CHL Self-Study Lesson Plan Lesson No. CHL 346 (Supervisory Continuing Education - SCE)

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2 Lesson No. CHL 346 (Supervisory Continuing Education - SCE) Sponsored by: by Ronald Cichy, Ph.D., O.M. Professor The School of Hospitality Business Michigan State University and Jack Ninemeier, Ph.D. Professor Emeritus The School of Hospitality Business Michigan State University Leaders Must Know How to Plan The responsibilities of CS leaders typically involve numerous activities related to planning, organizing, staffing, directing, controlling, and evaluating. While some leadership principles apply to each of these activities (examples: required inplanning SMARTER Objectives Learning Objectives 1. Describe the difference between goals and objectives 2. explain that planning is an important practice for successful leaders 3. review examples of leadership activities that require careful planning 4. discuss how SMARTER planning objectives can be developed Supervisory Continuing Education (SCE) lessons provide members with ongoing education focusing on supervisory or management issues. These lessons are designed for CHL re-certification, but can be of value to any CRCST in a management or supervisory role. You can use these lessons as an in-service with your staff, or visit for online grading at a nominal fee. Each lesson plan graded online with a passing score of 70% or higher is worth two points (2 contact hours). You can use these points toward either your re-certification of CRCST (12 points) or CHL (6 points). Mailed submissions to IAHCSMM will not be graded and will not be granted a point value (paper/pencil grading of the SCE Lesson Plans is not available through IAHCSMM or Purdue University; IAHCSMM accepts only online subscriptions). Leaders must ASSUME NUMEROUS RESPONSIBILITIES as THEY undertake their journey towards attainment of their organization s mission. One very important activity involves planning of many types, and successful planning requires one to master and implement numerous skills. One of the most important planning skills relates to developing goals and objectives to guide the planning process and to evaluate its results. This lesson focuses on relevant factors that should be considered as leaders and their teams develop specific SMARTER objectives. Goals and Objectives One hears the words goals and objectives used interchangeably and, for the purposes of everyday conversation, a distinction may not be necessary. However, experienced leaders know and appreciate that there are significant differences between the two terms that impact the planning process in their organizations. A goal is a broad statement that drives the planning process. In comparison, an objective is a narrow and much more specific indication of what must occur for a broader-stated goal to be attained. In other words, goals suggest general intentions, and objectives indicate tangible and measureable indicators that specify when and the extent to which a goal is achieved. As an example of a goal and related objective, consider a Central Service (CS) leader whose facility is incurring excessive charges for missing parts in loaner sets. A goal that addresses this issue might be: Develop a tracking plan that accounts for each loaner item from its receipt at the facility to its return shipment to the vendor by (date). Each affected department including CS might then be tasked with attaining applicable datespecific objectives including to Identify activities in which loaner set components can be lost or damaged and to Develop or revise loaner set handling processes for each task where handling problems can arise. Factors to consider and many useful tactics to plan and implement goals and objectives are similar. One way to think about goals and objectives considers how to make them SMARTER. While this lesson focuses on SMARTER objectives, successful leaders also have SMARTER goals. november / december 2014 Communiqué

3 formation must be available and affected personnel should be involved in the planning process when possible), there are also sets of specific knowledge and skills applicable to each activity. In fact, entire books, university and college courses, and extensive seminars and workshops are available on each of these topics. Regardless of the type of planning to be undertaken, leaders know the importance of developing goals and objectives and establishing and implementing planning schedules to address them. They also recognize the need for planning to be undertaken at the appropriate level within the facility and to be flexible because situations change. The most effective leaders also know that it is often much easier to plan a plan than it is to implement it. For this reason they often respond by forming crossfunctional teams comprised of members of different teams. They also discuss plan implementation concerns during scheduled and unscheduled team meetings and while conducting individual performance reviews and coaching sessions. Plans for Different Purposes The planning activities undertaken by most CS leaders can be categorized as either strategic or operational. Strategic planning activities are general, futuristic, and often more formal in nature. Consider, for example, a long-range planning process for the CS department. This process may begin with, perhaps, a retreat away from the facility site or, at least, a dedicated amount of uninterrupted (hopefully) time to think about the longer-term future and how to move toward it. The planning process might begin by considering what the future would be like if it were ideal, and then goals to achieve this future related to staffing, productivity, quality, cost, and other ideal factors can be developed. The current status of each of these factors could be considered, and interim goals could be developed to bring the department closer to the ideal. The planning team might then consider objectives for each factor that provide direction for activities designed to attain interim goals that are integral to achieving the longer-term plan. In contrast, operational planning activities are more specific and typically cover a planning horizon of one year or less. For example, quality dashboard metrics may indicate variances between planned and actual operating results. As well, staff turnover may be increasing, the results of training efforts might be judged ineffective, and an increasing number of concerns and complaints from customers may be occurring. Plans to address these and all other operating issues should be developed and implemented now. A challenge often arises as leaders are confronted with day-to-day operating concerns. Their resolution can divert time that could otherwise be invested in focused efforts to consider longer-term achievement potentials addressed in some goals. The development of SMARTER goals and objectives for strategic and operating plans is important. The best leaders know that goals point the way. In contrast, objectives define what must be accomplished and help leaders and their teams evaluate their planning success. Planning SMARTER Objectives SMARTER objectives are so named because the term is an acronym that suggests factors that should be considered as they are developed: Specific Measurable Attainable Relevant Time-bound Empower Relentlessly Specific: Specific objectives define exactly what leaders want to accomplish. This is important because others on the team will need to know how they can assist in achieving the objective. It is often helpful to develop stretch objectives that suggest optimistic achievement levels. Assume a leader believes an objective can be easily attained within six months. He or she might then establish a shorter four- or five- month achievement deadline. Note: some observers may think this process will yield frustration if the objective is not attained. However, planners can measure the extent to which the objective was attained from when it was implemented ( How much progress has been made since we started? ). Then, instead of focusing on the schedule s failure, success as the plan was implemented can be obvious and celebrated. Stretch objectives can often be attained because they can provide an accomplishment incentive to the assigned team. This can prompt team members to work together to remove obstacles that slow progress. Efforts might also yield acceptable improvement revisions to on-going work tasks or other processes that are currently used. It is also useful to keep objectives simple. One way to do so is to identify only one specific issue in each objective. For example, instead of indicating that staff turnover will decrease and productivity will increase by specified amounts in the same objective, these planned accomplishments should be separated into two objectives. Measurable: Measurable objectives are required to make them meaningful for those with planning and implementing responsibilities. Objectives that cannot be quantified cannot be objectively measured. For example, a training program objective stating that Staff will be able to operate the facility s steam sterilizers Communiqué november / december 2014

4 The development of SMARTER goals and objectives for strategic and operating plans is important. The best leaders know that goals point the way. In contrast, objectives define what must be accomplished and help leaders and their teams evaluate their planning success. is not nearly as useful as Staff will be able to operate each of the facility s steam sterilizers according to the specific equipment manufacturers standard operating procedures. In this example, those who plan, deliver, and evaluate training can use the manufacturers written materials as they develop, deliver, and measure the success of the training that is presented. Measurable objectives are also manageable. In the training example just described, a proper objective guides each step of the training process. Likewise, if leaders know objectives have been attained, attention can be shifted to other concerns. In contrast, if the objectives have not been attained, corrective action tactics can be planned and implemented to move the project forward. Attainable: Attainable objectives are more likely to be accepted by those who must implement them than are their unrealistic counterparts. Implementation success is also more likely when those who must implement the plans driven by the objectives have provided input to both the objectives and plans. ( These are my and my team s objectives, not just the leader s objectives. ) Attainable objectives are easily assigned to those associates who will be responsible for their accomplishment, and then they will better understand who is responsible for what, and by when. This is important because, when everyone is responsible, no one is really responsible. Consider a facility-wide objective relating to reduced energy consumption. Without assigning related objectives for each department, including CS, some managers may assume energy reduction plans will be implemented by their peers so they will not need to contribute to the facility s plans. CS leaders are also aware of another potential concern when assigning responsibility to attain objectives. They understand that associates will require time to accomplish their assignments. This is often a serious challenge because staff members are likely already very busy with other specific assignments. How can they perform their existing tasks while accepting additional responsibilities? What are the priorities and what, if any, permanent or temporary changes in work assignments are needed? Leaders delegating activities to achieve objectives must address these questions and work with their associates to resolve applicable challenges. If this is not done, the leader will be contributing to their associates failure to attain objectives. Relevant: Relevant objectives are those deemed most appropriate to successfully address concerns driving the project being planned. While this is obvious, problems can arise when the issue is not properly identified. Consider a manager who has previously encountered a specific problem, taken corrective action, and satisfactorily resolved the issue. Confronted with the same problem now, the manager develops the same objective to drive planning for the present situation. If, in fact, factors creating the problem have changed, the current objective likely will not be satisfactory. As an example, assume shelf-life challenges are occurring with processed and packaged instruments. Previously, this problem was traced to the inappro- november / december 2014 Communiqué

5 SMARTER objectives help leaders evaluate their success and take corrective actions to become more successful, when necessary. They can confirm that limited resources are being effectively utilized to provide maximum benefit to the CS department. As well, leaders can enjoy the benefits of a work environment that has been improved by their previous efforts. priate packaging material. To develop an objective related to investigating packaging materials would not be useful if the current challenge related to inappropriate packaging procedures. In other words, one cannot resolve a procedural problem by addressing a packaging problem. Experienced leaders understand the need to carefully study current situations, formulate possible resolution alternatives,and use a decision-making approach to determine subsequent projects with applicable objectives. Time-bound: Timely objectives are critical. By when should an objective be accomplished if no timeframe is stated? This lesson has explained the importance of stretch goals that have been developed with input from those responsible for project accomplishment. It has also suggested that changes in the priorities of associates to perform existing tasks may be needed to yield the time required to complete special projects. Some managers confronted with an inability to meet an objective s time restraints simply extend the time required for completion. In fact, this tactic may sometimes be necessary. However, it should only be implemented when the project has been appropriately monitored, corrective actions have been taken when project schedules are not met, and required resources have been allocated as necessary. Developing projects with identifiable components and schedule deadlines is, then, a useful way to meet time-bound requirements of objectives. Empower: Those responsible for attaining objectives must be considered when objectives are developed. Associates who will be implementing plans must be qualified to do so. They must have the interest, knowledge and skills, time, and necessary resources to attain the objectives. Objectives are more likely to be attained when those who are responsible for them want the CS department to be successful. They are personally committed to its vision and mission and want to be part of the CS team. They are likely to be interested in objectives related to projects that are part of a mutually planned professional development program that includes job rotation, job enrichment, and cross-functional team activities. Associates who trust, respect, and enable their leaders and want them to be successful are concerned about completion of objectives, and a leader s role in helping to develop this type of relationship cannot be understated. Relentless: Leaders desire to accomplish the objectives they and their teams have established, and they are driven to do so. They want to do the very best that they can do because they are professionals, and they recognize the importance of their responsibilities and how their customers are affected by what they do (and don t do!). In Conclusion SMARTER objectives help leaders evaluate their success and take corrective actions to become more successful, when necessary. They can confirm that limited resources are being effectively utilized to provide maximum benefit to the CS department. As well, leaders can enjoy the benefits of a work environment that has been improved by their previous efforts. This, in turn, will allow leaders to invest their time in planning for the future rather than being challenged by operating problems that could have been avoided or quickly addressed by a SMARTER planning process. Communiqué november / december 2014