Geary A. Rummler, «Serious Performance Consulting According to Rummler»

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Geary A. Rummler, «Serious Performance Consulting According to Rummler»

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Performance Consulting is a role that is quickly gaining popularity. In order for performance consultants to make a significant difference in organization results, they need to advance beyond their current focus on improving the individual performer. Dr. Rummler, a leader in performance consulting for 35 years, calls this next level of the performance consulting endeavor, “Serious Performance Consulting” or SPC.

In this book, Rummler illustrates what he means by SPC through an extensive case study which illustrates both what a serious performance consulting engagement looks like and what a serious performance consultant does, including:

Going beyond the initial request for help to find a viable critical business issue and a gap in results and to establishing how success of the project will be evaluated.
Using a conceptual performance analysis framework to generate hypotheses for possible causes of the gaps in results.
Following an effective, systematic process for conducting the analysis (i.e., test the initial hypotheses).
Identifying exemplary performance to establish the difference between “is” and “should” performance and the cause behind such differences.
Specifying a solution set that addresses all significant factors that affect the gap in results.
The reader has an opportunity to experience the case study on three levels. Chapter 3 presents the case study and is a high-level walk-through of the project, with a week-by-week timeline, from project design to final recommendations. It is structured so the reader can drill down for more details on any of the project findings and recommendations in the appendices. It also contains a running commentary (“According to Rummler”) on the project, where he points out what he thinks are particularly relevant points for the performance consultant. Other chapters present:

The underlying framework and templates used by the performance consultants in the case study.
A brief recap of the project with comments on the project approach and a summary of what Rummler believes can be generalized from the case to most any performance improvement situation.
A discussion of the special challenges the internal performance consultant faces when doing serious performance consulting and presents some strategies and tactics that have proven helpful in meeting those challenges.
Suggestions about what aspiring performance consultants might do to learn and practice their craft.