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Who Should Perform the Operational Audit?
Objectivity,
perspective, business sense and information resources are the most
important characteristics sought in the analysis team or consultant.
Rarely will the skill set be found in the board due to objectivity,
personal relationships and history. It is very difficult to look at the
way a job is handled by a long time employee and not allow the feelings
for the person or how you have always viewed the process to cloud the
issues. Perspective is also difficult if you are a member of the
organization as you will not have had the opportunity to view or be a
part of innovations in other organizations nearly as readily. Business
sense may be readily available in the club but limited in perspective,
objectivity and frequently influenced by personal agendas. Hence, to
gain the most benefit from the process, an outside consultant,
specializing in such audits is usually contracted or at minimum leads
the analysis team. In the case of CC, where there are not the funds for
an outside consultant, it will be important that the team works hard to
be objective, utilize talents and monitor for personal agendas. The
final compilation of results will need to be written and presented as
one voice.
It is important to
understand that the team conducting the audit be given the ability to
move freely though the differing parts of the club. They must be able
to look at the company in many ways, as a prospective member, as a
member, as stakeholder, as an employee, as a vendor and as a part of the
community. This unique view from multiple perspectives will expedite
the entire process but again requires experience in many facets of
business.
Objectivity is critical
and difficult as many will see the team as the seeker of bad items or
eliminator of something or someone they personally feel strongly about.
The team must come in with a blank piece of paper, open mind and the
industry specific knowledge to lend critical objectivity.
Business sense cannot be
under rated in the team as they must be able to see the flow of
objectives to processes to results. Additionally, they must be able to
communicate the information back as well as any potential changes seen
as necessary. In this area they must have the visionary ability to take
the situation from the point in time that exists at the audit through
changes and conditions that will impact the business and need
consideration.
Feedback and results are
primarily held until the compiled results are presented, however as the
interviews are always consultative, questions, answers and insight will
be exchanged that employees and members may choose to implement
individually. The team must not create a call to action in the
interview or implement new processes. This disrupts the organization,
is often not aligned with other processes and will undermine
management. During the process, it is common to give mini verbal
updates to the team and the board with specific action items that need
immediate attention addressed.
Finally, information
resources must be abundantly available to the team as only a portion of
the work is done in the interviewing process. The research, writing,
diagramming, and documentation work that will assist greatly in creating
an implementation plan, integrating the process to the business plan and
finally actually putting the changes in place, is completed after the
on-site visit and or phone interviews. It is not unusual that in the
course of the interviews and conversations, some of these items will be
discovered and discussed; however, that is usually just the initial part
of the process.
Although the team will
not be experts in all areas, in most cases their expertise lays in
operational function and flow with strong general knowledge specific to
the business processes. The team must have good communication and
people skills as there will be a wide variety of feelings and reactions
attached to the process. (See section on preparing your company for an
audit.) Combine all of these qualities and the objectives you seek are
much easier to obtain.
When an organization
chooses to perform their own audit rather than hire a consultant or
consultants, they need to make sure that people do not audit their own
areas or results wherever possible. Being too close to the situation
makes perspective and opportunity to see new, possible approaches
difficult. Using the interview process allows the integration of task
performer's or member’s perspective and ideas for innovation while still
allowing the process to be seen by someone who is not specifically tied
to the result or current comfort zones. Documentation is also a
critical factor. Being too close, a member of the team may leave out
elements that are believed to be commonly understood or so routine as to
be invisible if written by the task performer. Hence, staff especially
usually will not be asked to be on the team. |
