Management Training

KCS Leadership Workshop

KCS success requires a new way to think about and manage knowledge workers. The profound KCS benefits of reducing organizational costs while improving the customer’s experience and success are realized by shifting the organization from a transaction-centric model to a knowledge-centric model.

The single, most frequent point of failure in making this transition and sustaining the benefit is management’s failure to embrace the needed leadership practices and value-based measures. The traditional approach of hierarchical organizational structures, linear processes, activity-based measures, and performance assessment does not promote (and in many cases discourages) KCS behaviors.

The Digital Transformation Fundamentals and Managing in a Digital Economy self-paced online training courses offered by the Consortium for Service Innovation are designed to set the context for what we mean by Digital Transformation, why it's important, and how the ways we assess contribution and performance have to change.  These online courses are an excellent introduction or refresher for these ideas.

The KCS Leadership Workshop is intended for managers in organizations who are adopting the KCS practices. The workshop develops the perspective, concepts, and skills needed to successfully lead a knowledge-centered organization.

During the KCS Design Session, the team creates a Performance Assessment Model. These performance metrics are validated during Wave I. Once Wave I is in progress and reports are available, the managers participate in a KCS Leadership Workshop to learn how to interpret the trends in the leading indicators (activities), the outcome indicators, radar charts, Content Standard Checklist, and Process Adherence Review (PAR). Most importantly, mangers learn how to have a conversation with knowledge workers about KCS understanding, buy-in, and behaviors – not about the numbers!  If knowledge workers engage in the right behaviors and exercise good judgment in using the Solve Loop techniques in the context of the desired outcomes, great things happen.

This workshop gives managers a new perspective on their role and introduces managers to the power of:

• The inherent motivational elements in the KCS methodology
  • a sense of accomplishment (mastery), a sense of responsibility (autonomy), recognition of contribution, and more interesting work are consistently motivating
  • rewards and punishment are not sustainable motivators
• Replacing linear process models with double loop processes
• Value-based measures instead of activity-based measures
• Performance conversations that focus on KCS understanding, buy-in, and behaviors - not the numbers
• Engagement and influence (versus command and control)
• Leading versus managing