Owen abroad

Archive for April, 2004

Targets for the management of businesses, including public services, do more harm than good. Target setting is based on a command and control mindset which assumes that the job of managers is to find a way to “get the workers to do the work”. The Civil Service has taught managers that our job is to manage people and manage budgets; and that we should drive performance through the organisation by setting targets, monitoring activity and appraising performance. This isn’t right. Our job is to understand what our customers want from us; and then to design systems and ensure that we have the capability to deliver. Targets do not motivate people: they get in the way. We need to move away from bosses in a management factory doing the thinking while the workers do the work. Read the full article here