We proudly present to you the March edition of PERFORMANCE Magazine. Encompassing The KPI Institute’s experience, research and expertise, PERFORMANCE Magazine, transfers its knowledge into a multitude of resources made accessible to a worldwide readership, helping them quench a natural thirst for information.

In our 7th edition of PERFORMANCE Magazine, we bring our readers insight into the life of Sophia Thomaidou, a Partner at Zeler & Company, Greece and a licensed NLP Trainer & Coach. Boasting 20 years of experience in Human Resources, Sophia’s professional career has for the most part been a tale of measuring human performance and how to best improve it, having started with her studies in Sociology and continuing with her Master’s Degree in Human Resources Management. Given that Employee Performance Management is an integral part of the HR strategy of most organizations, this field fit Sophia’s career plans like a glove, allowing her to quickly rise through the ranks, occupying numerous directorial positions over her ongoing career.

Take part in public sector implementation processes from various countries and nations, as each edition will feature extensive analyses on the subject, compliments of our Business Research Analysts.

So what have we learnt, up to this point in time, from all of the available information?

On the one hand, we have the concepts of continuous improvement, development and change in particular, which lie at the heart of Performance Management and drive processes, projects, people, teams and organizations forward, shedding light on the weaker links of the chain and helping strengthen them.

On the other hand, Performance Management on the whole is also in need of improvement. Some means of achieving that is through professional communities, scientific research, and publications.

This March number plunges into the topics of Operational, Organizational and Individual Performance, Strategy and Performance Improvement.

Flip through pages of interviews with renowned experts, extensive research studies, concept presentations, insights from practice, alongside software or hardware reviews, and books and movie recommendations, all related to performance management.

So now we invite you to take part in a world dedicated to integrating performance and all that is comprised in the search for improvement, in its smallest details.

As we are always interested in gaining insights from practitioners who activate in a multitude of environments, contact us at [email protected] if you are interested in becoming a contributor, or having your interview featured in PERFORMANCE Magazine.

The magazine is now available in a FREE Electronic format.

Making decisions based on data, taking the right initiatives and following up on the outcomes, can prove to be challenging, especially when it comes to managing particular circumstances. This webinar offers insights on how to improve performance, by presenting a sound architecture, which contains relevant tools, processes and techniques.

Main topics covered

• Data analysis and reporting;
• Decision making and initiative management;
• Learning and performance improvement;
• Building a performance culture;
• Performance improvement scenarios.

Key Learning Points

• Understand performance improvement pillars;
• Identify best practices in monitoring and reporting KPIs;
• Learn how to track the implemented initiatives, which address the objectives set;
• Discern between different scenarios where performance improvement is used.

Presenter’s profile

Doina Maltev is a Partnership Manager at The KPI Institute, the global authority on Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) research and education.

Doina Maltev has been involved in designing and implementing the Partnership Program and the Partnership Models for The KPI Institute, which include the description of the process and stages by which the training and consultancy companies are accredited to deliver educational programs and advisory services.

She developed the related program materials after conducting a preliminary research study and conducted the negotiation processes with organizations, concluding collaboration agreements and organizing and implementing the enablement programs activities.

Free Registration

It’s easy to join in – access the registration page and don’t forget to tune in on March 22nd, at 15:00 PM GMT.  Can’t make it on time? Let us know and we are going to provide you with the full webinar recording, free of charge!

Webinar Recording

The webinar recording will be available on our eLearning platform.

At The KPI Institute, our mission is to pursue performance, in all its facets, and bring this knowledge to others who wish to improve both on an individual level and an organizational one. Outstanding employees that strive to lift their company to new heights, maximize its potential and strengthen its development, so that it becomes the best of the best, all the while harnessing this knowledge to better themselves as professionals – these are the people that inspire us.

Join us in our journey of interviewing some of the most extraordinary individuals that continue to make The KPI Institute a role-model for others to follow. In today’s edition, we will be featuring The KPI Institute’s Team of the Quarter from our Global Performance Audit Unit.

1. What was your role within the GPA Unit kick-off team?

Cristina Tarata

,, As Head of Research Programs at The KPI Institute, I was deeply involved in developing the audit methodology that is used to assess the maturity level of organizations. Moreover, aside from my contribution, we also asked subject matter experts for advice in each of the audit’s areas: strategy, performance measurement, performance management, employee performance management and culture.”

Alin Sonda

,, My role was to coordinate, contribute to and keep track of progress of all the activities that supported the launch of the Global Performance Audit Unit. I was involved in shaping the audit methodology, the audit process and the presentation materials. I also had a key role in the development of the online platform dedicated to the audit service delivery – GPAUnit.org.

Andrei Popoviciu 

,, I was the Junior Graphic Designer of the GPA Unit team. My responsibilities were to develop the structure of the website, with the help of our Online Platforms Department, and to create the visual identity, which includes the website, banners and other graphical elements.”

2.  How did it feel to be nominated and selected as team of the Quarter?

Cristina Tarata

,, When your efforts are recognized at the organizational level by management and your other colleagues, it gives you the positive energy that you need to keep on being focused and motivated. It triggers a strong desire to do more and better next time!”

Alin Sonda

,, It always feels good to receive confirmation that your efforts are acknowledged by management and your colleagues. It feels even better when your efforts are also rewarded.”

Andrei Popoviciu 

,, I wasn’t expecting to be nominated, so this made it a little bit more special. I felt like the work we’ve put in was relevant and acknowledged.”

3. What do you find to have been the most challenging part of the project?

Cristina Tarata 

,, I must say that as a team, we collaborated very easily and effectively. My challenges were mostly technical, as we needed to create an audit methodology that encompasses the collective know-how of our consultants, of The KPI Institute. We have put in one instrument all the good practices, all the lessons we have learned throughout our 12 years of experience in the market. Covering all the important aspects of a state-of-the-art integrated performance management system, while ensuring it is a time effective and easy to use tool was quite difficult, given that we had to also map the criteria for each stage in the maturity cycle.”

Alin Sonda

,, I think the most challenging part was listening to, considering and putting together everyone’s points of view on the subject at hand, as well as making sure that management agrees with the outcomes and supports us every step of the way. The project required the commitment and contribution of our colleagues that are specialized in research, graphical design, IT, sales, marketing and communication.”

Andrei Popoviciu

,, For me the whole project was a challenge, because it was really complex and we missed some steps in creating the website, so we had to adapt and solve the design problems as fast as possible. If I would have to choose only one part, the most challenging one was to create the website blocks, so we could use them in different ways.”

4. What would be the three main lessons learnt from this project?

Cristina Tarata

,, Your product is as good as your client thinks it is – meaning that testing is very important, there will always be scenarios that you will fail to anticipate, therefore testing the product on 2-3 real case scenarios is vital in order to create a useful product or service.

Focus – if you want a high quality product, in a relatively short period of time, you have to learn how to focus. You have to be able to avoid getting sucked in other activities, as well as being able to concentrate effectively for a longer time period on the same project.

Everyone has to be on the same page – all team members, regardless of their role (marketing, research, graphic design or sales) have to have the same level of understanding of the product or service. To create synergies between the sales force and R&D, it is vital to share a common perspective on the usage, benefits, purpose and identity of the product/service.”

Alin Sonda

,, Clearly assign tasks and constantly track progress. Project management skills are vital in assuring the success of any project. Work hard but smart, to achieve your goals and not lose control (or your mind) in the process.

Ask for and give feedback. Keep an open mind and a positive attitude towards the ideas and opinions of those involved in the project and they will be happy to share their thoughts and come up with valuable insights.

We are all in the same boat. Enforce the fact that the success of the project relies on the effort and commitment of all those involved, while the benefits are granted to the people that delivered in accordance to and above expectations.”

Andrei Popoviciu

,, Ask questions and listen carefully. I find it really important to ask questions and listen carefully when it comes to design, because it’s important to get all the input and clarify any kind of unclear information.

Get out of your comfort zone. If you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you don’t develop yourself.

Deliver in time. The last one is delivery in time, because time is one of the most important assets in every business, so in order to be good, you need to be able to deliver in a specific timeframe.”

We would also like to congratulate the forth member of the GPA Unit team, Andrea Dinu. Even though she is working now on a different project, Andrea took up the role of Head of Online Platforms: from website wireframe and page creation, to establishing each page’s structure & items, as well as making sure User Experience is at the best level, she undertook the task of creating an online presence for the GPA Unit.

Moreover, she played the part of Project Manager as well, given that she maintained the main communication channel between The KPI Institute and our partnering IT specialists, BitStone.

Facilitated by Mihai Toma, Head of Professional Practice MENA, this in-house training course was delivered for three groups of participants on 26^th , 27^th  and 28^th of February 2017, in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The main organization involved is a private sector company specialized in advanced electronics research, defense manufacturing, and communication, among others. They are a major regional player renowned for innovation, serving clients in the Defence, ICT, Energy, and Manufacturing industries across local, national, regional and international levels.

“ It is very useful for those who are not familiar with the subject of KPIs”, said Suliman Mohammed Algublan, Operations Support Director.

The KPI Essentials Training Course is part of a series dedicated to the rigorous use of KPIs.

The training course was attended by professionals from Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise in Electrical and Electronic Manufacturing.

We approached the following key topics:

• Understanding Performance Management System Architecture and KPIs
• Making the right KPI Selection
• Objectives setting process

“ Very good course and it was useful and I hope that we can implement the course in my organization“, remarked Mr. Raef Khaled Aljubair, HR Development Specialist.

To enable the theoretical understanding and practical experience of using the performance management tools and techniques, we integrated group discussions, exercises, simulations and case studies.

Participants were actively engaged in the collaborative learning environment, readily sharing opinions and experiences.

If you’re interested in joining a customized KPI training course, email us at [email protected] to receive a tailored offer.

For more information contact one of our representatives:

Alex Muntean, Head of Customer Engagement

[email protected]

The KPI Institute has recently launched an online platform for its audit division, the Global Performance Audit Unit (GPA Unit). Its purpose is to provide integrated performance audit solutions through rigorous research, education and diagnosis.

Understand more about the strategy and performance audit services in 3 simple steps:

1) Watch the introductory videos
2) Fill in the free Self-Assessment Survey for a preview of your performance management capability in five practice domains:
• Strategic Planning
• Performance Measurement
• Performance Management
• Performance Culture
• Employee Performance Management

The questionnaire serves as a perception indicator for your performance management capability: it reflects on the status of instruments, processes, the results and impact across organization.

3) Download the sample reports generated as outputs from the service delivery

Why is the strategy and performance system assessment important?

“Measuring the organizations performance management system maturity is critical throughout the lifecycle of implementing such a project, especially in its inception, to find the best line of improvement where the organization has to work on as it gives guidelines of where it has to direct its focus and build its capability. GPA Unit, The KPI Institute audit division, as a very specialized organization, has done an excellent job of developing the framework in a very detailed form, which reflected the best practices in the field. I am extremely content to collaborate with them and I look forward to adopt their maturity assessment model in all the organizations that I am affiliated with.” Dr. Mohamed Moustafa Mahmoud (Dr. 3M), Founder and CEO MILE

Contact 

If you are interested to learn more about the GPA Unit Services fill in the online form.

When it comes to performance management, organizations need the complete framework: from the corporate strategy, to key performance indicators and initiatives, cascaded all the way to the departmental and individual levels, across the organization.

This webinar will teach participants how to assess the maturity of organizations in 5 key areas: Strategic Planning, Performance Measurement, Performance Management, Performance Culture and Employee Performance Management.

The KPI Institute has just launched its Integrated Performance Audit (IPA) framework, which showcases the methodology used to identify weaknesses within Performance Measurement Systems and guides you through the necessary improvements initiatives.

Main topics covered

• Motivation for conducting an IPA;
• Key tools to perform an IPA;
• 5 practice domains to audit for an integrated approach towards Performance Management Systems implementation, review and improvement;
• Benefits of conducting an IPA.

Key Learning Points

• Understand the impact of conducting an IPA;
• Acknowledge the importance of IPA in supporting the competitive advantage of an organisation;
• Get familiar with the main tools used for auditing the Performance Management System of your organisation;
• Get valuable insights on how to audit the main practice domains of an organisation and its benefits.

Presenter’s profile

Alin Sonda is a Management Consultant at The KPI Institute, with over 10 years of experience in the banking sector. For more than 3 years he was an Internal Auditor, gaining an analytical perspective on operations and valuable insight on risk assessment and auditing methods and procedures.

As an auditor, he holds valuable experience in the design and implementation of internal processes that identify and assess risk and compliance with regulations and reporting requirements. His expertise and knowledge range from auditing and risk assessment to operational and overall performance improvement.

Free Registration

It’s easy to join in – access the registration page and don’t forget to tune in on March 22nd, at 11:00 AM GMT.  Can’t make it on time? Let us know and we are going to provide you with the full webinar recording, free of charge!

Webinar Recording

The webinar recording will be available on our eLearning platform.

Having KPIs is good, but using them to enhance the way your organization is managed is even better. There is great effort involved in measuring performance, but this effort isn’t exploited to the maximum if we do not take the next step – which is to manage and grow the performance of your organization. The journey from measurement to management seems to be short, but in reality it is long and filled with obstacles.

This webinar will take you through some of the most common hurdles experienced by organizations along this the way and will also provide you with hints on how to overcome them.

Main topics covered

• Performance Measurement versus Performance Management
• Main obstacles and pitfalls on the way from Measurement to Management
• Hints for avoiding the pitfalls and overcoming the obstacles

Key Learning Points

• Identify the differences between Performance Measurement and Performance Management
• Acknowledge the obstacles that prevent organizations to go from Performance Measurement to Performance Management
• Learn how to manage obstacles according to the best practices in the field

Presenter’s profile

Fabian Mora is director of Lighthouse PM Consulting, a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, accredited by The American Society for Quality, and holds the Performance Measurement Process Certification that was granted by The George Washington University. In addition to his educational accreditations, he writes articles on performance management and is a consultant for organizations from different sectors.

Mr. Mora has experienced the obstacles that many organizations face on the way from performance measurement to performance management. He has also been exposed to a variety of initiatives that organizations need to undertake to enhance their performance measurement efforts. In this webinar, the presenter combines theory with best practices, showcasing how to move from measuring to managing performance.

Free Registration

It’s easy to join in – access the registration page and don’t forget to tune in on March 15th , at 15:00 PM GMT.  Can’t make it on time? Let us know and we are going to provide you with the full webinar recording, free of charge!

Webinar Recording

The webinar recording will be available on our eLearning platform.

Facilitated by Adrian Otoiu, Data Analysis Expert this course was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between the 26^th and 27^th of February 2017 for a private hospital group with three operating platforms in Southern Africa (South Africa and Namibia), Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates. The group sustains a 29.9% shareholding in Spire Healthcare, a UK-based healthcare group with 38 hospitals.

“Very good course for people who have a sound knowledge and basics of statistics”, remarked Mr. Malvin Perez, business learning lead.

To enable participants’ theoretical understanding and provide them practical experience, the course employed a plethora of learning methods:

• Group discussions, exercises, simulations, and case studies
• Explanation of the theory regarding data analysis
• Presentation of performance management templates as tools to support PM integration practices in organizations

The course was attended by a diverse set of professionals from United Arab Emirates, largely specializing in healthcare.

“This course is for people who work in statistics department and deal with data analysis daily”, said Ms. Wilesta Peens, Regional Director of Nursing.

If you’re interested in joining a customized Data Analysis course, email us at [email protected] to receive a tailored offer.

For more information contact one of our representatives:

Alex Muntean, Head of Customer Engagement
[email protected]

Designed to focus on long-term organizational performance, the Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional Course will enable participants to explore the main organizational dimensions of strategic planning, develop a deeper understanding of the connection between organizational strategy and business success and execute smart & quick strategic decisions by using the right strategic planning tools.

This course will take place in Dubai on April 23, over the time span of three days and under the guidance of Mr. Radu Cocean, subject matter expert.

5 Benefits  

• Get a deeper understanding of the connections between organizational strategy and the business environment;
• Improve the way you communicate your strategy by discovering relevant internal and external communication tools;
• Attain a standardized approach to developing and implementing an organizational and departmental strategy in a successful manner;
• Access an innovative learning experience based on a 3 stage educational process;
• Obtain a premium recognition as a Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional by completing a unique international learning program.

Learning objectives  

• Comprehend fundamentals of the strategic planning process;
• Use the right tools to scan the external and internal organizational environment;
• Understand the steps in designing an organizational and departmental strategy;
• Learn how to set clear strategic objectives;
• Understand key areas in business planning such as production, talent, financial resources and marketing.

We strongly advise you to ensure that you will receive your Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional title, as this certifies the skills and knowledge related to strategic planning field.

Details