government agencies, and educational institutions.

Before we get too far into this discussion, I think setting the background and context for this series is essential.  Throughout my career, one of my hobbies was studying organizational design.  What makes good organizations run smoothly and accomplish their tasks and missions effectively and efficiently?  I have had several opportunities to assess and create organizations from scratch.  I thought exploring the tools and processes I used to create or assess organizations might be fun.  This series focuses on organizational design and function and may interest two groups of readers.  First is the young professional interested in growing as a leader and manager.  Second, the executive who might be looking for a quick mental refresh on a subject.  Reflecting on my career, I tried to think of things I wish I had known and appreciated more deeply as a young leader and manager.  I think it would have benefited me to understand better the interconnected nature and impact of essential foundational organizational elements.  In a manner of speaking, this series could be thought of as a letter to my younger self.  I would also like to acknowledge a couple of key points.  First, although there are commonalities across all industries, there are also differences.  Second, in my opinion, the size, e.g., the number of people in the organization, and working conditions, e.g., in-person, remote, etc., make some of the points raised in this series more or less applicable, e.g., an organization with 20 employees may not find a vision statement as impactful as a 2000-employee organization.  All of that is to say that some topics discussed in this series may not be as relevant in some industries or organizations.  Although the points discussed in this series have helped me throughout my career, they may not be as relevant in all situations.  Hopefully, some of the points raised will help you too.

Depending on the size and type of organization, operational planning may involve setting goals, establishing strategies, and developing action plans.  It may also include creating budgets, determining resource allocation, and identifying performance indicators.  Once operations are in motion, operational oversight may consist of balancing competing priorities, such as monitoring execution, quality control, performance measures, continuous improvement, and risk management.

Monitoring execution includes observing and optimizing processes to ensure efficient and effective production or service delivery, which may consist of identifying the sequence of tasks, defining roles and responsibilities, and establishing workflows.  Perhaps one of the more challenging elements of operations management involves resource management, e.g., personnel, equipment, technology, etc.  There never seems to be enough, and a misallocation of resources risks achieving established goals.

In my opinion, quality control is one of the most overlooked elements of operations management.  Too often, organizations have a fire-and-forget mentality.  Good operations managers will rely on what might be considered external and lagging indicators and feedback loops to monitor quality control.  Customer surveys are an example of an external lagging indicator.  The challenge with lagging indicators is that customers tend to change behavior before the indicators have had a chance to work themselves back through the feedback loop.  Monitoring and evaluating processes, conducting inspections, and implementing quality assurance measures ensure customers receive quality products or services.  Key performance indicators (KPIs) are essential for organizations to see themselves and make timely adjustments to increase customer satisfaction while reducing resource demands.  Ideally, KPIs are as close to real-time as possible and provide actionable feedback.

Successful organizations tend to be learning organizations.  Learning organizations use a continuous improvement technique to improve their operations.  The Army uses After Action Reviews (AARs) as a continuous improvement feedback loop.  When used correctly, they facilitate professional growth in individuals and help the organization to be better.

Risk management is not always at the forefront of our thoughts, but certainly, most importantly, it is a critical and essential aspect of operational management.  Identifying and mitigating risk before it happens can make or break any organization.  Risk management includes assessing potential risks, developing contingency plans, and implementing measures to ensure business continuity.

Some of the Army’s most challenging and complex jobs are in operations.  The number of competing priorities can be daunting.  That said, even a single person doing a single task can practice the art and science of operations management.  Anyone can practice the pieces and parts of operations management on a small scale.  As confidence and capabilities build, the size and scope will increase from small teams to bigger teams and, eventually, entire organizations. 

“Nothing in the world is worth having or worth doing unless it means effort, pain, difficulty… I have never in my life envied a human being who led an easy life.  I have envied a great many people who led difficult lives and led them well.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Please feel free to share your own experiences in the comment box below.

Your shared thoughts may help someone else going through a similar experience.  Thank you.