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Below is video from our recent webinar on “6 Best Practices for Gaining End-user Adoption of New Technology.” In this video Dave Colaizzi discusses the value of change management, change communications, training, and performance support in gaining end-user adoption of new technology.

Below is video from our recent webinar on “6 Best Practices for Gaining End-user Adoption of New Technology.” In this video Dave Colaizzi discusses strategies for setting clear expectations and measuring success in the process of rolling out new technology.

Below is video from our recent webinar on “6 Best Practices for Gaining End-user Adoption of New Technology.” In this video Dave Colaizzi discusses strategies for gaining end-user and stakeholder buy-in for new technology.

The adoption of new software or technology may be difficult, especially when end-user expectations surrounding it are high or left unmet. How can those designing and implementing new software and technology best bridge the gap between the reality of what the software can/will do and end-user wants, needs, and expectations?

The road to linking reality to end-user expectations begins with a systematic assessment of needs and the documentation of software requirements. In this blog post, we will discuss three techniques that we have employed to help our clients understand end-user needs and identify requirements:

• Exploration meetings with stakeholders and targeted end-users.
  Focused meetings to observe, ask questions, and listen to your key stakeholders about what they like or dislike about performing a task or process.
• Assessment of the intended deployment environment.
  Asking questions about how the software or technology will be used and where it will be hosted is critical to gaining a clear picture of future limitations and requirements. For example, ask questions like:
  • Who will help the user when they run into a usability issue?
  • What are the corporate standards and guidelines?
  • What is the culture of the target audience?
  • What applications have had successes with the target audience in the past?
  • What features do target users look for and like in other applications?
  • How will the software or application modify the process of executing work?
  • Are there bandwidth limitations?
  • Can custom programs be installed on user computers?
  • Is support for certain software platforms required or prohibited?
• Use Cases, mockups, and prototypes.
  • A Use Case is one of the most helpful methods of exposing functional requirements. But one word of caution: as you build them be sure to exclude technical jargon and the inner workings of the software.
  • A Mockup, or a rough visual layout of the user interface, enables end-users to experience the software or application before it is completely developed. By gathering feedback, it is possible to assess how the software is able to meet, or fail to meet, end-user expectations. Also, end-users can reveal their stylistic preferences that may be difficult to capture otherwise. Below is an example of a mock-up created by one of our developers using Microsoft’s newest tool, Expression Blend™.

• Lastly, Prototypes, either partially or fully functional, can be very helpful in determining usability. A prototype will give you an accurate depiction of how well end-users believe the program will meet their objectives. You can incorporate their feedback into future iterations of the software before the program is fully built.

These three techniques are some of the many that can be employed in order to best bridge the gap between the reality of what the software can/will do and end-user wants, needs, and expectations. By taking the time to listen and educate your stakeholders and end-users, the likelihood of a successful integration of new software or technology will greatly increase.

Below is video from our recent webinar on “6 Best Practices for Gaining End-user Adoption of New Technology.” In this video  Dave Colaizzi discusses the value of Focused and Aligned Leaders in gaining end-user adoption of new technology. In addition, he discusses best practices for creating a focused and aligned leadership team.

Video from our recent webinar on “6 Best Practices for Gaining End-user Adoption of New Technology” can be viewed below. Check it out and let us know what you think by commenting on this post. Thanks!

The process of executing business strategy can’t happen solely through the efforts of a single person. Strategy execution is a team game, and it requires a commitment to collaboration and partnership within teams of people and across organizations. In fact, the people within high-performance organizations know this, and as a result, they strive to create a unique type of partnership: trust-based partnerships.

Trust-based partnerships differ from other types of agreements that people or organizations enter into in several ways.

First, the foundation of a trust-based partnership is rooted in the belief that all entering parties are pursuing a common, compelling purpose. Typically, when two are more parties enter into a partnership; each party believes that the goods and services it provides are similar enough to be complimentary to the other, but different enough to be unique. As a result, by entering into a partnership, all parties are able to enhance the value they provide, while at the same time advancing their unique mission. This is not so with trust-based partnerships. In trust-based partnerships, the foundation upon which the partnership is grounded is not to advance separate missions, but to pursue one common, compelling purpose or mission. Do you see the difference? In the traditional partnerships, both parties are free to move in separate directions, but in trust-based partnerships all parties acknowledge that there are differences in what they provide but they are joining together as they move in the same direction.

Next, trust-based partnerships require and build trust between the entering parties. There are two meanings of the word trust, which are both applicable when discussing trust-based partnerships. The first dictionary definition of trust is “an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.” The second definition is “a charge or duty imposed in faith or confidence or as a condition of some relationship.” When describing trust-based partnerships within organizations, both definitions shed light on the nature of these partnerships. For a trust-based partnership to exist, there must be a belief that the other party is capable of delivering what it commits to and in a manner that brings value to all parties. In other words, in trust-based partnerships, trust is both given and earned.

These two differences noted in the blog are two of the most prominent differences between trust-based partnerships and more traditional partnering agreements. Ultimately, for strategy to be successfully executed, we believe that trust-based partnerships must exist between the various teams and delivery groups within organizations. Do you feel that you have entered into trust-based partnerships with your internal business partners? If so, please share your stories of how you were able to build these partnerships and the results your teams have been able to obtain in committing to trust-based partnerships.

In a recent post, we discussed how Social Media is making its mark on the corporate landscape. In that post, we talked at a high level about the reasons why corporations are using Social Media. These reasons included enabling communication, collaboration, and media sharing within organizations. If you have not had a chance to check out this post, you can do so here.

In today’s post, we are going to continue the discussion by specifically focusing on how organizations are applying Social Media technology to solve real business challenges. There are many applications of Social Media. Although there are many nuances in implementation applications, seven common types have bubbled to the top.

• Organizational learning, , communication, and collaboration – Resources used for people to create virtual communities focused on specific interests, roles, geographies, and professional networks.
• Innovation management – Resources used to leverage the content sharing, rating, and discussion aspects of Social Media in order to ask a population of people, “How would you solve this challenge?”
• Customer engagement and relationship building – Resources used to connect customers based on needs, purchases, and shared interests. Content and media can be shared, rated, and distributed only to those who choose to see that content.
• Recruitment – Resources used to communicate the status of job openings and recruitment events and connect applicants who share the common interest of gaining employment with an organization.
• Marketing and brand building – Resources and sites to enforce an organization’s brand by providing collaborative tools and resources for people who share common needs, experiences, and interests.
• Partner relationship – Resources used to connect partner organizations together based on needs, purchases, markets, verticals, and shared interests. Content and media can be shared, rated, and distributed only to those who choose to see that content.
• On-boarding – Websites and resources used to connect newly hired employees together so that they can share knowledge and information with each other and collaborate with seasoned employees on how to successfully navigate a new work environment.

As you plan to implement a Social Media application, it is important to point out two things:

1. Before implementing any technology, including Social Media, there must be a compelling reason for doing so. Ideally, this purpose should be rooted in the pursuit of helping solve the felt needs of the end users. Most organizations cannot afford to implement novel technology. Therefore, as you explore how your organization can employ Social Media, be sure to take the time to understand your audience and their felt needs so that you can adequately implement technology to meet those needs.
2. Although Social Media applications tend to be much more organic in nature than other enterprise technology, this does not undervalue of good implementation plan. A good implementation plan outlines a clear strategy for how the technology will be deployed and communicated. Most importantly, this plan should identify the feedback mechanisms that will be put in place to ensure that end user comments are gathered and responded to in a strategic and timely manner.

A question we commonly ask ourselves and our clients is “What makes an organization high-performing?” Recently, Five Star hosted a Potential for High Performance Seminar and this very same question was posed to the audience. After a few moments of thought, one participant stated that high-performing organizations are accountable. When asked to discuss how a lack of accountability within an organization manifests itself, one respondent commented that when accountability is missing, “nobody can say yes, but everyone can say no.” This response sparked an interesting discussion about the connection between accountability, empowerment, and decision making. Below are some of the thoughts participants offered about how these three concepts are linked and how they work together to contribute to the creation of a high-performance organization.

1. To build accountability there must be clearly defined goals and an agreed upon commitment by    everyone regarding how each person will contribute their unique talents.
2. Accountability requires that individuals earn and receive a level of empowerment from their leader and their team to contribute their personal talents and experiences. True empowerment is given, earned, and accepted.
3. Leaders must believe that their team members are competent and trustworthy to make decisions that are in the best interest of the team and the organization as a whole.
4. Ultimately, there must be someone who takes ownership of the decisions of a team or work group. If this is missing, the finger pointing game quickly ensues.
5. Although decisions must be made rapidly, in order to make good decisions, there must be patience to think.
6. High-performance organizations track and report out on the effectiveness of decisions over time and reward people for making decisions that advance the mission of the organization.

The connection between accountability, empowerment, and decision making and the role they play in creating high-performance organizations can’t be understated. Offer your ideas by commenting on this post below!

What does it take to build an enthusiastic and energetic workforce? How can you encourage all of your team members to begin each day wondering how they can do their job more effectively? Furthermore, how can you create a sense of urgency, particularly during tough economic times?

The simple answer is strong leadership. Leaders who inspire others with a compelling purpose are necessary in order to cultivate the kind of culture in which employees look forward to coming to work. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to examine each of the four key behaviors of effective Organizational Leadership.

Inspire Others with a Compelling Purpose and Vision

People have a basic desire to be a part of something important. Most want to know that they are making a difference in the world. Strong leaders have the ability to inspire that kind of purpose by effectively communicating the importance of their organization’s mission. They provide a clear vision for the future – a future that can only be reached through the commitment, competence, and energy of everyone on the team.
There are a lot of people in leadership positions who would probably not describe themselves as inspirational. When we think of inspirational leaders, persuasive speechmakers like Martin Luther King Jr. come to mind. With his “I Have a Dream” speech, he moved hundreds of thousands of people. However eloquent, it’s not necessary to possess that exact kind of charisma. What is necessary is the ability to personalize the importance and value of your work in a genuine way. Organizational leaders must be able to communicate how their team’s work makes a difference to their organization, industry, customers, and community.

We were recently motivated by this very clear example of a leader who found a way to inspire others. This person is the department manager of facilities for a corporate campus. She leads a workforce of landscapers, maintenance workers, and janitors. Her vision is simple, “We create peace and serenity for our employees and visitors. People should experience serenity when they look out the windows at a beautiful, well-groomed landscape. They should find peace and calm with the cleanliness of the restrooms and other facilities. This peace and serenity leads to higher productivity and employee morale.”

What is your compelling purpose? How do you inspire your workforce to high performance? Share your inspirational story with us by commenting here, and be sure to visit our blog next week to learn the next key behavior for effective Organizational Leadership.