Ralph Kilmann - Workbook Materials for Quantum Organizations

Congratulations! You have decided to embark on the completely integrated program for achieving continuous organization-wide improvement. To gain the full benefits of this program, however, all organizational members must actively participate in monthly workshop sessions for nine months or more. If your organization consists of hundreds (let alone thousands) of employees, implementing the tracks—efficiently and effectively—means special attention to logistical details. For organizations with less than 100 employees, a Logistics Coordinator may be enough to do the job. For larger organizations, the Coordinator will need a Logistics Team. As might be expected, selecting the right person to be the Coordinator and then forming a quality Logistics Team will do wonders for the success of the program and, therefore, for the success of your organization.

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Criteria for Selecting a Logistics Coordinator

Experience:
- What is the person's track record? Organized? Efficient?
- Does the person have the skill to develop detailed logistics from a program outline?
- Has the person served as an officer or chaired committees in internal or external associations?
- Does the person have experience in negotiating and signing contracts with conference facilities?
- Does the person have experience in planning food service for people of diverse nationalities?
- Does the person have knowledge of state-of-the-art word-processing hardware and software technology?
- Does the person have knowledge of state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment?
Leadership:
- Is the person a good leader?
- Is the person at ease in the role of decision maker?
- Is the person able to anticipate problems and adapt quickly to last-minute changes?
- Is the person a self-starter who can get the job done regardless of the number of unexpected problems that arise?
Communication Skills:
- Does the person have good oral and written communication skills? Will the person project a positive image?
- Is the person able to handle complaints—constructively?

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Forming a Logistics Team

Depending on the size of the organization, three major areas of logistical support could unduly stretch the time and expertise of the Coordinator and, therefore, would require additional people for the following:

Database: Design and maintain a computer program for participant information, scheduling, and attendance.
Clerical Support: Organize typing and reproduction; distribution of workshop materials and supplies, meeting reminders, memoranda, and supporting documentation.
Audiovisual: Set up and operate video cameras, audio speakers, microphones, large-screen TV, and overhead projector.

Some of the skills and qualities of the Coordinator are equally relevant for selecting members of the Logistics Team. Furthermore, all members must be able to work effectively with one another as a team, especially during any logistical crisis when the focus must be on problem solving, not faultfinding. Both the Coordinator and the Logistics Team should be able to utilize all the principles of the Five-Track Program.

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A MESSAGE TO THE LOGISTICS COORDINATOR

Congratulations! You have just been assigned the job of coordinating all the logistical aspects of the Five-Track Program. If you have never before arranged a large meeting or conference (with more than fifty attendees), this assignment might seem overwhelming. The express purpose of the Logistics Manual for Implementing the Tracks, however, is to guide you—with checklists and sample letters—through each and every stage of the program. There are five crucial stages in which you will need to coordinate logistics: Stage 1: Initiating the Program; Stage 2: Diagnosing the Problems; Stage 3: Scheduling the Tracks; Stage 4: Implementing the Tracks; and Stage 5: Evaluating the Results. Always remember: While the Logistics Manual is meant to be a helpful guide throughout the program, you should supplement your efforts with all the specific knowledge you have (or can get) about your company's unique needs and preferences.

Just before you get started, you should acquaint yourself with the basic ingredients of what is called the completely integrated program—or, for short, the Five-Track Program. The next few sections of the preface will acquaint you with the essentials: an overview of the Five-Track Program and how the Workbook will be used—including many of the logistical issues you will face. Then the manual will take you through each stage—one step at a time. If you should ever lose sight of the big picture, just return to this preface to remind yourself of what has come before and what still remains. For additional information about the program, see: Preface, Chapters 1 and 2, Workbook for Implementing the Tracks: Volume I (Newport Coast, CA: Organizational Design Consultants, 1991). For further background information see: Managing Beyond the Quick Fix: A Completely Integrated Program for Creating and Maintaining Organizational Success (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989) and the audio, Escaping the Quick Fix Trap: How to Make Organizational Improvements That Really Last (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989), Quantum Organizations: A New Paradigm for Achieving Organizational Success and Personal Meaning (Mountain View, CA: Davies-Black, 2001).

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AN OVERVIEW OF THE FIVE-TRACK PROGRAM

All logistical issues that affect the success of the completely integrated program are organized into the five stages of planned change—as shown below in Figure P.1:

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Stage 1: Initiating the Program

The crucial issue during the "initiation" phase is whether the necessary conditions are present for a successful improvement effort. It is essential that the senior executives fully understand the makeup of the program, why it requires a long-term commitment, and how they must be actively involved during the entire program. In most cases, a special meeting is arranged to provide the information needed to address these issues so that these executives can initiate organization-wide improvement. This meeting may be scheduled from three hours to three days and involve anywhere from five to one hundred people—depending on the size of the organization and the number of senior executives typically involved in making such key organizational decisions (including, ideally, union leaders or agents if relevant). Naturally, the formal presentations by the consultants and the crucial discussions among senior executives can be greatly facilitated by a well-organized meeting. Any logistical problems should be managed beforehand—or, if unavoidable, behind the scenes.

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Stage 2: Diagnosing the Problems

When the executives and consultants believe that all the conditions for success are present—that the program has been initiated properly—the diagnostic stage of planned change can proceed. Now the objective is to develop a deep understanding of all the problems (barriers) facing the organization as well as its opportunities (channels) for success.

While managers or other members of the organization often believe they can obtain a valid diagnosis on their own (for example, with employee surveys, focused interviews, or casual observations), it is imperative to obtain an objective diagnosis via specially trained consultants—which usually requires outside consultants until the members can be entirely forthright and candid with one another. Furthermore, only one-on-one, face-to-face interviews can hope to capture the full range and depth of issues that impact on members. Since this diagnosis guides all decisions on scheduling and implementing the program, the organization would be taking unnecessary risks with its future if it were to make these key decisions with a simplistic, superficial, and possibly inaccurate view of itself.

The expert consultants, with the aid of key managers (who have access to organization charts and job positions), develop a detailed plan to gather diagnostic information from members throughout the organization. The objective is to sample each level in the hierarchy—and each division and department—in order to get a representative sample of the organization. The Coordinator, of course, is responsible for managing all the logistical issues involved with both scheduling and conducting the one-on-one interviews—which, for large organizations, can involve as many as 350 members and 12 consultants.

Once all the diagnostic interviews have been conducted, the consultants propose how implementing the Five-Track Program can remove all the identified barriers to organizational success—while building upon the channels to success. Figure P.2 shows the model that is used to organize the diagnostic results. A report is prepared and presented to the senior executives in a three to four-hour meeting. Often, this is the same group that participated in the first meeting on initiating the program (anywhere from five to one hundred people). During this meeting, the consultants and executives also discuss how the organization can proceed with the next stage of the program. So long as the Coordinator effectively manages all the necessary arrangements for this meeting, the key people can focus their attention on the crucial process and political issues of managing planned change, instead of being distracted by one or more logistical flaws—either prior to or during the meeting.

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Mobilizing the Shadow Track

Responsibility for managing the remaining stages of planned change is neither delegated to the consultants nor assigned to any staff group. Instead, a "shadow track" (running parallel to all five tracks) is formed just after the decision is made to proceed: This special track assumes full responsibility for the success of the program. Its members—consisting of senior executives and an equal number of members who represent all levels and areas in the organization—are selected by the top management group. (The number of shadow trackers can vary from five to twenty-five members, depending on the size of the organization.) Knowing that the rest of the membership will judge the fairness of the selection process always seems to motivate the senior executives to develop a process that they can defend—easily, rationally, and publicly. Then, if necessary, a special all-day workshop is held for the purpose of getting the shadow track off to a good start. Thereafter, members of the shadow track meet periodically to monitor the impact of the program on the functioning of the organization and find methods for improving the implementation process: They are asked to be as imaginative and proactive as possible in making sure that the program succeeds.

Typically, the shadow trackers are expected to keep in regular contact with the units they are representing throughout the organization. They also develop and utilize a special-purpose information system so that negative attitudes, feelings, and any difficulties with the program can surface. In this way, the shadow track (using the professional judgment of the consultants) has a basis for adjusting its efforts to address the evolving needs, concerns, and problems of the organization. And when positive experiences signify the desired direction of change, it is very important to share such critical incidents with the whole organization. While accounts of what other organizations have experienced with a completely integrated program may inspire some members to try new ways of doing things, no example is ever as powerful as discovering how a work group in the very same organization has actively applied the principles and practices of the program. Sometimes, the shadow track develops its own newsletter (or makes use of an existing publication) to publicize improvements and serve as a general forum for question-and-answer dialogue. Essentially, the consultants and the members of the shadow track meet regularly to consider all the ways in which the needs of members and the organization itself can be met and positive changes can be celebrated.

As might be expected, the Coordinator plays a key role in planning the arrangements of the first one-day workshop that mobilizes the shadow track into action. Afterwards, the Coordinator facilitates the scheduling of all regular shadow track meetings and the sharing of information that flows between the shadow track and the rest of the membership. As a result, most organizations will find it convenient to place the Logistics Coordinator on the shadow track—either as a regular member or in an ex-officio capacity.

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Stage 3: Scheduling the Tracks

For this stage of planned change, the Coordinator must understand the general goal of each track and why the five tracks are scheduled—and then implemented—in a particular sequence. Next, the Coordinator must become familiar with the contents of the whole Workbook in order to see how the five tracks are operationalized (with lectures, exercises, surveys, cases, discussions, presentations) and scheduled into one-day-per-month workshop sessions for all participants in the program. Once the expert consultants and the senior executives have formalized the schedule, the Coordinator is responsible for handling the logistical aspects so that the schedule takes place as planned—although many changes to the original schedule will certainly occur during the implementation stage.

To begin with, the five tracks are grouped into two parts: the first three tracks and the last two tracks. The first three tracks (culture, skills, and team) address the barriers to success in the informal organization, while the last two tracks (strategy-structure and reward system) deal with the barriers in the formal systems. As a complete set, therefore, all five tracks can change all the controllable variables summarized in the Barriers to Success model (Figure P.2). But what does each track do?

The culture track enhances trust, communication, information sharing, and a willingness to change among members—the conditions that must exist before any improvement effort can succeed. The skills track provides all personnel with improved ways of managing people and problems. The team track infuses the new culture and enhanced skills into each work unit in the organization. Building on this foundation from the first three tracks, the strategy-structure track develops either a completely new or a revised strategic plan for the firm and then aligns all divisions, departments, work groups, jobs, and all resources with the new strategic direction. Completing the sequence, the reward system track establishes a performance-based reward system that helps sustain all improvements by officially sanctioning the new culture, the use of updated skills, and cooperative team efforts within and between all work groups.

This sequence of the five tracks is, perhaps, the most important principle to understand—and honor. While it might be tempting to try to improve things by first modifying the formal aspects of the organization (the last two tracks), such an approach inevitably leads to failure: Changing the formal systems on paper, for example, cannot result in behavioral change on the job—unless members are willing and able to change. If there is mistrust, defensive communication, deficient problem-solving skills, and little cooperation across departments, better formal systems can neither be designed nor implemented.

Alternatively, by first proceeding to improve the informal aspects of the organization (the first three tracks), the membership can develop the necessary culture, skills, and teamwork for effectively managing all its crucial business, technical, and organizational problems—including its formal systems. Even so, the first three tracks—by themselves—are not enough: If the formal systems (particularly the reward system) are not eventually redesigned as needed, any short-term improvements in the informal organization will fade away. Thus all five tracks—in sequence—are needed to create and sustain organization-wide improvement.

To put the theory of the five tracks into practice, the essential materials have been provided in the Workbook for Implementing the Tracks: Volumes I and II, which consists of fifteen chapters organized into four parts: Understanding the Program, The First Three Tracks, The Last Two Tracks, and Evaluating the Program.

In Part One, Chapters 1 and 2 provide the background knowledge that all participants should have for understanding the completely integrated program and the sequence of five tracks. In Part Two, Chapters 3 through 11 include all the materials for the first three tracks (culture track, skills track, team track) in three one-day sessions each, which are conducted for all participants in the program. In Part Three, Chapters 12 through 14 include all the materials for the last two tracks (strategy-structure track, reward system track), which are comprised of two task forces of about 15 to 25 persons each (with little or no overlap in membership between the two tracks). Since participants usually want to know what takes place during these last two tracks (even though they are being represented by their coworkers), the basic materials are included for all. In Part Four, Chapter 15 provides five surveys (and work sheets) that can be used to evaluate the results of the program—using the same assessments that were administered during the earlier tracks of the program.

With the purpose in mind of scheduling participants for the Five-Track Program, note the following terms to avoid confusion: Tracks are broad topics pertaining to organizational barriers to success (culture, skills, teams, and so on). Sessions are subdivisions of each track into one-day workshops (say, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM). Sections are the participants who are assigned to attend each session together—as one community (say, ten work groups all meet as one section on the third Friday every month, in the same room for each session). More specifically, usually about 50 to 100 participants are assigned to one section to attend each session in a track—led by one or two facilitators (or consultants). Just how many sections of participants are needed to enable all organizational members to go through the earlier tracks depends, of course, on the size of the organization (for example, 25 sections of 100 participants each allows for an organization of 2500 employees to be fully involved in any session for any track).

During the first three tracks of the program, organizations usually find it most convenient to conduct just one formal session per month for one full day. Each of the chapters in Part Two, in fact, has been designed for a one-day session (for example, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM), with the next one-day session occurring about one month later. Since there is a mutual relationship between establishing a healthy culture and learning new skills, the first two tracks rotate sessions: Culture Track—Session One, Skills Track—Session One, Culture Track—Session Two, Skills Track—Session Two, and so forth (as revealed by the Brief Table of Contents in the Workbook). Then the team track is conducted in three consecutive sessions in order to foster the transition from learning new behavior in the workshop to applying it in the workplace. If this design is followed, the first three tracks can be conducted in nine months (three sessions for each of three tracks)—unless, of course, extra sessions are conducted due to the unique aspects of the organization (revealed in the diagnosis and managed by the consultants).

Since the main purpose of the earlier tracks is to learn (and then apply) better ways of managing people and problems in the workplace, each one-day session includes work group meetings (so that members can discuss the topics and practice the behavior with the same people they work with on the job). Similarly, since every session concludes with a homework assignment to be completed—on the job—before the next formal session takes place, it is especially important that actual work groups learn the materials at the same time and in the same way. For logistical reasons, therefore, all sections should be composed—as much as possible—with natural work groups intact. The single exception is the boss: For most applications of the program (based on the diagnostic report), only peer groups meet during the first two tracks in order to foster a safe learning environment. The bosses (from first-line supervisors up through senior executives) meet in their own peer groups during the first two tracks of the program. Even if several levels of management are meeting together in the same section for the lectures (due to logistical convenience), all work group discussions still take place in peer groups. (The president or chief executive officer, incidentally, usually works with his or her direct reports unless this arrangement is expected to limit the quality of the discussion, in which case the CEO is kept removed for the first few sessions in the program.) When the team track begins, however, the makeup of the sections is changed so that the immediate boss is brought back—reunited—in each work group for all group discussions (unless, of course, this separation of boss and subordinates was never felt to be necessary based on the diagnostic interviews). This is the only way to ensure that the new knowledge gained from the prior sessions can be applied directly to the job.

Scheduling the last two tracks involves the formation of two separate task forces of about fifteen to twenty-five persons each (depending on the size of the organization). One task force addresses the strategy-structure problems that were revealed during the diagnostic stage while the other task force addresses the reward system problems. The people chosen for these special missions not only represent all levels and areas in the company, but they also have demonstrated leadership during the prior tracks. (The shadow track designs and manages the process for selecting the participants for the last two tracks of the program.) Following their deliberations, these two task forces present their recommendations to senior management for improving the organization's strategy-structure and reward system. Based on the time frame for redesigning the formal systems in the organization, one to two sessions per month for six to eighteen months should be sufficient to remove the strategy-structure and reward system barriers to success.

There are many logistical details involved in establishing these last two tracks, scheduling meetings, and facilitating communication between the tracks and the rest of the organization. In most cases, however, after the tracks have met for several sessions, they tend to rely on themselves for scheduling their meetings and addressing whatever logistical issues might arise.

Figure P.3 illustrates scheduling the tracks, including the shadow track. This example—and it is only an example—assumes one formal session per month for the duration of the program and three formal sessions per track for the first three tracks. The horizontal bar for each track signifies an ongoing series of off-site meetings (held in a workshop) and on-site meetings (held at the workplace) set up to pursue the topic in question. As the figure shows, a track does not have to be completed before the next track begins. In most cases, the first two tracks are conducted in alternating sessions, since a healthy culture is necessary to learn new skills—and vice versa. The team track should not begin, however, until the first two tracks have accomplished their purposes. And the last two tracks should not be initiated until enough employees throughout the organization can apply the new culture and skills—on the job.

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Stage 4: Implementing the Tracks

The Workbook for Implementing the Tracks: Volumes I and II offers all the essential materials for conducting every one-day workshop in the program (as supplemented by any special materials that are designed to address the unique barriers to success in the organization). It is essential that the Logistics Coordinator not only be familiar with the content of all parts and chapters of the Workbook, but also know when these materials should be distributed to the participants as each session in the program is conducted.

The organization of the Workbook into parts and chapters conforms to the way in which most organizations prefer to distribute these materials to the participants in the program. Part One (Understanding the Program) should be distributed before any of the formal sessions begin—as a total package of background material for all participants. Part Two (The First Three Tracks) can be distributed to participants one chapter at a time—at the start of each one-day session for a given track. Part Three (The Last Two Tracks) can be given to all participants when the two special task forces are about to be established—as a total package of materials on redesigning the formal systems in the organization.

To assist this preferred approach for distributing the Workbook, all the material is shrink-wrapped into parts (with the exception of Part Two, which is shrink-wrapped into chapters for each one-day session) and is printed on three-hole punched paper for easy insertion into two three-ring binders: The binder for Volume I contains Chapters 1 through 8 and the binder for Volume II contains Chapters 9 through 15 (a fairly equal division of material into two halves). Another good reason for packaging the Workbook this way is to enable unique materials to be interspersed freely between chapters and parts. These additional materials can be paginated properly as well, since each chapter is numbered separately. Alternatively, all unique materials can be organized into another three-ring binder of "special topics," either during or after the Five-Track Program.

This neat, logical, and tidy design—and packaging—of the Workbook might falsely suggest that the program itself unfolds in a like manner. Such a well-planned schedule, however, never takes place as intended: There are always surprises. Human nature and living systems simply do not lend themselves to an entirely predictable path. Besides, if people believe they are being programmed in any way, it is not unlike them to purposely do something illogical, irrational, and completely unexpected just to show how independent they really are!

The basic issue throughout implementation, therefore, is flexibility. As the schedule is implemented, both the shadow track and the consultants must look for cues, take suggestions, and, in short, adapt. For example, special requests will be made for counseling and feedback sessions, for staff meetings, additional culture workshops, more skills training, and so on. In each case, the consultants and the shadow track must consider the request and respond according to their principles and their sense of what will work. It is not unusual, therefore, for the consultants to suggest additional—unique—workshop materials for the organization in order to supplement the generic materials provided in the Workbook. The evolving needs of the organization (and the constant surprises from a dynamic environment) can never be anticipated with any prepackaged workbook—no matter how well conceived.

To be in sync with the many changes and complications that typically occur during the implementation stage, the Logistics Coordinator must be extremely flexible and adaptive during the process of managing all the behind-the-scenes aspects of the program. Surprises should be met as challenges to be addressed—not as an unnecessary deviations from "the plan." Providing quality service to the customer (the participants going through the program and the consultants conducting the sessions) is the primary objective—not rigidly and dogmatically sticking to the original schedule at all costs.

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Stage 5: Evaluating the Results

Typically this fifth and last stage of the completely integrated program receives the least time and attention of all the stages of planned change. By the time the participants have redesigned their formal systems via the last two tracks, the primary energy of all the members is directed to managing complex business and technical problems—rather than being devoted to attending workshop sessions and learning new material. A comparable shift in focus is experienced by the facilitators: Once they have initiated the process for the last two tracks, they generally spend most of their time sitting in the back of the room just observing how the members of the organization manage continuous improvement—on their own. Similarly, the Logistics Coordinator gradually spends more time on other projects as the members in the last two tracks begin taking charge of their own affairs. At this point in the program, many members, including senior managers, are usually well convinced of the results of the program without needing a formal assessment. They can see the improvements themselves.

What is the need, then, for a formal evaluation beyond various ad hoc impressions and experiences? Formal evaluations tend to confirm these informal assessments and systematize the results for the organization. Perhaps the more vocal members are not a good representation of the membership. It may be that the quieter members are more dissatisfied with the results of the program than are their more vocal counterparts. Or it could be that the more vocal individuals are more negative about the outcomes while the silent majority is very satisfied. It is therefore important that a representative assessment be conducted to achieve a balanced—accurate—evaluation. At a minimum, one could argue that it is essential to evaluate the results of the program in order to learn what nagging barriers to success may still need attention.

There are at least three approaches to evaluation that can be utilized to assess the impact of the program in a systematic manner: (1) diagnostic interviews, (2) surveys and instruments, and (3) "bottom-line" measures. Only the first two approaches, however, concern the Coordinator.

Regarding the first approach, one can think of "evaluating the results" as similar to conducting a second round of "diagnosing the problems." It should not be necessary, however, to interview as large a number of people as was done for the first diagnosis. Having learned "the language" during the program, participants should find it easy to zero in on the key issues and even use the Barriers to Success model (Figure P.2) to discuss their perceptions for the interviewers. Nor is it essential to use outside consultants as interviewers: Assuming greater openness and honesty throughout the organization, appropriately trained internal consultants or trusted associates can collect valid diagnostic data—even in group settings. Thus, one can feel certain that the full range of real issues will be revealed during an internally conducted "mini-diagnosis," so long as a representative sample of members is interviewed. The Coordinator may be asked to manage the logistics of the diagnostic interviews—as was the case during the diagnostic stage of planned change.

Besides using diagnostic interviews to assess perceptions and opinions in a qualitative manner, surveys can be used to test the resolution of organizational problems in a quantitative manner. Part Four (Chapter 15) of the Workbook provides reassessments of five surveys that were used during the earlier tracks of the program, which the Coordinator may be asked to distribute—at the right time—to the membership.

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A DEDICATION TO THE LOGISTICS COORDINATOR

You are the person who must provide the behind-the-scenes magic that allows everyone else to concentrate on the prime objective: continuous organization-wide improvement. By approaching this important mission with professional commitment and a willingness to respond quickly to difficult situations, you will add significant value to your organization. During many applications of the Five-Track Program, it was, in fact, the Logistics Coordinator who resolved complex problems more effectively than anyone else in the organization could ever imagine. I dedicate this manual to the unsung heroines and heroes of planned change.

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STAGE 1: INITIATING THE PROGRAM

OVERVIEW

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THE FIRST FORMAL MEETING

The first stage of planned change may begin in any number of ways. For example, a key member of the organization may have studied the book, Managing Beyond the Quick Fix, heard the tape, Escaping the Quick Fix Trap, attended a public workshop on the Five-Track Program, or talked with someone who is presently going through—or has completed—the workshop sessions in the Five-Track Program. In any case, the seed has already taken root and your organization is apparently ready to have an internal or external expert (consultant or facilitator) present an overview of the program to your organization's senior executives. The purpose of this presentation is to provide background information on the theories and principles behind the program, determine whether it is compatible with the organization's way of approaching organization-wide improvement, assess if sufficient resources will be devoted to the program, and decide if the program can be implemented with all internal consultants or whether a combination of internal and external facilitators is needed and desirable.

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A Small-Scale Meeting

The scale of this first formal meeting on the Five-Track Program derives from the corporate culture and political process in the organization for gathering information and making such far-reaching decisions. On the smaller side of the scale, if a three-hour meeting is scheduled for five to twenty people, the arrangements are the same as for a typical office meeting: About four weeks before the presentation, the Coordinator will send a letter to the relevant executives informing them of the purpose of the meeting, its agenda, meeting time, and location. (In most cases, it will be held in a large office or conference room.) The Coordinator will also contact the consultant to determine his or her audiovisual needs for the meeting. For example, will the consultant need flip charts, markers, an overhead (or slide) projector and screen, and material to be copied and distributed? If the meeting starts at 9:00 AM, the Coordinator will also want to arrange for coffee and danishes for 8:30 AM or 8:45 AM. The Coordinator will also send a meeting reminder at least two weeks prior to the date. On the day of the meeting, the Coordinator will arrive at the meeting site at least one hour early to ensure that the room has note pads and pencils, that all the needs and requirements of the consultant have been met, that the coffee and danishes have arrived on time, and so on.

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A Large-Scale Meeting

Consider a much larger meeting to coordinate: In one application of the Five-Track Program, the Logistics Coordinator was given four months in which to organize a three-day workshop for its ninety top managers. The top managers made such decisions in this manner: They wanted to know exactly what to expect—in great detail—and to involve all the managers whose sections would be participating in the Five-Track Program. The checklist that the Coordinator followed is shown below:

Checklist for a Three-Day Workshop

Key Decision Makers:
- Who makes the final decisions about the schedule?
- Who makes the final decisions about the content?
- Who signs the bills?
- Who is the main contact with the facilitator (consultant)?
Budget:
- What is the budget?
- Who is authorized to sign contracts?
- Is the Coordinator authorized to spend over the budget?
- If the Coordinator is permitted to spend over budget, what is the limit? What are the consequences of going over budget?
- What is the company's procedure for paying the bills?
- What recordkeeping will be necessary?
Participants:
- How many people will attend the workshop?
- What is the makeup of the audience? What setup do they expect? What are they used to? What will they enjoy?
- Will there be diverse nationalities present?
- Any handicapped or in need of special services?
Schedule:
- What are the dates of the workshop?
- What is the general outline for each day—for example, start and end times, approximate schedule for breaks and lunch?
Facilitator (Consultant):
- What are the facilitator's expectations?
- What are his or her dietary needs?
- What special arrangements are requested? Speaker table? Reserved seating? Water or other beverage at speaker table?
- Are the facilitator's travel and hotel accommodations to be made by the company? Should ground transportation be arranged?
- How will the facilitator be paid?
- What are the audiovisual needs?
- Who is responsible for obtaining and distributing workshop materials (and supplies)? The facilitator or the company?
- How does the facilitator want the main room arranged?
- Are any breakout rooms needed? How many? How should they be arranged? Do they need to be available at all times?
Food Service:
- What special dietary needs will have to be considered?
  - Meatless dishes
  - Kosher food
  - Caffeine-free and diet beverages
  - Healthy foods and light snacks (as opposed to pastries, gravies, and deep-fried food)
Conference Facility:
- What facility can accommodate the particular needs of the workshop? What are all the options?
  - Are all three days available?
  - Does the site have facilities for the handicapped?
  - Are breakout rooms available? At what charge?
  - Can they handle the number of people comfortably?
  - Are there enough public restrooms?
  - Are there coatrooms?
  - What audiovisual equipment is available? What is the cost?
  - Can food service be handled efficiently to stay within the allotted timeframe for lunches and breaks?
  - Is the lighting adequate?
  - How is the service?
  - Is the heating and cooling system adequate?
  - What additional services are available: fax, copying, telephones, and so on?
- What company services can be used in order to keep down costs (for example, in-house audiovisual equipment, sound engineers, reprographics)?
- In what area of town are the conference facilities located? Is the facility easily accessible during bad road conditions? Is parking adequate for rainy or cold weather?
Logistics Team:
- How many people will be needed to help the Coordinator?
- What specific tasks are involved? Examples include:
  - Maintain a database/list of attendees.
  - Reproduce special workshop materials.
  - Actual setup of meetings: pencils, pens, workshop materials.
  - Select a backup Coordinator: someone who can step in and do the job in the absence of the Coordinator.
  - Audiovisual setup.
Recordkeeping:

What recordkeeping is required?
How detailed should the budget recordkeeping be? Who needs to see an accounting of the budget?

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The key decision maker who is ultimately responsible for initiating the Five-Track Program should announce this first formal meeting and its purpose to all relevant executives. In the case of the ninety people who would be attending the three-day workshop, this memo was sent three months in advance of the meeting:

Memorandum 1.1

TO:1234567All Managers
FROM:1234:Henry Harris, Senior Vice President
DATE:12345February 12, 1985
SUBJECT:12Three-Day Workshop on the Five-Track Program

I am pleased to announce that we have arranged for Ralph H. Kilmann, the author of Managing Beyond the Quick Fix, to conduct a three-day workshop on his Five-Track Program for organization-wide improvement. The purpose of this workshop is to expose us to his specific methods so that we can decide whether this program will be of value to our company.

Essentially, the "completely integrated program" is a carefully designed sequence of five tracks. The first three tracks address the people side of the organization: the culture track, skills track, and the team track. The last two tracks address the formal side of the organization—the various systems, resources, technologies and documents that guide what people in the organization are supposed to do: the strategy-structure track and reward system track. According to Dr. Kilmann, without first improving the informal organization, any effort at improving the formal systems will be hampered—existing on paper, perhaps, but not operating as intended.

Please mark your calendar for the three-day workshop that will be held at the Breckenridge Hotel, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on Wednesday, May 15 through Friday, May 17, 1985. If you are unable to attend this extremely important workshop, please contact Janet Slocum (x81645) by no later than February 28, 1985.

I look forward to your attendance. Your support and participation will enable our company to make the best decision regarding what approach to take for continuously improving our organization.

Copies: The CEO and Members of the Quality Management Committee

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Two weeks prior to the workshop, the following meeting reminder was sent to all attendees.

Memorandum 1.2

TO:1234567All Managers
FROM:1234:Henry Harris, Senior Vice President
DATE:12345April 29, 1985
SUBJECT:12Reminder for the Three-Day Workshop

DATE:12345 May 15 to 17, 1985
LOCATION:: Breckenridge Hotel, Windsor Ballroom
TIME:12345 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.
DRESS:123: Casual

NOTE: Your attendance and participation in this three-day workshop are essential. But just in case you can't attend, please contact Janet Slocum (x81645) as soon as possible.

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One Week Before

One week prior to the three-day workshop, the Coordinator received the materials from the consultant. She reviewed the handouts to familiarize herself with the type of item to be reproduced, and kept backup copies for reference. When the copying was complete, she transported all the materials to the hotel.

The Coordinator met with key people at the conference facility to again review all details: from housekeeping to each item on the menu. She also met with the audiovisual team to coordinate all the details of equipment needed at the facility.

Three Days Before

The Coordinator gave a final headcount to the conference facility for table arrangements and food service. She asked if the staff could set up the main meeting room the evening before the workshop. The answer was "yes" and she made arrangements to do so.

The Evening Before

She checked the room layout, sat in the chairs, and made sure the tables were arranged so that the participants could move freely around the room. She checked lighting, heating and cooling, and virtually every inch of the facility to make sure it was clean and up to the agreed-upon standards stemming from all the prior discussions. Lastly, she put the handouts on the tables, checked the audiovisual equipment, and placed the proper signs by the doors.

Meeting Days

The Coordinator arrived at the conference facility about an hour and a half before the start of the workshop and checked every detail with the conference manager and food service manager.

She met the facilitator at the beginning of each meeting and briefed him on any changes for that day. She gave him the day's logistics, which included the location of the breakout rooms and lunch area. She gave him the contact names and numbers for those at the conference facility as well as herself and others who could help out just in case anything went wrong. The Coordinator met him again at the end of each day, just to check progress and make changes as needed.

CONCLUSION

UCLA Every organization develops its preferred way of running meetings and conducting workshops. By keeping in close contact with the customers (the executives and the consultants) it is more likely that their needs can be met and the meeting will be a success. Certainly, the presentations and discussions that lead to the initiation of a long-term program of planned change will be greatly facilitated if the key decision makers can focus on the topic at hand—and not be distracted by logistical mishaps. Providing for a smooth-functioning discussion in pleasant surroundings is one key responsibility of the Logistics Coordinator.

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Logistics Manual for Implementing the Tracks: Planning and Organizing Workshop Sessions (Newport Coast, CA: Organizational Design Consultants, 1992-2007)

by Ralph H. Kilmann

Experience:

Leadership:

Communication Skills:

Key Decision Makers:

Memorandum 1.1

One Week Before

Three Days Before

The Evening Before

Meeting Days