TakeOff – how to become more economical and competitive

Dear Sir or Madam

This guest newsletter introduces the project assessment method developed by Gregor Stausberg, “Success-Oriented Prioritisation”.

Today’s projects will decide how successful companies will be tomorrow. Through them, performance will be enhanced, skills developed, opportunities realised, risks reduced and errors eliminated. Their effectiveness decides how fast companies develop and adjust to a changing environment. However, as a major survey has shown, their effectiveness only reaches 13%, which means that more than 80% of resources go to waste.

Prof. Dr. Manfred Gröger had arrived at this alarming result after he asked 962 senior German executives about efficiency and effectiveness of projects.
He estimates that the economic damage to the German economy alone amounts to 150 billion euros per year. Based on the enormous waste he named his survey Project management: A Venture in Value Destruction (in German only).

Why has no one recognised the extent of the problem so far?
On the one hand, troubles with projects are regarded as a normal condition, as almost all companies suffer from them. On the other hand, however, the main reason seems to be that cost calculation is almost completely turning a blind eye to that problem, as all troubles affect the cost-centres for personnel and overhead costs. As those in charge are unable to recognise the true extent of this damage, the real danger is lurking just out of sight, similar to an iceberg.

Not only do failed unsustainable projects, budget overruns and unmet deadlines mean frayed nerves, energy wasted and money squandered, they also slow down the company’s performance, i. e. its ability to quickly react to changes in the environment. This could prove fatal, as “survival of the fittest” also applies to commercial activity.

Achieve twice as much in half the time – TakeOff management
A manifold increase in the effectiveness of measures and projects can be achieved with this solution, as it eradicates the main causes of the problems. It was awarded the Strategy Prize 2012 as companies, within a few months, became more efficient, more adaptable and more competitive – which is exactly what Swiss companies need most in light of the recent decision by the SNB.

As customer examples show, the high degree of effectiveness releases resources and energy that are then available for additional projects. This clearly increases the competitiveness of companies, and allows them to adapt more quickly to changing framework conditions.

By applying TakeOff, companies can systematically overtake their competitors and put clear blue water between them – at least as long as the competitors’ performances are hindered by fragmentation, conflicting priorities and friction losses.

The key to the solution
The key to this solution lies in Success-Oriented Prioritising – a proven method that is ideal to objectively measure, with little effort, the potential benefits of measures and projects. For each project, the decision-maker will receive clear numerical values in the bottom line, showing: 

• the potential benefit
• resource requirements
• how good the relation between these values is.

The comparison of the results allows the recognition of which measure has the highest potential benefit, and which might be most worth implementing. With the help of these clear figures, decisions can be secured, budgets optimised, resources concentrated, and priorities set correctly.

Benefit as the Benchmark for priority
With these clear priority figures, everybody immediately recognises which measures and projects really matter. Thus they are the first to be implemented – without misunderstandings, discussions or delays.
Hence resources and energy are applied where maximum benefit can be achieved – whether a measure allows realisation of an opportunity, implementation of an idea, realisation of potential cost savings, reduction of risk, elimination of errors, or solution of problems.

And as all measures and projects are summarily managed and monitored, you can immediately see which projects are underway, who is responsible, what priority they have, where they got stuck, and where to react to become more competitive and successful.

Event information: an event about this topic will take place on 19 March 2015, to which we – the Efficiency Club Basel, Dr. iur. Madörin from artax Fide Consult AG and I – would like to invite you. Look forward to an evening with a specialist lecture and user presentations. Refreshments will follow to allow discussions and networking (Flyer).

Further information about the event may be found on the homepage of the Efficiency Club Basel. For further information about the solution please get in touch with Mr Stausberg.

About the author:
Gregor Stausberg owner conVek GmbH – expert for efficiency in organisation and leadership – creator of Success-Oriented Prioritisation – author of several specialist books – winner of the Quality Award NRW 2007 and the Strategy Prize 2012
Contact +41 71 672 58 00, info@convek.com, www.convek.com