Solomon Associates' pacesetter performance program is designed to deliver improvement in net cash margin by focusing on three factors: measure, manage, and maximize.
The figure shows the four phases of the process, each designed to advance the technical understanding of performance gaps and move the organization through the "management of change" process. The process balances the technical skills needed to improve performance with the change-management skills needed to achieve sustainable improvements.
Problem solving is a critical skill for achieving performance improvements. The program focuses on these phases:
- Phase 1—Diagnosis. Phase 1 uses Solomon's benchmarking study and an audit of work practices to identify the causes of poor performance. Typically, a set of 100-200 recommendations results.
- Phase 2—Treatment planning. Solomon considers different solutions for each client's situation. Additionally, Phase 2 is an opportunity for the company to absorb the information provided in Phase 1. Companies often perceive the tasks as impossible. This is when the company must decide whether it is prepared to make the changes necessary to create sustainable improvements. During this phase, Solomon defines the economic benefits to be achieved and outlines an implementation plan.
- Phase 3—Implementation. This is the difficult step and may last 18-36 months. During this phase, a wide range of tools and techniques accelerates the improvement process.
- Phase 4—Sustaining the improvements. In this phase, companies continue to benchmark performance and conduct periodic audits of work practices.
