I have written this work not to teach people what they do not know, but to remind them of what they already know and is very evident to them. You will find in most of my words only things which most people know and concerning which they have no doubts. But to the extent that they are well known and their truths revealed to all, so is forgetfulness in relation to them extremely prevalent.

M.C. Luzzatto

What do I do on Monday morning? has been designed as a daily reference guide for improving the organizational performance of your business using the proven Sacher Associates systems. Published in Australia and globally it is now in its third print edition. Starting with January the 1st, What do I do on Monday morning? lays out a template for performance improvement in sequenced and practical daily actions and advice. It covers the 10 essential components and systems necessary to optimize people's performance and contribution.

Each month we cover a different component and in September we cover the component of systems and process which is part of the Technical system.

This week I am covering what to do on Monday morning the 5th of September to Sunday the 11th of September.

5th September

The systems approach

A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that works. 4 John Gall

The systems approach may be defined in terms of five principles:

• It is goal-oriented.
• It is total-system oriented.
• It is people-oriented.
• It is responsibility oriented.
• It meets the desiderata of scientific inquiry.

Dr. M. Kabat and M. Fielding

6th September

A characteristic of all systems

A characteristic of all systems is the interrelationship of parts within the system. Teams are made up of parts or sub-systems within larger systems; changes to one sub-system affect every other system. Just as the human heart is a sub-system within the body’s physiological system, the finance plan is a sub-system of the overall business plan. 5

7th September

The ten people systems essential to optimizing performance capability and contribution:

1. The Strategic Business Planning System
2. The Performance Measurement System
3. The Performance Management system
4. The Performance Feedback System
5. The Performance-linked Communication System
6. The Performance Appraisal System
7. The Technical System
8. The Strategic Human Resource Development System (Performance-linked Learning)
9. The Financial System
10. The Reward System

8th September

If each part of a system, considered separately, is made to operate as efficiently as possible, the system as a whole will not operate as effectively as possible. 6 Russell Ackoff

9th September

Synergy

What is synergy? Simply defined, it means that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It means that the relationship which the parts have to each other is a part in and of itself. It is not only a part, but the most catalytic, the most empowering, the most unifying, and the most exciting part. 7 Stephen R. Covey

10th September

Focus on the majority

Organizations with consistent track records of success have systems that support consistent performances by the large majority of their workforce. These organizations do not rely on the ability of the outstanding minority, but rather build excellence by implementing systems that focus on the competent, but the not outstanding, majority. 8

11th September

Our weakest link at the moment is that we’ve been improving the processes we’ve got but have we got the right process? The actual process is what happens when a customer rings up to get an order. It goes to Joe Blow in Melbourne, it comes up to the plant and goes around all these steps. Is there a way that we can cut out five of those steps and just go direct? How do we make that happen? 9 Ross Howie