Do you know the really important things you have to do to successfully carry out your mission = these are your critical success factors (CSFs).
(The boring history bit …The concept of CSFs was first introduced by D. Ronald Daniel of McKinsey & Co in the 1960’s. It was then built on and popularized a decade or so later by John F. Rockart, of MIT's Sloan School of Management, and has since been used extensively to help businesses implement their strategies and projects)
Why are they important?
Well, if you identify and publicise them, everyone throughout the organisation will understand what really matters – where they should focus their attention.
Because “what gets measured, gets done”, any performance measures must relate to these CSFs.
For example, if an organisation sets out to beat its competitors by offering higher quality products (a key element of its strategy), it clearly needs to focus on, and to measure, those factors that will help it to improve quality. One such example might be staff training and competency development. This suggests that the organisation needs to have aims and targets relating to staff training; and then it needs to measure training – and its effectiveness.
Though there are no ‘rules’, it is generally agreed that an organisation should identify no more than about 6 CSFs.
To identify CSFs, you should:
• start with your vision and mission
• develop a small number of high level goals or strategic objectives
• translate these into a hierarchy of goals (at different levels) and their success factors
When you think you have selected your most important factors, take a rality check by asking
If we do all these things, will we be successful?
Once you have got them, the goals and the success factors should then be communicated to all who need to know, so that as they work through the actions, they know the things that are really important – and focus on achieving those things.
Critical Success Factors - To learn more about this author, visit John Heap's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Critical Success Factors
|
| |
If you don't know the few, really important things you need to carry out to achieve your mission - how can your staff. Identify them - and communicate them. Then everyone knows where to focus their efforts.
|
|
Sales Assessment
|
| |
The 10 Critical Success Factors:
|
|
TOP Level Selling
|
| |
Not because the things are difficult, we don't venture them but because we don't venture them, they are difficult.
|
|
Know Your Niche
|
| |
It was a warm, quiet winter afternoon as I walked along the beach. At the headland there was a typical collection of rock pools. Lots of pools, some with more water than others, and some surging with the tidal wash....
|
|
Part 3: Company Description
|
| |
Without going into detail, this section should include a high level look at how all of the different elements of your business fit together. The company description section should include information about the natur...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
Leanne Hoagland-Smith
Are your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales success or one of the many who have failed to change? So what are you doing to change those results? Let’s be honest, with companies moving globally and at lightening speeds, the traditional business solutions are outdated and dead. My approach moves your business out of its comfort zone and secures your competitive advantage now. If you are seeking to increase sales, build customer loyalty, create a culture of great attitudes or just achieve some sleep filled nights, then we should talk because my clients have experienced exactly those types of results. Learn more about customer loyalty at http://www.processspecialist.com/customer-loyalty.htm Give me a call at 219.759.5601 for a free strategy session. P.S. If you are seeking a motivational speaker, sales trainer or small business expert that will leave your audience smiling and remembering, please feel free to contact me at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
