Org Charts and Analytics for Dummies – I Mean Executives
September 17th, 2009 by Lois MelbourneGuest Post By Tom McKeown, President of Aquire
In his early days in office, President Ronald Reagan was handed a 2,000 page document by Secretary of State Alexander Haig that was his strategy document for dealing with the Soviet Union. Reagan took the document and, weighing it with his hands, said, “I’m a big picture guy, how about you sum it up in one page.” It was not what Haig wanted to hear but that was his boss.
In that regard Reagan was no different than many chief executives of companies today who need to make critical decisions but don’t have the time or patience to pour through raw data. They need objective, easy to read information presented in a format that all but dictates what decision needs to be made. In short, they need analytics.
But, how do you get analytics on your company’s most valuable asset, your people? The first step is setting measurements and sticking to them. Now it’s easier for some areas, such as sales, where you give an individual a quota and they are judged on whether they make it or not. Or, manufacturing and development where you can measure how many widgets or code is produced. It becomes tougher as you get into those middle areas in a company where success is not so easily defined. But if you take the time, you will be able to find measurable benchmarks for every position.
The second step is then to visualize this data in a way that an executive can understand and then use. Why not use the one tool that already has all of your employees graphically displayed, your organizational chart? Most people only think of and use an organizational chart to show reporting relationships. However, products available today, like Aquire’s OrgPublisher, allow you to pack any data you have from an ERP, HCM, or even a spreadsheet into an individual’s corresponding box in the chart. Then with hierarchical summary engines and corresponding graphics, you can easily get useful analytics company-wide or drilled down to individual divisions and departments.
So, whether you’re the boss or are trying to impress the boss, there is an easy to use tool out there to help you align your people with your business goals.
A 25-year veteran of the software and technology industry, Tom McKeown has been with Aquire since 2005.
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