as the game plan orientating the person to what they
need to do each day at work. A key leadership task to ensure the
game plan is kept top of mind.
69
Leadership task 2: Build intrinsic motivation.
Intrinsic motivation is the energy the person brings to their personal
work success. This is managed by exploring with people their
engagement and commitment to their own work life success. (For a full
discussion on motivation see Chapters 5, 8, 10, 11, 14.)
Leadership task 3: Build external motivation.
External motivation is the influence of the team leader and the team
on the energy the person applies to their work.
The first and crucial way to add positive emotional energy to the
game plan is to ensure the person is having fun while acting out the
game plan.
Having fun then supported by ensuring the person is aware of the
importance of their contribution, that they are doing a good job, and
are an important part of team success.
Every person striving for perfect game plans perfectly
delivered.
70
Redefining management
Game plan (focus + clarity) + Engagement = Result.
People act according to the ideas they apply to ‘see’ and ‘understand’
and ‘relate to’ the situation. These ideas exist on what I describe as
a ‘frame’, like a power point frame. Technically it is a mental set, as
discussed in full in the book The Origin of Consciousness, frame is
a simpler term carrying better visual image of how it works in us.
The intensity of any set of ideas is due the emotions associated with
those ideas. So the more positive energy, the more ‘motivated’ we
are, the more negative energy, the more resistant we are. There are
two further key issues.
First, every frame is linked to our spirit, specifically draws
substantial emotional connection from our spirit. I define our spirit
as the core emotional structures we developed prior to language, in
particular emotions about ourselves, and our link to the external
world. So we could be tentative, or confident, enquiring or
withdrawn.
Finally, any particular frame is linked to associated or related frame,
that is ideas that are not directly the idea in question but bear to the
overall topic. In a job for example, a person may be directly
motivated by the work, but be demotivated by view of making
profits, or views on conservation, or on the ethics of the directors of
the business, etc. No thoughts exist in isolation.
The simplest way is to understand the role specification of the job
on a frame and as the way the person ‘sees’ the job. I describe this
as the person ‘orientating’ themselves to the job via their game plan.
71
Greatest team performance requires management plus
leadership.
There are now two major tasks. Management, thinking our what has
to be done to have greatest chance of success, and leadership,
interacting with people guiding them do what is needed with
commitment and energy.
1. Management: Getting the role specification clear on paper.
2. Leadership: Guiding people adopt the role specification,
hold it on a frame in their mind and adapt it to their skills
so form their unique game plan for the job and live out that
game plan to enable the greatest work life satisfaction.
Management is first getting it clear on paper.
Management is a crucial step done at one’s desk, applying the goal-
action principle to every role, drafting the role specification on
paper, sharpening it, refining the business processes so the role is
tightly and smoothly integrated into the whole organization. It is
thinking out what the team needs to do to enable the greatest chance
of greatest success. (For a full discussion applying the goal-action principle in
organizations see Newsletters 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 14 and 15.)
Leadership is guiding people to act out that which they agree to
on paper.
There is an important step between ‘definitely’ management and
‘definitely’ leadership, namely having people agree that the role
specification represents the greatest chance of greatest success in the
role. I prefer to see it as the last step of management, where people
asked to apply the intellect, their experience and answer the
question: If a person acts out with commitment the ideal actions in
the role specification, would they achieve the results stated? There
72
is no commitment, no emotion, merely judgement. Hence
‘management’.
To get it really clear in mind it needs to be first clear on paper.
Have you ever had the experience ‘yes, I know what I am doing’
then when asked to write it down you only knew it 8 out of 10, and
improving your clarity to 9 out of 10 enabled a better result.
Reread the following key principles.
1. Current effort and current game plan delivers the current
result.
2. If we build a better game plan apply current effort, we get
an improved result.
3. If we build a perfect game plan and apply current effort, we
get a much improved result. (For a discussion on perfect human
performance see Chapter 10.)
Management is more important than leadership.
It is easier to get it clear, to think it out than it is to inspire people to
work harder. Second no matter how hard people work if they are
doing the wrong things they will fail.
By being good managers, by getting it clear and gaining agreement
it is clear, we lay the base of success and enable better performance
than would be achieved otherwise.
Motivation follow success.
Imagine guiding the team to get it much clear. Then imagine the team
acting out the clearer ideal actions resulting in greater success. How
will they feel?
73
Exactly. Even when the success is not acknowledged by senior
manager, people know in their heart, they feel better about
themselves as they look in the mirror in the morning.
Knowing it clearly enables doing it to standard. The success from
yesterday plus knowing it clearly enables going in next day and
doing it again. Work life gets more fulfilling.
Keeping leadership simple.
With strong effective management, then leadership can be as simple
as saying ‘thank you’ when things done right, and ‘oops, what are
we doing about that’ when things done not right.
74
Why has it not been done before?
Ideas were not accepted as influencing people, whereas
explaining organizations involve understanding of ideas and
how they were causal in human affairs.
OPD theory (1) defines management as identifying the goals derived
from strategy then identifying the ideal actions derived from the
goals that offer greatest chance of greatest goal success. (2)
Leadership as guiding people act out the agreed ideal actions with
zest and commitment.
It is not possible to create OPD theory without having underlying
scientific precision of (1) a clear and consistent methodology of
social science for building theory; (2) a general theory of cause: (3)
a general theory of knowledge; (4) a general theory of psychology.
Finally, it is not possible to do 2, 3 & 4 without understanding of
how they are linked and interrelated.
Why do we need science?
HR, engagement, culture, motivation, human capital, etc. and the
very nature of organization itself involve people. The science of
people is social science, and subject to the rules, principles, and
understanding that dominates all science. No other aspect of
organizations involves the depth of science in this way.
Would you present a business plan to the Directors that did not
consider costs, or competition, or returns, etc. Of course not. First
things MUST be done first. Same in science. First things must be
done first. Therefore, for example, how can we discuss motivation
without a general theory of psychology? If we do, we need declare
that in the absence of a general theory of psychology, which could
alter everything about to be said on motivation, we speculate that…
75
OPD theory needs no such qualification, since it brings all first
things to account.
The practical manager does NOT need know about this
intellectual stuff, but does need to know what is being offered
works.
Better science, better technology, better results. The practical
manager needs to know they can depend on the technology they are
using. And that technology should be the best available, which
means it is derived from the best science available.
OPD theory goes beyond the historical empirical approach that this
idea seems to work in most situations most of the time. OPD offers
clear, specific guidelines for getting the best results every time.
There is no causality in groups.
All social causality occurs via the individual mind. Read my work at
my SSRN author page if you need to understand why that is so.
(http://ssrn.com/author=2572745)
The fact social causality occurs in the mind of each person means
that what happens in a group is the vector addition of what happens
in each individual mind. Causality of group behaviour cannot be
analysed from the point of view of the group, only from the point of
view of each individual and what they intend given the group
circumstance.
Effective organization action requires coordinated effort.
An effective organization is one with smooth integration of different
business functions. We all know it is not simple to achieve, even
though from a group point of view it sounds simple.
76
When we add understanding of group causality, we see immediately
why it is difficult to achieve. It is not about the group, but how each
mind ‘sees’ what they need to do relative to the group output.
OPD theory is a system whereby every person can clearly ‘see’ and
agree their role in the greater organization, and is intrinsically
motivated to do it and is supported in doing it by the team leader
enabling the team have fun each day at work while doing it.
OPD theory cannot be applied piecemeal.
OPD theory and the technology of organization design arising from
it is a way to THINK about the link between the strategy the market
and the people who make the organization come alive.
Imagine a small group facing some circumstance Now imagine two
people see it one way and one person sees it differently. Will they
act in a coordinated manner? Well, hardly. It could be suggested
getting the coordination is what the team leader does…under all
existing approaches that is true. We know of the limits of that
approach, and the ongoing issues that arise. Among which is the
constant need of ‘realigning’ minds with the tasks, especially the one
who does not see it as the other two. Performance will always be a
wrestle. Now imagine where all three team members guided to see it
the same way, and they agree their part of the coordinated effort.
Now, it is merely a matter of keeping top of mind the agreed things
each person needs to do. Each person then ‘seeing’ it clearly. The
team leader supporting each person maintain energy and zest in the
task by enabling them have fun while doing it.
OPD-HCD™ is the only technology for enabling people
willingly align their minds in pursuit of a common goal.
77
Stop. Reflect. Chose and improve
We see with our mind not with our eyes
Think of buying a house. What would you look for? Now, think of
burgling a house. What would you look for? When the lists are
written down they are very different. This work has been done, and
discussed fully in books and papers. (Refer The Origin of Consciousness
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2814742 and Through the Glass Darkly http://ssrn.com/abstract=2811861.)
What we ‘see’ arises from the way we think.
What does this tell us? What are the consequences? How does this
help understand ourselves and why we do what we do?
WE are NOT our ideas
Let’s say someone lived in Christchurch and supported the local
rugby team, the Crusaders. Then they shifted to Hamilton, and they
changed and supported the local team, the Chiefs. Or, let’s someone
was a Church of England and changed to Methodist, or was
Christian, and changed to Islam. When they changed, did ‘they’
change? They could have adopted some different behaviours relative
to their choice. Such as going to the Hamilton rugby stadium rather
than Christchurch.
People need retain a sense of continuity of self… How? In ‘Origin’
I discuss this as the I of I, that is the ‘I’ separate and apart from the I
that acts. Which means ideas are a tool of the I of I, the way we
express our presence in the world.
We can change our ideas
It is important NOT to identify with our ideas. Especially in this fast
paced modern world.
78
We need to learn about what I call our spiritual core, that is ‘I of I’
beyond our immediate living activity. A place in mind where we can
go and from which we ‘view’ ourselves and our efforts and feelings.
A permanent place, a place that just ‘IS’…
The I that acts, the I whereby I live is where we apply our ideas. The
I of I within I, is from where I judge the ideas that most serve and
most support I.
We are part of our external world as much as a tree or photon. This
is difficult to grasp and explored fully in the paper Through the glass
darkly. It requires we separate science from actual situations. We
understand via science, which is only ever variables and the
relationship between them (refer ‘Origin’). What we access in our
mind is the value of those variables as active in us.
Part of the understanding is understanding the structure of our spirit.
Which is not something inherent in us, but something that emerges
in us from without the development of our psyche (refer ‘Origin’).
It is a spiritual structure we create for ourselves enabling us to cope
and maintain continuity of our spiritual existence in our modern
world. If there is just I, where there is no I of I, then there is the no
gap between my existence and the ideas I hold. To change ideas is
to threaten a change of I.
How do we get fixated on some ideas and not others?
We manage all circumstances via the image in our minds of those
circumstances, and we assume our image, our reality, is congruent
with the external circumstances, the Reality. Our internal spiritual
structure is an aspect of our Reality, which we understand in reality
by conceptualising it, and we experience the result daily. We can
79
change how we think about it, how we understand it, and that will
change our experience of it.
The ideas we hold are given force via the emotions associated with
them. We can become fixated by having very strong emotions
associated with some ideas so when that idea challenged we become
very agitated.
What has this got to do with leadership and management?
• The ideas we adopt will determine the opportunities we ‘see’.
Think back to buy and burgle… how are you viewing your job,
and company, and how things could be improved?
• It is not possible to develop a leader without developing the
person. It is not possible to develop the person without enabling
their spiritual peace and them finding a quiet place that does not
rant and rave, but quietly asserts the ideas appropriate to any
situation.
• With a well-developed spiritual core, we are not threatened by
change, we know we will cope and we can adopt new ideas and
new ways of thinking and not feel threatened.
• Relaxed, confident, we can brainstorm new ways of doing
things, we can separate ourselves from how it has been done
and say… okay, that looks like it will work better, I can adopt
those ideas.
• We can listen to criticism of our ideas without feeling
threatened. It is about better ideas than enable better result and
greater fulfilment in the doing of them… it is not personal.
Learn how to hold ideas as tools, it will improve enjoyment of
your life
80
Why can’t we do it ourselves?
The key to improved organization operation is to align all
minds with the actions offering greatest chance of greatest
success
People act according to how they think with the intensity of action
depending on the emotions associated with the ideas. It immediately
follows that to align effort with the strategy requires people have in
mind exactly what they need do and be motivated to do it. The
principles are clear.
First getting the role specification clear and agreed on paper.
Second, once signed off, then having people memorize what they
need do. The role specification and its clarity in mind defines focus
and accuracy of action.
Third, team leaders manage the crucial cultural base namely people
seeking success at work, and willing to invest reasonable effort to
achieve that. This ‘internal drive’ is referred to as intrinsic
motivation.
Finally, team leaders ensure people having fun every day at work
while engaged in delivery of the game plan agreed as defining their
success and contribution at work. Fun. Every day. Doing what they
need do and enjoying it. The team leader effort to develop positive
emotions with the game plan is referred to as team motivation.
Perfect game plans
There are several crucial and difficult steps.
First, setting the KPIs in every role that grasp the essential success
of the role relative to the overall business strategy. Too many, and
81
behavioral precision is lost, and the expectation on people too broad
and unfocused. Too few, reduces impact and does not adequately
define the role relative to the strategy from which the KPIs derived.
Second, deriving the ideal actions from the KPIs.
Third, deriving the ideal actions from the business processes
surrounding the role and which integrate the role into the remainder
of the organization.
These activities are difficult creative/intellectual tasks requiring
creative conceptualization skills and drawing on experience. There
is no shortcut, since the role specification is the crucial coaching tool
for guiding success in the role.
Due lack of the conceptual/creative/intellectual skills managers and
team leaders, regardless of level, are not good at these tasks.
Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
Getting motivated delivery from the team requires developing in
team leaders a sophisticated relationship with the team members.
First, when considering the game plan of the person, the team leader
needs to have the confidence of the person that they, the team leader
knows what they are doing. Hence there is projection and use of
authority.
Second, building the emotional base associated with and supporting
the person in their drive to succeed the team leader needs to
understand how to be supportive, to not be ‘authoritative’, but be
emotionally supportive.
The sophistication is to understand when to be ‘above’ the team
member, and when to be ‘below’ team member.
82
Team leaders are not strong with this sort of role/emotional shift and
still retain their ‘presence’.
Why can’t we do it ourselves?
You can. But, global HR is not structured like OPD-HCD™ which
is different and must be all inclusive. If not, then it just limps and
sinks to the level of the existing system, seen as another HR head
office push on team performance. There are a number of key items
to manage.
1. Role specification clear on paper first, requiring crucial
conceptualization skills managers will not possess.
2. Align all HR policy ensuring no policy is in conflict with
the new approach.
3. Integrate the new system into contracts.
4. Make it compulsory. If the lunch room chatter is about the
new system, and some team leader is able to say…oh, I am
not doing that… it can undermine implementation.
5. Ensure executive commitment and insightful understanding
of their role in being verbal ready and supportive.
6. Train all team leaders in the team leadership needed, and
develop the skills at shifting from ‘authority’ as team
leader to ‘supportive and motivational’.
7. Ensure clear and responsive administration of the system,
so any team leader can make changes and get responses on
role specification, team structure, cultural audits, etc.
8. Ensure team leaders celebrate all successes.
83
9. Ensure team leaders walk about their team each day, and
be heard to congratulate people delivering the ideal actions
to standard.
10. Ensure team leaders have regular, weekly to start, meeting
with team members where the team leader listens rather
than talks. Encouraging people to assume full
responsibility for their actions and how they will develop
their own performance.
11. Ensure team leader is interacting to keep ideal actions ‘top
of mind’ in all team members.
12. Ensure team leaders are supporting team members have
fun each day doing the ideal actions that drive
organizational success.
If any four of these items are not done to standard, then the
implementation will be undermined and not achieve the
improvements in results expected of it.
Given it is new, given it is more complicated than it looks, given it
is different from the existing HR best practice, companies doing it
themselves are likely to spend several years uncovering what OPD
International already knows. That is if the company manages to keep
at it and the implementation survives the initial disappointments and
setbacks.
OPD-HCD™: Aligning minds to achieve mutual success
84
Mind of the CEO
After the strategic decision the priority of the CEO is to guide
identification and delivery to standard of the behavioral
structure1 relative to strategy
In each accounting period strategic progress is measured in the goals
achieved in that period. The strategy is the direction, the
‘destination’, the goals in each accounting period the steps toward
the destination.
Achieving CEO clarity of how to rollout strategy
After the strategic decision, then the CEO can think with tight, even
ruthless clarity.
• Strategy is complex long term goal broken down each
accounting period into precise and clear goals in each job
(a job consists of one or more roles).
• Every goal demands specific actions, called ideal actions2,
to enable that goal.
• The sum of all ideal actions across the organization is
defined as the behavioral structure relative to the strategy.
1 See the section in the chapter Goal-Action, and the chapter Linking people to the
behavioural structure. For a full discussion refer the book, Mind of the CEO,
Little, Graham Richard, The Mind of the CEO (September 1, 2016). Available at
SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2833571
2 Refer chapter Goal-action.
85
Conclusion: If people act out the behavioral structure to standard
then the organization will achieve its projected strategic
progress in that accounting period.
Organizational design
There are several crucial and difficult steps.
Understanding that this clarity of insight by the CEO applies only in
the OPD system of organization design. Achieving this
understanding of the OPD theory across the organization, in the
mind of every team leader, is very much harder than it appears, since
the OPD theory of organization is different from current
organization best practice point of view. Team leaders are subject to
multiple views on leadership, management, engagement etc. … and
as a result may not fully apply the OPD technology, or apply it in a
confused manner.
Second, it is difficult conceptually to derive an effective goal
cascade, the KPIs in each role, from strategy.
Third, it is very much more difficult conceptually to derive an
effective set of ideal actions from the goals (KPIs) in any role.
Finally, from the general theory of psychology, human motivation
arises via the emotions associated with ideas. It is difficult to have
team leader understand their leadership role of (1) having every
person with an apt game plan of KPIs and ideal actions in mind for
successful delivery in their role. (2) to keep the game plan top of
mind while the person at work. (3) to ensure the person is having fun
and enjoying the tasks agreed within the role.
Role of the HR
It is the team leader who is fully accountable for the output from
their team.
86
However, because of the complexity3 of the task of establishing the
OPD system across the organization, HR is delegated by the CEO to
partner with all team leaders and provide for those team leaders the
technical expertise as needed enabling every team leader to fully and
expertly discharge their accountability to guide the team identify and
delivery to standard the team behavioral structure that offers greatest
chance of greatest success.
It does not matter the size of the organization, this HR task is
essential and must be acted upon if the organization is to succeed.
KIS…Keep it simple
Again imagine the strategy in the CEO mind, and imagine it a color.
Now, imagine every person with an agreed game plan in mind
derived from the agreed KPIs (goals), that define the contribution of
the role to strategic success, and with the agreed ideal actions that
when acted out offer greatest chance of greatest KPI success. This
mental structure in each person encouraged and supported by the
team leader, who also ensures the person is having fun delivering the
ideal actions to standard.
This mental structure in each person, clearly specifying their
understanding and contribution to strategy, is precisely the structure
that has the mind of the person in sync with the CEO. The color of
the strategy in the person mind is a perfect match to the color in the
mind of the CEO.
3 See the chapter All proactive HR policy is changed.
87
Strategy is NOT what is on paper, but what is in mind of those
who need deliver it
The organization a coordinated whole, acting with precision and
unison in achieving the strategic plan and goals derived from that
plan. And this precision includes creativity, and flexibility and other
such ‘nonlinear’ actions by people4.
The clearer and more apt the game plans in the mind of all the staff,
the more the people are having fun and enjoying personal success,
the more successful the organization.
The aim of the CEO: Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
Every team leader is a CEO in their team. The exact same process
applies.
4 Refer the chapter Built in flexibility.
88
HR as the ‘right hand’ of the CEO
OPD-HCD™ enables HR partnering with team leaders as the
proactive driver of team success
A strategy is a complex goal. Progress against any strategy in an
accounting period is measured in the goals and goal achievement in
that period (refer #2, How to double profits, and refer #3, goal -
action).
HR as technical partner of every team leader for identifying the
apt behavioral structure and guiding its delivery
Underlying every strategy is a behavioral structure that must be acted
out if the strategy is to be achieved (refer #7, Behavioral structure of
the organization, #4, Linking staff action to strategy, #9, Linking
people to the behavioral structure).
Identifying the behavioral structure and guiding its delivery is the
role of team leaders, But, this is conceptually difficult and demands
specific team leader relationship skills. It is the task of HR to partner
with team leaders and ensure they have the skills and are given the
support they need to ensure the team has greatest chance of greatest
success (refer #5, Human performance driving results, #6, HR as
rollout of strategy, #10, Perfect human performance).
Essential to build balance at in every team between working
‘in’ business and working ‘on’ the business
In developing clear direction in every job, the HR partner must
ensure it does not become rigid, that here is flexibility, room for
creativity and innovation. That while team members need clear and
definite guidelines for action in their jobs, those guidelines must not
89
destroy the opportunity to learn and adapt and create (refer #12, Built
in flexibility).
Delegation by CEO to HR to support and guide every team
leader on identifying apt behavioral structure in their team and
guiding delivery
The CEO needs to be focused and clear. If the organization mapped
effectively onto the market the Executive ‘see’ and ‘understand’.
And if the behavioral structure is aptly identified, and guided by
team leaders to be delivered to standard in every team, then the
organization has greatest chance of greatest success of rolling out the
strategy to the extent specified in the agreed goals for the period
(refer #23, Mind of the CEO).
The CEO delegates to HR responsibility for aptness of the
selected behavioral structure and for its delivery
The team leader is accountable for the team performance. But, this
responsibility is shared partly by HR. the quality of the role
specifications, the integration of business processes, moments of
truth, identification of ideal actions from KPIs, drafting with clarity
and aptness, all depend on the effectiveness of the partnership HR
forges with team leaders. This goes to the very core of strategic
success, thus is the central focus of the CEO (refer #11, Performance
management moving actual toward perfect performance).
HR must ensure common thinking on organizational design
across the organization
Coordinated effective effort across divisions to achieve a common
goal (the strategy) depends on agreed coordinated thinking. Unless
minds in sync, the results will not be in sync or at least less than they
could be if minds were in sync.
90
With OPD-HCD™ organizational design, everything changes.
Unless the minds are orientated, and the thinking coordinated, then
philosophies will be in conflict… think of like social ideology, free
market is not compatible with socialism. It is the role of HR to ensure
coherence in mind of at least all team leaders of the chosen
organizational design (refer, #16, All HR policy changes, #14,
Redefining engagement, #15, Culture, #17, Lifting expectations,
#18, Redefining leadership, #19, Redefining management).
OPD-HCD™ redefines divides HR function into two
OPD-HCD™ is the technology for implementing the OPD theory of
organization design throughout the organization. HR is split into two
key functions.
1. Compliance and administration. Essentially what HR
typically does now, (1) ensure all aspects of the
organization’s dealing with people complies with statute,
including disciplining, recruitment, accidents management,
etc. (2) administer all aspects of people within the
organization usually via a human resource information
system (HRIS).
2. Strategic human resource management. Delegated by the
CEO, placing responsibility on HR and team leaders to
forge an effective partnership to identify and achieve
delivery of behavioral structure derived from strategy
whereby the organization has greatest chance of greatest
strategic success. Managed via the OPD strategic human
capital development system (OPDHCDIS).
A business needs both HRIS and OPDHCDIS.
91
HR as defined under OPD-HCD™ is a crucial function in any
sized business
Once an organization has more than one staff member, the analysis
applies. And the business will benefit by getting clearer in the staff
member’s mind what exactly need to do to ensure greatest chance of
greatest success. With the team leader role to retain focus and clarity
of the agreed direction top of mind, and build the positive emotions
to support the person in having fun while doing that which they need
do.
OPD-HCD™: Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
92
Building a ‘verbal ready’ executive
Performance: Having agreed ideal actions top of mind
associated with positive emotions to give the actions momentum
and zest
Imagine a team where the team leader has worked with team
members and built sharp agreed behavioral structure relative to team
KPIs. The team KPIs are themselves sharp and carefully derived
from the strategy. The team leader ensures the team members are
enjoying the effort, and each day interacts with the team to build
strong positive sense of fun and success though team work.
Head Office is located in another city. The senior Operations
Executive from head office visits the team. At the team meeting, a
team member asks the Executive about the team KPI and the overall
strategy. The senior Executive is unclear on the ‘direction sequence’
strategy→ KPI → behavioral structure, and unclear on motivation
driven by associated positive emotions so having fun, being
successful and being offered respect are essential. To cover their lack
of knowledge and understanding the senior Executive is vague,
authoritative bordering overbearing, disinterested bordering
dismissive, with negative emotional tone. They made their comment
and left the meeting. The whole team were involved in the exchange.
What do you think will happen in that team?
Senior leadership is about maintaining the culture of
performance
First, direction, strategy→ KPI → behavioral structure, defined as
agreed ideal actions derived from KPIs plus ideal actions
implementing the business processes integrating the role into the
93
overall team effort and then the team into the wider organizational
effort.
Every person should be clear on the direction in their role. Precisely,
the agreed ideal actions that define success for the organization and
for them personally in the role. This should be already agreed, or in
the process of being agreed on any and all visits. Senior Executive
must understand the process.
The behavioral structure of the team, and of each role in the team,
should have been signed off by the team leader, the manager of the
team leader, the divisional manager, and ultimately the CEO assured
the role specifications are in place, apt and effective, so team leaders
only need now to see them implemented and have people ‘turning
up’ each day to deliver them.
Second, team motivation. Clear direction is the essential base, the
direction. It is the associated positive emotions in the person
assigned to deliver the agreed ideal actions that give momentum to
the effort. Like a top sports team, it is very apparent to a spectator if
they have ‘turned up’ or not. The task of the team leader is to have
their team ‘turn up’ every day.
Third, when in doubt, a senior Executive should trust their team
leader. If there is a HR Department, then trust they have done their
work to standard and the team leader has the skills to establish the
direction in the minds of team members, keep it daily top of mind,
and ensure team members are emotionally positive turning up each
day to deliver the perfect game.
Senior leadership is being prepared
There is no excuse for not being prepared.
• Is the team performing to agreed standard?
94
• How is the team leader rated?
• Does the manager of the team leader have any comment?
• Does HR Department have any comment?
• What is the point of the visit?
• How can I leave this team in more heart and more
committed than when I found it? But do so with integrity
and without obvious flattery…
Encouraging creativity and tapping team member skills and
insight
OPD-HCD™: Perfect game plans perfectly delivered.
Working ‘in’ the business is ‘turning up’ and delivering the perfect
game.
Working ‘on’ the business is the team reviewing the role
specifications, refining the perfect game plans in the team.
Often the person who knows most about how to get something done
efficiently and effectively is the person doing it. The mature, quiet
senior operator with the wise eyes, been doing the job for 33 years.
Seen it all. Very likely, they will know… but depending on the team
environment, they may or may not open up and speak of their insight.
All teams can work ‘on’ the business by working on refining their
role specifications. But, it is often difficult to get a team to talk,
especially in the beginning. Then there is the issue of some team
members talk too much, and are not insightful enough or they want
to replace head office and rewrite all policy. The team needs to be
focused on what it can control and alter, namely its own role
specifications. But even then, it needs get agreement by the manager
95
of the team leader and perhaps by the divisional manager. The sign
off of the behavioral structure is very important.
It requires quiet sincerity to draw out the long serving wise operator.
This is where the senior Executive can always assist the team leader.
Developing the performance culture is more than just getting it
done, it is also tapping the creativity and innovation of the team
to stay ahead of the market and competitors
96
Understanding human motivation
OPD theory is grounded on the only scientific general theory of
psychology
Motivation is the driver of action. Therefore, motivation cannot be
understood or even rationally discussed without understanding our
psyche, what it is, the causal factors in it, and its structure. To argue
otherwise is the same as stating one can make a motor-vehicle go
faster without being able to drive and with no knowledge of how the
vehicle works.
There is only one transparently constructed general theory of
psychology discussed in the book The Origin of Consciousness
(Little, Graham Richard, The Origin of Consciousness (July 26, 2016).
The Origin of Consciousness, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Social Science, New
Zealand, Sixth edition, March 2016. Available free in PDF at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2814742)
The theory states (please read ‘Origin’ for full definition of terms):
1. The fundamental of human nature is the capacity to create
ideas and apply them to manage and relate to the
environment in which the person finds themselves.
2. The human mind consists of thought (ideas), emotion,
attitude, attention, linked to the body via the brain
structures (neural flow patterns) in reacting part in the
brain.
3. People act according to the ideas they have in mind.
4. The intensity with which ideas held is directly proportional
to the emotions associated with those ideas.
97
5. The human spirit is the emotional sense of self arising
from first formation of the brain in the womb, to
development of language and the capacity for
conceptualization in the infant.
6. The human psyche consists of specific structures of mind
relative to a specific aspect of the environment, or to
specific issues or ideas. A specific structure is defined as a
‘mental set’.
7. Our spirit is linked all mental sets and thus our spirit
influences the emotions in all mental set and forms the
‘emotional tone’ to our personality. A person who ‘senses’
the glass half full or half empty for example.
Understanding ‘psychological overflow’
Due linkages of mental sets a minor triggering event my draw on
emotions in a major but linked mental set resulting in a response by
the person out of proportion to what would rationally be expected.
That is some circumstance may draw a response based on emotions
not immediately involved in the circumstance. During the response
the person may not be aware of the origination of the response, only
aware of how they feel and what they feel they need do.
For example, a team leader may speak to correct a team member, the
coaching is quite minor. The person is withdrawn and unresponsive.
In their mind they linked to the recent spate of newspaper articles on
how companies rip off people, and are making extraordinary and
unreasonable profits.
Building emotion at work
The OPD-HCD™ technology for team development stresses clear
direction, then enabling each person build that direction in mind in
98
the form of a game plan. The game plan is triggered when the person
comes to work and thus forms the core of the mental set structure of
‘me at work’ (see newsletters 2-12, & 14-19, in summary section of the
LinkedIn profile www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrlittle).
Every person will have their internal emotions associated with the
mental set structure of ‘me at work’. Thus each person will have their
‘internal drive’… this will be heavily influenced by their spirit, their
self-esteem (the elaboration of our spirit which develops via
language and conceptualization after the initial emotional core is
formed), and their ideas on goals for themselves, life purpose and
other ideas in their world view that bear to their involvement at work.
The Team leader then seeks to build additional emotion associated
with the game plan. Developing fear works, but fear is not
recommended as a long term team culture.
The key positive emotion is fun, so the team leader aims for all team
members to deliver their agreed game plan, and have fun while doing
so. The external emotions developed by the team leader is supported
by the team making the experience at work being enjoyable.
A further important process is the team leader understanding the
spirit, so ensuring the person gets feedback that they are doing well,
or correct them as needed, so that when the person looks in the mirror
every morning, they like and respect the person looking back at them
Engagement as finding corporate balance
It is important to understand that the issue of ‘self at work’ will exist
in many interlinked mental sets. Thus the internal drive of a person
at work will be influenced by many issues, many of which may not
directly involve the exact work circumstance. For example, if person
was concerned about environmental pollution and felt the company
99
was contributing to future pollution problems. This could easily
dampen the drive of the person in a work team.
The definition of engagement (#14 & #15) is the person able to
visualise the game plan, ‘see’ themselves acting it out, with no
negative emotions or no triggering thoughts that erode the internal
drive of the person to strive for the perfect game. If there are
ideas/emotions that erode the drive, then this needs to be used by the
corporate leadership to review policy and corporate ethics to enable
all people to feel at peace as employees.
OPD-HCD™: Enabling perfect game plans perfectly delivered
100
Building an implementing an
integrated motivation policy
The foundation of all motivation is for the person to choose
personal life success
Each person is the only person with access to their mind.
We act based on the ideas we choose to adopt and apply. The
intensity of our effort driven by the emotions we attach to those
ideas. People do it for themselves … to build their self-esteem and
self-respect. To do the things they agreed they need do to be
successful in the job, not for the boss, not for the company, but for
themselves, so every morning as they look in the mirror they like and
respect the person looking back at them.
Good team work is just part of the conduct in organizations that
enables personal success. The team and team leader can assist by
offering ideas that most enable personal success and offer daily fun
and enjoyment that give energy to the actions we agree we need
apply at work. But, each spirit, each mind, each person is ultimately
an island, where the person alone chooses that which they will do
and the effort they will invest in doing it.
The foundation of our life choice is whether we will choose our life
experience or allow others to shape and direct it. Each morning,
looking in the mirror, see the person ‘who did their best to make the
most of the circumstance’. Sense of satisfaction with self in a job
well done. If ever it leaves one with a sense of dissatisfaction and a
sense of powerless, mild despair, then seek another job.
101
Factors that satisfy and factors that dissatisfy
Frederick Hertzberg (1923-2000) developed the two factor theory of
motivation in the latter half of the 20th century. In physics, the
science is not a function of popular opinion, unfortunately social
science and management writing in particular, is. Unfortunately,
without the in-depth intellectual foundation, there is a serious
tendency to lose sight of the science of people, to the extent I
personally have been publically rebuked at a conference by a very
senior HR person that a science of people is not possible.
If we understand something better do we have the opportunity to
manage it better? Of course we do… But there are serious, extensive
and very complex intellectual issues implicated in building a general
theory of psychology…but once those dealt with, then of course
better understanding enables better results (Refer The Origin of
Consciousness, and other works at SSRN author page
http://ssrn.com/author=2572745, also the posts and materials in the
summary at the LinkedIn profile
www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrlittle).
As a profession management and HR in particular needs review its
attitude to science and to the crucial intellectual underpinnings
essential for the development of a consistent and reliable technology
of organizational design and human capital development. Without
the foundation as in say modern physics, then all of HR is nothing
more than a loose collection of ‘best practices’ without foundation
or authority.
Scientific explanation of the Hertzberg
Within OPD theory, we know that different ideas have different
emotions associated with them. OPD theory is derived from a
general theory of psychology which is a relationship between the
102
variables such as to provide causal understanding of the outputs of
the system under study, a person in their environment.
The foundation of Hertzberg is the separation of satisfaction and
dissatisfaction showing in his research the factors that result in each
are quite different factors. Thus the result proved by Hertzberg and
his team is of no surprise. His work confirms the basis of OPD
theory, and is merely the detail of exactly what ideas are linked with
exactly which emotions. Further, it is general to people, not merely
the quirk of some group or culture.
Hygiene factors and motivators
Hygiene factors do NOT motivate, and provide no long term
satisfaction. The emotions associated with these ideas are present
only in the negative, and only if the factor is not delivered/provided
to some degree thought ‘proper’ by the people. I have personal
experience of a rapidly growing company where people ended up 25
cramped into a space for 10. But when much more space made
available, motivation fell. The motivators of involvement,
interaction, team fun, were eroded by more space, and people did not
feel so close. Four people left, and it took several months for the
team to adjust. The motivators are those factors that intrinsically lift
the energy associated with the effort of doing it, resulting in a highly
motivated and high performing team.
For full list of factors see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Two-
factor_theory.
The explanation of impact of the Herzberg two factors
The human spirit is the very core of our existence (refer #26,
Understanding human motivation, or ‘Origin’). Read the list of
motivators, they are all issues that touch our spiritual existence. Read
103
the list of hygiene factors, they are all issues detached from our
spiritual existence, and relate to the environmental circumstance.
Motivators lift our spirit… hygiene factors provide for our creature
comforts.
Does religious devotion depend on the quality of the church? The
parallel is exact.
An integrated motivation policy
Hygiene factors: Provision of adequate creature comforts.
Motivators: Apply OPD-HCD™ to fully engage team and team
leader, Executive, CEO and Governance to make for a fun filled,
exciting work experience that daily lifts and rewards the spiritual
core of everyone involved. Then do it!
104
Human capital
Better thinking, better technology, better results
Slavery is abolished. Therefore, no company may own people. This
leads to difficulties with the idea of human capital. We know people
make a huge difference. How, exactly?
This leads to the question what exact aspect of human resources is
fully owned by the organization, and therefore costs associated with
that can be quantified and added to the balance sheet of the
organization as human capital.
Improved understanding enables improved management which
enables improved results. The revision of social science
methodology leads to the general theory of psychology, which leads
to better understanding of organizations and so to better results. All
previous discussions are based on this idea. [Refer earlier newsletters, and
the paper Little, Graham Richard, Organization Design: Linking Mind to Its Agreed
Organization Role as a Foundation of Economics (July 31, 2016). Available at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2816604]
There is nothing more useful than the correct theory
Science represents better thinking. People in organizations and
organization themselves arise from human activity. Therefore, better
science of human activity will shed light on people in organizations
and on the nature of organizations themselves. The science of human
activity is social science. Globally, social science is weak, with no
formal methodological structure such as available in physical
science. These arguments lead to the need to redesign the
methodological foundation of social science, then apply that to build
the solution to the general question … (1) What are the causes of
why someone does what they do? Then apply that to build solutions
105
to two questions: (2) How are organizations created? (3) What
exactly is the link between people and the organization?
The result is the general theory of psychology [Little, Graham Richard, The
Origin of Consciousness (July 26, 2016). Institute of Theoretical and Applied Social
Science, New Zealand, Sixth edition, March 2016. Available at SSRN:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2814742] which leads to the OPD theory of
organizations [refer ‘Organizational design’] which leads to the technology
of building and operating organization OPD-HCD™.
OPD-HCD™: The science of organizations
Applying OPD-HCD™ results in better results than from applying
any other system. Why? Because it is built on better science, deeper
understanding, greater insight.
Full details on the background thinking is in the books (all free of charge in PDF) and papers
at my SSRN author page www.ssrn.com/author=2572745, and at my LinkedIn profile,
summary section and posts, www.linkedin.com/in/grahamrlittle.
This background is summarized below leading to the definition of
human capital within OPD theory. Full discussion of human capital
within OPD theory is in the book, Human Capital, [http://www.slideshare.net/Graylit/human-capital-wheelers-
pdf?ref=https://www.linkedin.com]
Getting it clear on paper enables it clearer in mind
1. Strategy: A complex goal giving direction to the organization.
2. Business plan: Strategy is broken down in any accounting
period into the KPIs in each role of the organization. If all KPIs
achieved, then the strategy is achieved to that extent with the
period.
3. Goal-action: The principle that for every goal there are actions
(called ideal actions) that must be carried out for the goal to be
achieved.
106
4. Role specifications: Summary of the KPIs and ideal actions
needed to deliver the KPIs, also summary of the ideal actions
required to deliver the business processes that integrate the role
into the rest of the organization.
5. Behavioural structure: The set of ideal actions across the
organization that must be acted out if the organization is to
achieve its strategy for that accounting period.
The CEO knows that if the behavioural structure acted out to
standard the KPIs will be achieved and the organization will be
successful within that accounting period.
The behavioral structure is specified in the role specifications across
the organization. The full set of organizations wide role
specifications is called the standing human capital. Management is
defined as striving for perfectly defined role specifications, hence is
the task of building perfect description of the action needed to deliver
strategy.
Linking people to the organization
People act according to the ideas they hold in mind, the intensity of
action determined by the emotions associated with the ideas. Via the
attention mechanism people can choose to release the actions or not,
therefore all mood and conduct is a choice.
The ideas applied in any circumstance is referred to as their game
plan in that circumstance.
People are linked to the organization by them choosing to build the
game plan of them at work from the role specification. Their game
plan is then imbued with their desire to be successful and enjoy their
work life supported by the team leader who keeps the game plan top
of mind and ensures the people having fun at work while doing the
107
things they need do to be successful in their work life by delivery of
agreed ideal actions to standard.
Game plans in mind is defined as dynamic human capital.
Leadership is enhancing the dynamic human capital of the team.
Summary of human capital
1. Standing human capital: Owned by the organization. Define
the behavioral structure of the organization relative to the
strategy. Is that behavioral best practice the organization strives
to have acted out by the people. Standing human capital can be
capitalized and as asset in the balance sheet. The more apt and
accurate the standing human capital and more likely the
leadership is able to guide delivery of it. Hence the capital
invested and the quality of the standing human capital a
measure of profit potential of the organization.
2. Dynamic human capital: Resides in the mind of the people. It
is the understanding, commitment and skill of the people in
doing their job. Dynamic human capital is not owned by the
organization, and cannot be capitalized. It is strictly an
economic factor rented from society.
OPD-HCD™: Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
108
Finding and developing talent
A talented person is one who achieves good results repeatedly
and consistently across all the performance factors
They may not get the best financial result, or have the most satisfied
team, or have the best record of smooth integration with the rest of
the organization, or have the best record of customer service, or be
the most astute organizational politician. But, if we measure each of
these factors on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 high, then average the scores
to give a single score, they will have the best balance. The talented
person may not be number 1 at anything, but they will be the best
overall. And they will be consistent.
Measuring talent
It is important to understand balance. Of not being swayed by the
person to gets top financials, or top staff satisfaction, or who is the
most astute at building the internal relationships. All the factors are
important, maybe not in this accounting period, but will be in the one
after or the one after. It is balance that delivers solid financials NOW,
in this accounting period, and ensures they are secure in the next
period, and the next, and…Strategic success is not made in one
accounting period but in period after period, after…
Strategic success = Disciplined balance + consistency of direction.
Ensure all people measured objectively against the factors judged as
balance in your organization. For example, the list above of
financials, team satisfaction, customer service, smooth delivery of
business processes, ‘internal’ customer service, and organizational
astuteness.
109
The modern organization needs leadership in depth
The direction is set at the top of the organization, the results achieved
at the bottom. With a bustling, sometimes turbulent environment, it
is not enough to have a brilliant CEO with a few talented senior
Executives. The reach of the few is insufficient and too irregular to
manage in our modern world. The critical leadership is that guiding
the teams who do the work. Leadership in depth, and for leadership,
read talent, achieving disciplined balance + consistency of direction
at the very lowest levels of team leadership.
Today, the organization needs a system to guide the team leader,
enabling the ‘ordinary’ team leader to achieve extraordinary results
and do so with balance.
OPD-HCD™ the technology of balanced team leadership
OPD theory derived from the only causal general theory of
psychology itself derived from a methodological review of social
science, leads to the technology of balanced team leadership in OPD-
HCD™. [To review OPD-HCD™, OPD human capital development, refer
www.opdcoach.com, or the LinkedIn profile www.linkedIn.com/in/grahamrlittle, or the
Social Science Research Network author page www.ssrn.com/author=2572745.]
The OPD-HCD™ technology identifies what each person in the
team needs do to achieve their KPIs, deliver business processes,
integrate with rest of organization, build fun at work leading to high
level of fulfilment and team satisfaction, and provides clear
monitoring to ensure consistent team balance.
Better science better technology better results.
Definition of talent
A talented person is one who understands and accepts the application
of a technological tool to enable team performance balance, and
110
applies to achieve high levels of consistent balanced team results.
Currently the only tool available with the scientific pedigree to
deliver the consistent balance is OPD-HCD™.
Broadening the reach of talent
Proven success in guiding a team identifies talent. If a person cannot
guide a team to consistently achieve balanced results it is doubtful
they will succeed in the organization.
Development of flexibility of thinking, insight and experience across
the organization is achieved when the person is made team leader in
another division, but at the same organizational level.
The person has the same organizational demand, namely guide
balanced performance in the team in the new division, which
requires them to deepen their insight into what the organization does
and the issues it faces from the perspective of the new division.
Developing vision
The senior levels of any organization demand greater intellect than
typically acknowledged. It is essential, for example, the CEO and
key senior people ‘see’ the economy, where the organization ‘fits’,
the steps to be taken this accounting period to achieve the strategy,
how those steps are then broken down via the team leader technology
into precise actions (called ideal actions) in every role in the
organization.
The top people ‘see’ exactly how all that is to occur, and they know
that if they then accurately identify the ideal actions and if those ideal
actions delivered to standard the strategy will be achieved. This is
intellectual very demanding, but essential. Development of this in
mind is the development of vision.
111
Having identified talent, broadened it so they understand and have a
proven track record across the organization, what steps need taken
to develop their intellect and to ensure they have the confidence in
their vision?
To a significant degree a person has it or they do not! It will already
be evident in their grasp of team guidance and how they went about
it, balancing short term easily with long term, for example, or the
selection of priorities so their emerged integrated strengths in team
effort and success.
Beware imagining vision can be taught. Just as some are more adept
at tennis, and while all can be taught tennis, there is always the issue
of the standard finally achieved. We are NOT all equal in talent.
To explore vision: Offer project work; have multiple people with
vision interview the person; ask them their opinion in complex
decision; involve them without promoting them; send them on
courses and then review carefully on their return.
Caution
Just to confound all offered previously, so a person does not have
strong vision, but they are adept at drawing our comments,
developing creativity in others, and guiding group judgement and
final decision of what to do, when.
Such people are talented, likely natural leaders, and while not the
highest intellect themselves, they grasp the issues and know the right
strategy/vision when they hear it.
112
Choosing better ideas
Better science enables better technology enabling better results
The greater we understand something the greater our opportunity to
manage it more effectively and improve our results. By better
science I mean deepened understanding of that which we need
manage, including its links to the environment and it influence on
other factors we may need also manage. By better technology I mean
applying the ideas arising from our improved understanding. It may
be a separate technology, or it may merely be applying the improved
ideas.
Around 1982, in correspondence with the celebrated philosopher
Karl Popper he said ‘science must lead to ideas that prove useful in
practice’. Since, in my books and papers, I show how we act
according to the ideas we hold, and intensity with which they held
due the associated emotions (refer the Social Science Research
Network author page http://ssrn.com/author=2572745). Further, I
show this the very structure of our psychology. Everyone acts on
their personal theory, the ideas on the frame in mind (see #8,
Understanding human psychology). What is on the frame is us, our
personality/world view, with associated emotions. They are ideas.
Change the ideas and what we ‘see’ changes.
It follows that a scientific theory is exactly the same psychological
status as any personal theory. Both are ideas through which we ‘see’
the events to which the ideas apply. The difference being that
‘science’ ideas are developed and accepted according to certain
social rules, such as aptness of explanation, evidence,
reproducibility, causal explanation, etc. whereas our personal views
113
may be no more valid other than they are the views of our peers.
Popularity is no measure of reliability or aptness of ideas.
In fact, it is repeatedly shown how science has initially proved
VERY UNPOPULAR. The reason is science is ideas validated by
independent means, subject to evidence with all other opinion
removed. We could begin with Galielo. Few people today would
dispute the solar system etc. but in mid-17th century, his work was
described by the Church as a "foolish and absurd in philosophy, and
formally heretical since it explicitly contradicts in many places the
sense of Holy Scripture." Galielo was condemned as a heretic and
jailed, but he was right. In more recent years, there are those who
still dispute humanity emerged on this planet. And, when Einstein
proposed the photoelectric effect he was ridiculed. It frequently does
not pay to propose ideas different from the mob, and if one does,
then one need be prepared for the backlash of taunting, derision, and
scorn which historically has very often accompanied new thinking.
Where the shift in thinking is comprehensive, and after Thomas
Kuhn, it is called a paradigm shift (refer google, Kuhn, The Structure
of Scientific Revolutions). The heliocentric view of the solar system,
and the photoelectric effect are both paradigm shifts. The first,
obviously so, the second, due it proposed a photon was a particle,
and not merely a wave, that it was both.
Adopting new ideas is vastly harder than it looks
The only point is that despite the abundance of words in organization
literature, like innovation, creativity, vision, change management, it
is very, very much harder than it looks to undertake even modest
changes in thinking, to get a group to adopt new ideas. It is very
much easier if the group understand and accept they have ideas, and
those ideas are NOT THEM (refer the section in #8, We are a spirit
114
within mind within a brain). Separating ‘self’ from ‘the ideas I have’
was driven home in a client, where a young man reflecting on ideas,
stated he did not think he could change his ideas they were him.
The better science of ‘Origin’
If we leave people just at the level of changing ideas, then self-
esteem issues will arise. Only in The Origin of Conscious (refer
SSRN author page, book free in pdf), is the spirit of the person
clearly separate from ideas which are offered as tools to manage our
environment. Then, and only then do people relax and we can
explore with them how to change ideas, and how to manage the
emotions involved, and that there is no threat to their spiritual
integrity.
OPD-HCD™ the technology derived from ‘Origin’
‘Origin’ theory validates Hertzberg work on motivation. So why
need OPD-HCD™? Hertzberg offers insight that different actions by
leaders within an organization give rise to different emotions within
people. But, Hertzberg offers no in depth explanation as to why. Nor,
does Hertzberg offer the link between people and strategy (refer 9,
Linking people to behavioural structure). Nor, does Hertzberg offer
integrated understanding of organizational design, specifying clearly
the roles relative to strategy, of governance, CEO, Executive, HR
Department, team leaders and team member.
Reflect. Choose better ideas that enable better orientation and
management of circumstance. Base the ideas if possible on
objective science
It is powerful that OPD-HCD™ integrates a strong existing line of
thinking in organization leadership and management. OPD-HCD™
adds strength to Hertzberg thinking integrating as a detail it much
115
broader and deeper scientific understanding of psychology and one
of the most significant outputs of human psychology, namely
organizations, groups and large groups as social structures. OPD
theory is the organization theory derived from ‘Origin’ (refer The
Exciting Promise of Human Resource Management
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2819810 and Organization Design: Linking
Mind to Its Agreed Organization Role as a Foundation of Economics
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2816604).
OPD theory is the only scientific theory of organization design
and OPD-HCD™ the only scientifically based technology of
team leadership: Perfect game plans perfectly delivered
116
Last word
Better understanding enables better management leading to
improved results.
Understanding designing the organization and linking it to people
depends on social science.
To get it clear in mind first get it clear on paper.
People act according to the ideas in mind with the intensity due the
emotions associated with the ideas.
For every goal there are actions (called ideal actions) that must be
acted out to standard if the goal is to be achieved.
Ideal actions are of the quality doing them does not guarantee
success not doing them guarantees failure.
Ideal actions delivered to standard offer the greatest chance of
greatest goal success.
Strategy is a complex goal.
In any accounting period strategy is cascaded through the
organization via the KPIs agreed in each role. For every KPI there
are ideal actions that must be acted out if the KPI is to be achieved.
The set of ideal actions underlying any set of goals (KPIs) is called
the behavioral structure relative to the set of goals.
Delivery of the behavioral structure offers the greatest chance of
greatest goal success.
It is crucial the CEO ‘sees’ it and committed to it.
117
HR is delegated the task from the CEO of partnering with every team
leader to identify and guide delivery of the behavioral structure in
the team. This is the crucial proactive strategic role of HR.
The ideal actions in any role are derived from the KPIs agreed in the
role plus, the actions needed to deliver the business process
integrating the role into the rest of the organization.
Key roles as below.
CEO: Clarity that if the behavioural structure relative to strategy is
identified and delivered to standard, the strategy has greatest
chance of greatest success.
Executive team: Support and encourage the culture of perfect game
plans perfectly delivered.
HCD Committee: Accept delegation from CEO for supporting and
partnering with team leaders to identify and deliver the
behavioural structure that enables greatest chance of greatest
success.
HCD Manager: Support team leaders in identifying and delivering
the behavioural structure.
Team leader: Guide development of game plans for each person and
support delivery of those game plans to the highest level.
Ensure team members have game plans top of mind, and that
they are enjoying their day at work, having fun and feeling
appreciated and a useful part of the team.
Team member: Seek work life success and fulfilment. Support
development of game plans, accept support and
encouragement from team leader, work with team leader on
development to role specifications, conducting oneself such
118
that each morning when looking in the mirror, they like the
person looking back at them.
Community: No direct role. But succeeds when its economy
succeeds. The organization aiming to serve the community by
its success and hence each person serving the community by
delivering the agreed game plan to standard.
If every person in every organization in the national economy
identifies and delivers their ideal actions to standard, then the
national economy must benefit and that must feedback into
community wealth and health.
The ideas people apply in managing any circumstance is referred to
as their game plan.
The intensity with which any game plan enacted is due the emotions
associated with the game plan.
The person chooses to be successful in their work life.
The team leader assists team members to build game plans base on
the agreed behavioral structure in their role.
The team member agrees the behavioral structure in their assigned
roles.
The team leader then supports the team member to keep agreed work
game plans top of mind.
The team leader then also ensures the team member is enjoying their
day at work, having fun, and feeling fulfilled and successful in
delivery of the agreed ideal actions that offer greatest chance of
greatest success.
Perfect game plans perfectly delivered.