What is RPM?
RPM is a method for organization development. It helps uniting hierarchical and network structures, process and project management, teamwork and management control in a coherent, dialogue based management style. RPM equals to more efficient and more effective co-operation, organization wide.
What are results of applying RPM?
Smooth control cycles. RPM involves all teams in the management cycle and stimulates more efficient documenting. Teams and managers are able to be more professional in planning, doing, checking and acting.
Insight through dialogue. Co-workers and managers get a better overview and understanding of close by and remote management matters. This improves mutual understanding, motivation and effective action.
Flexibility to keep up with markets. RPM helps creating a new structure type with seamless integration of process orientation and classical hierarchy. Frequent 'tilting' and restructuring become unnecessary. This enhances flexibility and makes the organization more agile.
More return on investments in management concepts. RPM creates a common platform for all applied management concepts, like Six Sigma, Balanced Score Cards, TQM, EFQM, ISO guidelines, 360 degrees feedback, BPR, etc. These concepts become cheaper in maintenance, yield more and last longer.
Continuity. RPM embeds easily in the jargon and culture of the organization. Backdrop is seldom. Learning and improving becomes structural.
For whom is RPM?
RPM was developed for organizations where communication is often written and travels along layers. These may be large, complex or geographically spread organizations. The method applies to profit as well as not-for-profit, and to industry as well as services.
How does it work?
The core of RPM is about learning to ask the right questions. Why? Suppose you want other people, say employees, co-workers, teams, managers, customers or suppliers, to be committed. Asking questions will sooner get you there then giving orders, critising people, or even giving good examples. Questions can make people think, they may improve openness and transparency, and may stimulate self reflection. A well designed question, at the right time, can make people move ahead.
RPM helps organizations to master the art of asking management questions. It helps to create balances in communication: teams will ask questions to management, management regularly queries teams, in a genuine two way mode.
Implementation in five steps
1. Orientation: introduction, quick scan, preparing choices
2. Objectives: top conference, project start
3. Preparation: customizing a question set, (re)design a process and team network, visualizing the management cycle
4. Roll out: process, HR, and result management in a new style
5. Continuity: safeguards for the increased innovation speed
How can I learn more?
Read Dutch? Switch language (top of this page) and select a site tour. Otherwise: call Quality Research in Groningen, The Netherlands.