The document provides 10 actions that leaders must take to drive organizational performance. It summarizes each action in 1-2 sentences. The actions include establishing a strategic foundation, fostering communication, documenting responsibilities, defining competencies, strategic recruiting, setting expectations, continuous performance management, providing development opportunities, recognizing contributions, and soliciting feedback. Taking these actions aligns human capital practices with organizational vision, values and goals to improve results.

1. T en A cTions L eAders M usT T Ake To
d rive o rgAnizATionAL P erforMAnce
WhitePaper
By Paula Pierce, PMP
Whether you’re leading a public sector
organization, Fortune 500 company, new
business venture, or special project, suc- If an activity or project doesn’t
cess rises and falls on the effectiveness
align with the strategic plan,
of your workforce—your human capital.
More and more, employers are realizing don’t waste time doing it.
that people are the key differentiator and
primary driver of success. Having sound
human capital management policies es direction, parameters, and measures of
and practices in place based on a good success. If an activity or project doesn’t
strategic foundation is a critical asset align with the strategic plan, don’t waste
in enabling your organization to achieve time doing it. If you find yourself doing
its goals. But it takes more than just lip a lot of things that don’t align, maybe
service. Below is a list of 10 concrete it’s time to revisit the strategic plan. The
actions you can and should take to engage strategic plan is core, a critical first step
employees and get them working toward to get all employees headed in the same
common goals. direction. Develop it, live it, believe it—
don’t try to lead without it.
Action 1—Establish a Strategic
Foundation
The first step is to establish a strategic
There’s no better way to
plan—the stable foundation upon which all
other activities are built. A comprehensive foster confidence than
and actionable strategic plan is developed through consistent, open,
by a representative group of stakeholders,
thoroughly communicated, and regularly
honest, regular, and timely
referenced. It includes these elements: communication.
Mission—why the organization exists
Values—what the organization believes
in Action 2—Foster Confidence through
Vision—what the organization wants to Communication
be
Employee confidence in your management
Goals—what the organization wants to
achieve team’s ability to lead the organization to
success strongly influences employee
Strategic objectives—the organization’s commitment and drive. There’s no better Solutions used:
tactical approach. way to foster confidence than through con-
sistent, open, honest, regular, and timely
The strategic plan should drive everything communication. When your employees
you and your employees do—it establish- understand the strategic plan, receive con-

2. sistent messages regarding organizational willingness to take risks written objective statements that describe
values and goals, and know the issues what needs to be performed and how well.
 Other individual factors, including life
driving management actions, they will experiences. These objective statements should be
trust, commit to, and work for you rather developed collaboratively with employees
than against you. Develop a communica- Once you’ve determined the work that whenever possible and communicated dur-
tions strategy that mobilizes management needs to be done and documented position ing the first month on the job and during
at all levels, provides communications responsibilities, defining competencies will every performance discussion.
tools, and establishes roles and account- determine what it takes to be successful.
ability. For like positions, you can define job-spe- Action 7—Continuously Manage
cific competencies such as cost estimat- Performance
Action 3—Document Responsibilities
ing, enterprise architecture, quantitative
Once employees understand the elements risk analysis, solicitation planning, or team If performance expectations are estab-
of the strategic foundation, they will want development. The core competencies will lished and regularly discussed, manag-
to know how they can contribute on a daily be common to every position within your ing and appraising performance will be
basis. Documented position responsibili- organization, regardless of technical spe- much easier. Performance management
ties and decision authorities can provide cialty or hierarchical position, and may is an ongoing responsibility for those in
that link. But standardized job descrip- include things such as stress tolerance, managerial roles, not a once-a-year event.
tions that establish salary levels are not customer focus, and adaptability. Frequently discuss individual employee
enough. Defining and documenting respon- performance in a one-on-one setting. This
sibilities are critical building blocks to stra- Action 5—Strategically Recruit and provides the opportunity to recognize con-
tegic human capital management because Select tributions and fix problems before they’re
nearly every other people-related activity too difficult. Taking time to discuss per-
gleans information from them, includ- Use your defined position responsibilities formance with an employee demonstrates
ing employee recruitment and selection, and competencies as baseline criteria to your personal interest in his or her job suc-
performance management, training and recruit and select new talent. Turnover is cess. If an employee is performing well or
development, and workforce planning. If inevitable and can be very costly if not needs improvement, it shouldn‘t come as
you haven’t determined and organized the well managed. But turnover can also be a surprise during the annual review—the
work that needs to be done and document- advantageous when you know exactly what annual review should summarize all the
ed position responsibilities for it, you don’t skills sets new employees need to possess “mini” performance discussions you’ve
have a strategically aligned workforce and and behaviors they need to exhibit. A well- had during the year.
you can’t support your strategic plan with planned approach to align recruitment and
your human capital practices. selection with your strategic plan will go a Action 8—Provide Opportunity
long way toward eliminating mission-critical
Action 4—Define Competencies
skill gaps or deficiencies. Employee development is almost univer-
Competencies are the knowledge, skills, sally recognized as a strategic tool for an
abilities, personal characteristics, and organization’s continuing growth, produc-
other factors that help distinguish superior tivity, and ability to retain valuable employ-
performance from average performance ... turnover can also be ees—especially in a knowledge economy.
under specified circumstances. In other advantageous when you know In today’s employment market, workers
words, competencies are the internal expect and demand more as they change
capabilities that people bring to their jobs.
exactly what skills sets new jobs and even careers throughout their life-
Examples include: employees need to possess and times. More than ever, employees are like-
ly to be loyal to an organization that shows
 Knowledge—bodies of information behaviors they need to exhibit.
such as project management, soft- a personal interest in their career develop-
ware acquisition, or organizational ment. Foster this loyalty by ensuring that
development every employee has an annual individual
 Skills—proficiency or expertise Action 6—Set Expectations development plan in place. Make sure they
know how those plans relate to career
 Abilities—capability to perform Set employee performance expecta- growth and align with the organization’s
 Personal characteristics—such as tions and hold employees accountable. strategic plan. Develop them collabora-
decisiveness, attention to detail, and Expectations can be communicated via tively, pledge your support, include them

3. in your performance management process, plans to get there. Unsure whether you’ve
and tie them to salary bumps and promo- got that workforce? Just ask. Take a peri-
tions. odic pulse of your employees’ attitudes,
motivations, and concerns and analyze
them against what you’re trying to achieve.
Online surveys, focus groups, town halls…
Take a periodic pulse of there are many ways to get employee
your employees’ attitudes, input. Just keep the communication loop
going. The data you receive will be invalu-
motivations, and concerns and
able in reducing weaknesses and lever-
analyze them against what aging strengths. And just by asking and
you’re trying to achieve. responding, you’ll send a strong message
to your workforce about your commitment,
expectations, and priorities.
Action 9—Recognize Contributions Taking a strategic approach to human
capital management ultimately produces
More than anything— including salary— better results—whether they’re for your
employees want full appreciation for work bottom line or delivering on your mission.
performed. Reward exemplary accomplish- Lay a solid strategic foundation first, and
ment and behavior. Tie that recognition then align your human capital practices
to your strategic objectives and you’ll not with the vision, values, and goals you’ve
only have happy, engaged employees, established. Ensure every activity from
you’ll also be motivating your workforce that point on is driving your mission and
to align and focus on its ultimate goals. take periodic pulses to help you stay on
Recognition can be given in many forms, track. A solid planning effort up front and
including monetary bonuses; time off; well-focused execution will go a long way
awards with the organization’s name, in establishing a framework for a results-
seal, or other mission-related inscription; driven, higher performing organization.
theater tickets; merchandise; or letters of
appreciation. The bottom line is that rec-
ognition doesn’t have to be expensive—a
public “thank you” goes a long way.
Taking a strategic approach to
human capital management
ultimately produces better
results—whether they’re for
your bottom line or delivering
on your mission.
Action 10—Solicit Feedback
Achieving your strategic objectives
requires a skilled, informed, focused, and
engaged workforce that knows exactly
where the organization is going and how it

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