1

Editorial

Whats going on?

What do you think about EFQM

Is the economic crisis over?

Celebrating 25 years of Excellence

10

Embedding Innovation in your Organisation s DNA

12

Good Practice Competition 2014

18

RADARThe EFQMs Management Tool

19

Saying goodbye to a Legend

22

Editorial
Marc Amblard, EFQM CEO

Dear reader,
In the December 2013 issue of Excellence in Ac on, I went back to the origin of EFQM and its Policy Document
signed in 1988 by the leaders of 67 companies. This was 25 years ago. In order to celebrate this Silver Jubilee, we
are planning for a number of these early adopters some of which are s ll working with us to share their
experience using the EFQM Excellence Model; this will take place during the Forum next October 20-21 in Brussels.
It will be interes ng to hear how it has helped them shape the way they operate and improve their overall
performance over the years.
You may also recall that the President of European Commission, Jacques Delors, was a significant contributor to
crea ng EFQM. Naturally, we want the EU to come and celebrate with us. We are therefore working on a surprise
par cipant from the Commission to echo this memory, with the objec ve to put Excellence under the spotlight at
a high level.
We will finally publish a special edi on book to mark our Silver Jubilee. It will gather the experience of a large
number of organisa ons that use or have used the EFQM Excellence Model. This will include tes monies from
many countries around the world, recognizing the interest the Model has generated outside Europe over the
years. This should provide for an interes ng overview on a wide variety of organisa ons and their ways to deploy
Excellence.
I want to thank everyone who responded to our recent, annual Community Survey. Whether members of EFQM or
not, Model users or not, your percep on of the Model and that of EFQM as an organisa on is improving across the
board. 89% of all respondents think that using the Model helps organisa ons increase compe

veness, 92%

think it is the case to develop a culture of con nuous improvement. 83% of all respondents said EFQM is
eec ve in promo ng Business Excellence with the management community (see more on this survey in this
issue). We appreciate this posi ve feedback and see it as an encouragement to push harder as there is s ll so
much to do.
Lastly, we have heard your request for more value-adding content in your Excellence in Ac on magazine. We hope
that this issue will prove that we have heard you and taken ac on.
Enjoy the reading,

WHATS GOING ON?

Celebrate

years of Excellence

Now that 2014 is well underway, we are all launching projects that should help us reach Excellence. Are you ready
some new challenges? Here at EFQM we certainly are and we have planned a year full of exci ng events, star ng
with EFQMs 25th Anniversary, the Good Prac ce Compe

on and the EFQM Excellence Awards, to only reveal a

few. To find out more, read on.

What else do we have in store for you?

EFQM Knowledge Base
Full of Tools, Good Prac ces and Material to help you on your Journey to Excellence. There are over 100 good
prac ces, tools and guides for our members to download for free.
More Good Prac ce Visits
In Europe and outside of Europe to oer you more opportuni es to learn from the Best!
More Webinars
To support your Journey towards Excellence and Share what Works.

This years EFQM Excellence Awards

Its me the think about registering to compete in the EFQM Excellence Awards! This year it will be held in the
beau ful Brussels at the Dolce la Hulpe and Auto World.

In This Issue

x

New faces at EFQM

x

Embed Innova on in
your organisa on

x

The Good Prac ce

Compe on 2014

x

EFQM Excellence
Awards 2014

x

EFQMs 25th year!

EFQM staff

New faces at EFQM

As me passes people take chances and seize opportuni es. Lately you may have
met new EFQM workers who joined the Team to replace those who con nued their
Journey Towards Excellence on a dierent path. Dont hesitate to contact them
should you need help or support!
Regina joined EFQM in January 2013, you may have already met her through an
email reply from infobox and through a phone call. She is part of Member Rela ons
Team.
Sylvia joined the Publica on and Training Team in 2013, she helps suppor ng the
administra ve processes. She studied educa on and was a teacher for the past two
years in an elementary school. If you experience a problem with orders or training,
she might be able to help you, dont hesitate to contact her.
Ccile is working on the marke ng and communica on since August 2013. She
used to work for GDF Suez and wrote a thesis about Business Intelligence in China.
You can send your ideas and she will do her best to improve EFQMs way of
communica ng with you!
Berta joined EFQM at the beginning of 2014. With a strong knowledge of
languages (shes fluent in six), she has joined our Member Rela ons Team.
Cdric also joined EFQM at the beginning of 2014. Recently graduated from the
Free University of Brussels, he is a journalist and creator of a news website. At
EFQM, he will be the point of contact of members and support the daily work of his
department. He also joined the Member Rela ons Team.

Last December we sent

out a survey to the
Excellence Community to
try and figure out what
people thought of EFQM.
More precisely, we wanted to understand how the
EFQM Excellence Model
and EFQM as an organisaon are perceived. This
is the third year we have
run this survey.
We emailed more than
20,000 contacts, as well
as pos ng the link on various social media sites, to
reach as many people as
possible and be able to
get a clear picture.
Having a large sample
(over 500 responses) is
essen al to perform a
proper segmented analysis of all our stakeholders
opinions and understand
their expecta ons regarding EFQM and the Model.
Member or not, EFQM
Model user of not, partners, trainers and consultants, we pursued everyones opinion. A big
Thank You for your contribu on.

The survey clearly shows that the percep on of the EFQM Excellence Model within
the community is posi ve and that this has improved over the last 3 years in most
of the areas included:

However, from our perspec ve, the best news is that you recognise the
Heres what you told us...

improvements weve made to the way we work as a Founda on over the last few

years:
6

Whilst the trends do show were improving, we know were far from perfect. And, given what we do as a
Founda on, thats something we will to address. We went through every one of your comments to be er
understand what really ma ers to you and where you think we need to focus our eorts. One of the things that
became immediately apparent from this analysis was our communica on. Many of you were asking for products or
services that we already provide you just dont know it!

We are adding new Good Prac ces to the Knowledge base on a regular basis. They come from the Awards, the Good
Prac ce Compe

on and more that have been iden fied as a result of a rigorous assessment. You can already

benefit from more than 80 Good Prac ces from various sectors and organisa on types.

Because we know that star ng with the Model can be in mida ng and some mes a challenge, we designed the One
Day Workshop to help you start your Journey to Excellence.

We realise that SMEs some mes struggle with the Model and find the resources involved in a R4E Assessment
overwhelming. So we are now introducing the C2E Assessment which allows for a lighter, yet holis c assessment
(read more in the issue).

This is one of areas that we are currently working on. We are revisi ng our Newsle er (Members only) and our
magazine Excellence in Ac on in order to fill them with more value adding ar cles that oer much more content,
in line with your expecta ons. We will Share What Works even more in order to be er support your Journey. We
will also communicate more eciently the calendar of our events and trainings. This issue is already a tes mony of
what we mean by change.

Like you, the EFQM is on a journey towards Excellence. Last year, we achieved 4 Star Recognised for Excellence.
But were not sa sfied with thatand its clear that you arent either. Were working towards becoming a 5 Star
organisa on, which means were applying the RADAR logic to everything that we do. Were pleased youve seen
the dierence and hope youll con nue to do so into the future. Thank you again for helping us run the Excellence
Community be er.

Five years a er the financial crisis erupted, execu ves economic expecta ons reached an annual peak at the end
of 2013. They are not bullish quite yet but they certainly an cipate that condi ons will con nue to improve. The
World Bank (WB) and the Interna onal Monetary Fund (IMF) support this analysis in their January forecast, the
first op mis c one of the last three years. The world economy is showing signs of bouncing back for the WB.
According to the IMF, Global growth is expected to increase in 2014 a er having been stuck in low gear in 2013.

Global condi ons have improved in the last six months and execu ves are overall more op mis c about the
outlook, according to McKinsey's Global Survey. 40% of execu ves surveyed in the Eurozone consider that market
condi ons in the region are be er than six months ago, versus 33% that they are the same and 27% that they are
worse. This compares with 45%, 33% and 23% across the globe. 60% of execu ves consider that regional
condi ons have improved in the past six months. Asia-Pacific leads the way in regional op mism. . It is also
interes ng to note execu ves in developed economies are much more upbeat on this point than their peer in
developing economies. Last, a majority expect posi ve trends in workforce size, demand and profits, though
Europeans are the least op mis c.

McKinsey, the management consul ng firm, gives us an encouraging snapshot on execu ves percep on of
overall economic condi ons in their December Global Survey. World Bank's January Global Economic Prospect
follows the same path, announcing more posi ve and even op mis c trends for the coming months with 3.2%
global GDP growth in 2014 vs 2.4% in 2013, when the IMF predicts a 0.7% rise in GDP growth rates in its latest
World Economic Outlook. Yet, European recovery is expected to be slow with 1.0% in the Euro zone (IMF) as
private sector balance sheets must be strengthened. This is s ll a +1.4% improvement over 2013 growth rate;
the Euro area is turning the corner from recession to recovery.

The financial system is slowly healing, according to Olivier Blanchard, the IMFs chief economist and director of
its Research Department.

Europes future economic situation remains shady and international experts dont agree on who will lead the
general growth in 2014. The EU predicts a 1.4% growth across the Union, and 1.1% in the Eurozone

Some nega ve elements remain worrying like the asset bubbles men oned by 38% of execu ves (against 24% last
year). And recent events (e.g. government shutdown in the USA) le a mark in some minds. The low rate of global
growth and the slowdown in emerging markets are not forgo en either. In the Eurozone, two main issues remain:
austerity and high unemployment. The IMF also warns about very low infla on in the Eurozone, and the need to
strengthen banks.
Execu ves tends to be more op mis c, in par cular those in Asia vs those in the Eurozone. For example, 31% of
Eurozones execu ves s ll expect a decrease in workforce size against 7% for Asia. 40% of execu ves surveyed in
the Eurozone consider that market condi ons in the region are be er than six months ago, versus 33% that they
are the same and 27% that they are worse. This compare with 45%, 33% and 22% across the globe. 60% of
execu ves consider that regional condi ons have improved in the past six months. Asia-Pacific leads the way in
regional op mism.

Executives around the globe consider the

market conditions to be...

European Executives consider the market

conditions to be...

Better than 6 months ago

27%

22%

40%

45%

The same as 6 months ago

33%

Better than 6 months ago

The same as 6 months ago

33%

Worse than 6 months ago

Worse than 6 months ago

In this s ll dicult environment, organisa ons must con nue their transforma on in search of a higher level of
intrinsic performance. And a holis c assessment remains the most eec ve way to evaluate strengths and areas
for improvement to this end. Leaders must further increase their focus on ini a ves that ma er for all their
stakeholders given their strategy. In this regards, learning from good prac ces remains the most ecient way to
improve. We hope EFQM can further contribute to accelerate the much needed economic turnaround. A er a
long 5 years, the economic crisis is progressively appearing in the rear-view mirror.

The Founding Members

of EFQM :
x

Mr.
K.
Eckert
Robert Bosch GmbH

x

Mr. I.D.T. Vallance

from Bri sh Telecommunica ons plc

x

Mr. F. LorentzBull
SA

x

Mr. H. Lippuner
Ciba-Geigy AG

x

Mr. S. Dassault
Dassault Avia on

x

Mr. A. ScharpAB
Electrolux

x

Mr. U. AgnelliFiat
Auto SpA

The 14 European business leadersback in the days

x

Mr. J.F.A de Soet

KLM

x

Mr. R. MorfNestl

x

Mr. C. De Benede C. Olive

&
C., SpA

x

Mr. C.J. van

KlugtPhilips

x

Mr. R.H.
Renault

der

Lvy

x

Mr. F. FahrniSulzer
AG

x

Mr. Carl H. Hahn

Volkswagen AG

Celebra ng 25 Years of Excellence

2014 is a special year for EFQM; it's our 25th anniversary. As with all
anniversaries, one has to pause to reflect on the past and consider what has been
achieved. The decision to form EFQM was taken by the CEOs of 14 leading
European companies, with Jacques Delors, then President of the European
Commission, as the catalyst. The "total quality management" movement, started
in Japan in the late 1950s by Demming, had seen first Japanese and the American
companies gaining a compe ve advantage, both in terms of cost and quality.
Europe was falling behind. A quick look at the current economic situa on might
have you scratching your head and wondering what's changed...
Back in 1989, few companies conducted regular surveys to understand the
customer experience. Even some of those that did did not have processes in place
to analyse and understand the feedback obtained, let alone use it to improve the
products and services they provided. Now it is the companies who do not who are
in the minority... If they are s ll in business.
Employee surveys, and suppor ng policies and processes for employee appraisal,
development and advancement were even more of a novelty. Opportuni es for
"workers" to get involved in improvement ac vi es were limited at best and as
for providing ideas, sugges ons and input to the company strategy? Forget it.
And when the EFQM Model was released with the mysterious Criterion 8, then
called "Impact on Society", few could see the relevance to companies. Nowadays,
"Corporate Social Responsibility" and "Sustainability" have become the norm...

10

Perhaps the greatest changes we've seen in the last 25 years have happened
in the public & non-profit sectors. During this me, many of the tools,
techniques and even language that were previously the preserve of the
private sector have become common place in the public sector. Even 5 years
ago, talking about "Business Results" in the public sector would not have been
accepted. The pressure to provide "value for money", accelerated by budget
cuts following the global economic crisis, has awoken in many the need to
take a more commercially minded approach.

42 Awards Winners
119 Prize Winners
153 Finalists

And so, turning to the future... What's next? The learning from the 500+
assessments carried out in the EFQM Levels of Excellence scheme each year
tells us that it's no longer about whether an organisa on "does something",
the vast majority of organisa ons have customer surveys, employee appraisals, process models, strategic plans and the other key enablers. The focus now
is not on what they do, it's how well they do it.
The RADAR is a key tool for both our Assessors and the organisa ons they
assess. It is an organisa ons ability to an cipate and adapt, to learn and
improve, to innovate and create that now makes the dierence... And how
rapidly they are able to execute the changes required to make ideas a reality.

Jacques Delors

Yes, looking back over the last 25 years, I think we can be proud of the
progress made and prouder s ll that the EFQM Excellence Model is as
relevant and powerful now as it has ever been. And, looking forward, I think
the excellence community has the tools, capacity and opportunity to make an
even bigger dierence in the next 25 years... Are you up for the challenge?

The Founding members

11

Large or small, public or private, you need to have an Innova on Compass.

February 2014

It is sadly the case that whilst Innova on is o en recognised as important in the C-Suite or Boardroom, there is
typically a massive gap between Innova on rhetoric and ac on. Most senior managers recognise the role that
Innova on can play in developing their organisa ons; they know that Innova on is o en essen al to crea ng or
maintaining future revenues and value, but they can become paralysed by past failures or an over focus on process
eciency and/or just a lack of leadership consensus on how best to manage it.
*1 EFQM Definition of Innovation: The practical translation of new ideas into products, services, processes, systems or social interactions.

You need to have an Innova on Compass? Successful innovators find ways to manage the delicate balance of
inves ng in the future, whilst sustaining the benefits being obtained from their current core oerings. -They
forecast how much Innova on they need and what specifically it should achieve for them, but the big ques on is
how best to do this? Regre ably, most academic work on Innova on does li le to help with such aims; valid
research is fragmented and where systemic views exist they are rooted in the micro-perspec ve of a specific
discipline, and li le cross-faculty, cross-discipline work is done to consider the broader subject from the
perspec ve of the holis c organisa on-wide management systems, within which most business managers have to
operate.

The Innova on Reboot Project is a collabora ve learning experiment, aimed at both academia and
organisa onal managers, with the objec ve of promo ng Innova on Capability Assessment Frameworks that may
help to encourage the open, sharing of knowledge on what best enables Innova on Capability building in
organisa ons.

The logic of the current Innovaon Capability Assessment Framework, shown on the le is that at
the highest level, a wise Innovator will ensure that a focussed Innovaon Strategy (Element 1) will
be informed by sound Data and Analycs (Element 2), which will lead to a porolio of projects in
an ideas launch plaorm going from Ideaon (Element 3) to Validaon (Element 4) and
Scaling (Element 5), all of which is underpinned by Future Focussed Leadership behaviours
(Element 7), which act to maintain an appropriate, supporve, Innovaon Ready Culture (Element
6).

12

Clarity on an Innova on Strategy is a key feature of those who successfully embed Innova on
in their organisa onal DNA. This is why Innova on Strategy features prominently in the framework
on p12. You could ask yourself the following ques ons to reflect on the degree of clarity with
Innova on that is in your strategies and plans:
x

Are we are clear on what we expect Innova on to deliver?

x

Are our Innova on projects appropriately resourced and planned?

x

Are our Innova on plans are translated in goals and communica ons that having meaning for
all involved?

x

Do we have a balanced por olio of ac vi es, crea ng an Innova on pipeline that has a sound
mix of projects, spread across a range of Innova on risk aspira on levels and mescales?

x

Do our Innova on plans balance the tensions between short-term opera onal necessi es and
our Innova on aspira ons?

x

Do we list strategic assump ons and test our hypotheses that are within the plans?

x

Are we eec ve at managing Innova on investments and se ng related funding trigger and
review points?

x

Have we maintained our Innova on eorts even when mes are tough and short-term profits/
savings are needed?

x

Do key stakeholders understand and have confidence in our Innova on plans, our project
pipeline, and are they sa sfied with the historic Innova on outcomes we have achieved?

x

Have we been able to ensure that we do not experience disrup ve or compe

in our core markets?

ve Innova ons

Wise innovators define opportunity and ini ate projects in a range of strategic innova on categories, for
example:
Value Sustaining Innova on Opportuni es: -These are their play not to loose tac cs. Ac vi es at this level are
typically directed towards reducing the risk of commodi sa on of exis ng successful products/services, by
ac vi es such as crea ng variants to exis ng products and/or cost reduc ons.
Adjacencies for Market or Product Extensions: -Investments here are about achieving growth by either Next
Genera on Products obtained by product/technology extensions, or Market Extensions for migra ng exis ng
products or processes into new or adjacent markets.

Transforma onal Growth: Investment at this level is about playing to win big. This is o en about both new
markets and new technologies (new-new). Most organisa ons dream of crea ng the o en called Blue Ocean for
transforma onal growth uncontested market spaces about which much is wri en, but these are typically high
risk bets and wise innovators do not pursue projects at this level in isola on of other strategies.

13

An o en quoted example of successful growth is Nike, who has transformed with

a range of both adjacent and transforma onal Innova ons, from its origin as a
shoe company, into one where its future growth is now from digital technology
(with phone apps, wearable devices, data and web services now a major part of
its turnover). However not every one can replicate such success and there is an
old saying that whilst an early bird may get the worm, its the second mouse
that gets the cheese and this applies to many Innova on successes. Apple was
not the first to sell mp3 players, when they first launched the iPod; it was to
them, at that me, an adjacent market. They had the capabili es to respond
quickly, they built a clever new ecosystem around their new product (iTunes),
and they laid the founda ons for what many respect as some of the most
impressive growth a ained in the last two decades, through a mixture of
exploi ng adjacencies for their technologies and simultaneously crea ng a
transforma onal growth ecosystem in iTunes.
The amount of investment* typically made in a specific category will vary
drama cally, according to an organisa ons strategic need, but it is not
uncommon for a mature high-performing company to use the o en called
golden ra o of innova on investments, in which 70% of available resources
are allocated to Value Sustaining investments, 20% to Adjacencies and 10% to
Transforma onal Growth, but such figures will vary significantly if rapid growth is
being sought, catch-up is needed, or technologies are changing at speed.
* Nagji, B. and Tu,G., May 2012, Managing Your Innova on Por olio, Boston,
Harvard Business Review. Reprint R1205C.

What next?
Maybe this brief ar cle has helped you reflect on how well you are embedding
Innova on into your organisa ons DNA. If youd like to contribute to an ongoing
debate and help us build a growing body of knowledge, to assist with Innova on
Capability
Building,
please
engage
with
our
project
via
www.innova onreboot.org and/or our Innova on Reboot Group on LinkedIn.
Chris Hakes, Editor, The Innova on
ary 2014

Reboot Project, Cambridge, UK, Febru-

14

Chris Hakes, maybe known to

some of you through his work
in the EFQM Training Faculty
and suppor ng the Awards
process over many years. He
has
recently gone back to
his entrepreneurial and
research, career roots and taken
on a new job as Editor in a
collabora ve venture called
'The Innova on Reboot Project'. In the ar cle below he
shares some thoughts on the
need for, and benefits of, this
collabora ve project, which is
aimed at sharing good prac ces that may help organisa ons
build innova on capability.

WHATS GOING ON?

15

There should be an easier way to start with the Model

Scale down the Model to apply to start-ups in the pre-scaling
There is s ll a percep on of heaviness in the implementa on process
Breaking down the Model into smaller chunks to make it more accessible
The EFQM Excellence Model: It can be applied to any organisaon, regardless of size, sector or maturity.

So star ng your Journey towards Excellence can be a challenge but it shouldnt be in mida ng, not with
the EFQM Team to support you!
Star ng your Journey to Excellence
To help new members get started on their journey, weve added the following benefits for new members:
 The One Day Workshop which will help you understand how the Model can support your organisa ons

development.
 A Free EFQM Training for new Members can book a free place on either the EFQM Journey to Excellence or

EFQM Leaders for Excellence training course at the EFQM oces in Brussels or a free on-line EFQM Basic
Assessor Training.
 The new Commi ed to Excellence Assessment which is designed for new comers to the Model and small

organisa ons
 Our Knowledge Base that will inspire you and provide you with lots of Good Prac ces
WHERE?

If you are new to EFQM, if you are thinking about implemen ng the Model, or if you
are considering becoming part of the Member Network, then this event is something
for you!

At EFQM Offices:
Av. des Olympiades 2, 5th
floor
1140 Brussels

WHEN?

Open Doors are one-day free events to give you an introduc on to EFQM and our
Excellence Model. You will gain a be er understanding of how EFQM's por olio, our
Network and our Team can support your Journey to Excellence.
We also run introductory webinars in case you cannot join us in our oces. (see p13)

Meet one-to-one with an EFQM team

member to be er plan your journey!

16

25th February 2014

13th May 2014
30th September 2014
25h November 2014

EFQM is proud to announce

the launch of the new EFQM
Commi ed to Excellence
Assessment a simple way to
get started on your journey
to excellence.

This assessment has been specifically designed to provide the comprehensive independent feedback you expect
from an EFQM Assessor Team but with a considerably reduced lead me. Its ideal for organisa ons star ng with
EFQM, especially SMEs.
Weve streamlined the assessment process to focus on 6 key themes, the founda ons of an:

Your organisa ons strategy

The key results you have achieved
Customer Management
People Management
Process Management
Sustainability

How does it work?

Depending on the outcome of the assessment, you will be awarded the EFQM Commi ed to Excellence 1 Star or 2
Star interna onal recogni on.

Are you ready for an Assessment?

Weve developed a simple ques onnaire that will tell you whether you are ready for a Commi ed to Excellence
Assessment. Simply click here, answer the 6 ques ons and find out where you stand.
If you wish to learn more about the Commi ed to Excellence Assessment, please contact us or find out more on
our website.

Its me to stop being average and commit to being Excellent

17

How does the

compe on
work?
x

x

x

x

Each organisa on can

upload a maximum of
two Good Prac ces each will be taken as a
separate submission.
Organisa ons are invited to upload onto the
website
a
wri en
descrip on and a 3-5
minutes video for each
Good Prac ce.
These applica ons will
be visible to the
viewing public on our
compe on website.
The winning applicants
should be willing to
share their experience
with our network to
provide inspira on for
others.

The schedule
x

x

x

x

x

x

x

Compe on Launch on
17 February 2014
Uploading your Good
Prac ces open un l 16
May 2014
Iden fica on of the
Finalists by the Jury on
28 May 2014
Vo ng by the viewing
public in June 2014
The Finalists present
their Good Prac ce via
webinar in July 2014
The Winner(s) will be
announced in July 2014
The Winner(s) will
present their Good
Prac ce at the EFQM
Forum on 20 & 21
October 2014 in Brussels.

Good Prac ce Compe

on 2014

Crea ve Customer Solu ons

How far will you go to Wow a Customer with Crea ve Customer Solu ons?
A large part of customer service success is crea ng a seamless experience.
Customer needs are an cipated, systems are in place, employees are trained.
x
Excellent organisa ons know who their dierent customers groups are and
an cipate their needs and expecta ons, transforming these into a rac ve
and sustainable value proposi ons.
x
Excellent organisa ons build and maintain a dialogue with their customers,
based on openness and transparency.
x
Excellent organisa ons ensure that people have the necessary resources,
competencies and empowerment to maximise the customer experience.
We are looking at examples of how organisa ons have managed the
transforma on from product focus to service and from service to solu ons,
engaging and developing the talent of their people to build crea ve customer
solu ons. This compe on open to any organisa on - Global or Local,
Private or Public Sector, Large or Small, etc, whether you are an EFQM
Member or not.

Why enter?
Entering this compe on will ensure interna onal recogni on. The winner(s)
will present their Good Prac ce at the EFQM Forum, our annual Business Excellence conference a rac ng more than 350 global leaders, and share their experience with our network. The winner(s) will have their Good Prac ce published in the EFQM Knowledge Base, available to EFQM Members through our
website. The winner(s) will also receive a years membership of EFQM free of
charge, including obviously all membership benefits. If you are already a member of our network, you will receive vouchers redeemable against a selec on of
EFQMs publica ons and training courses.
For more informa on, please visit our website or contact Vinciane Beauduin
(info@efqm.org or phone +32 7753510).
18

About Mark
Webster
You are possibly very familiar with the EFQMs RADAR as the tool within the
EFQM Excellence Model that we use to assess an organisa on iden fying
strengths and areas for improvement and scoring. But did you know that when
RADAR was originally launched the EFQM intended that the tool should be used in
day-to-day management, and not solely for assessment? The RADAR developers
realised that a truly eec ve tool for assessment should be based, not upon
something dierent or addi onal to good management prac ce, but rather upon
what any good manager or management team should be doing in their daily work.
A look at the RADAR logic see Fig 1 - upon which the acronym RADAR was
based, will help illustrate this. The logic suggests that as managers we should first
be clear about the objec ves that we are seeking to achieve within our
organisa on, whether at strategic or tac cal levels, and that we should turn these
into clear and targeted measures that upon implementa on will represent the
Results that the organisa on is achieving. Next we need to iden fy and develop
where necessary the Approaches required to achieve these Results. These
Approaches then need to be Deployed. Finally through a process of Assessment
and Refinement, we should regularly review our ongoing performance Results and
iden fy and implement appropriate improvement ac on where necessary. This
simple but important logic provides a framework both for eec ve planning
strategically and tac cally, and for organisa onal performance reviews. The logic
becomes even more valuable when used with the nine criteria within the EFQM
Excellence Model. The four Results criteria s mulate thinking, par cularly during
strategic planning, in terms of the range of measures that could be used and
challenge us as to whether our organisa onal objec ves and corresponding
measures are truly based upon the needs and expecta ons of our stakeholders.
The five Enabler criteria help us when considering the scope of Approaches that
we need to have in place and Deploy in order to deliver the Results that we have
iden fied.

If we consider RADAR in more detail, focusing not only on the high level elements
but also on the detailed a ributes such as sound, integrated and so on, then
the use of RADAR in both planning and daily management ac vi es such as
performance reviews becomes even more useful.
For example, when construc ng a business or work plan, RADAR s mulates the
planner to consider:
19

Mark Webster is a
member of EFQMs
Faculty of Trainers. He
has been involved in
many
significant
developments
within
EFQM over the years,
and
led
the
development of the
1999 version of the
Model, which included
the first version of
RADAR.

RADAR BASED BUSINESS & WORK PLANNING

RADAR element:

Things to consider based on the attributes:

RESULTS:

What are the business/department/team/individual objec ves that the plan addresses?
e.g. increase in leadership competencies to meet future business challenges.
How will we measure the successful achievement of these objec ves? (the outcomes)
What targets will we set for these measures and what is the basis of these? e.g. aim to
be er compe tor x, become best-in-class, etc.
What compara ve data (where relevant) will we use to measure progress towards our
objec ves? e.g. benchmarks.

APPROACH:

What will the plan deliver in order to meet the objec ves? e.g. leadership training,
leadership performance review process, etc.
What will the plan include, and where necessary what it will not include?
How were the deliverables iden fied, including selec on criteria?
What are the priori es for the various deliverables?
What are the benefits of the deliverables to the stakeholders concerned? e.g. the investors, customers, employees, etc.
How will the plan objec ves and deliverables specifically link to the organisa ons vision/
mission/goals/strategy?
How will the plan objec ves and deliverables support the values of the organisa on?

DEPLOYMENT:

Who will be responsible for achievement of each objec ve and associated deliverable,
and what will be his/her/their roles, responsibili es and accountabili es?
What are the key ac vi es related to each deliverable?
What are the mescales for these ac vi es? (start and finish, milestones)
What resources are required? e.g. finance, equipment, people, skills.
What constraints exist? e.g. exis ng process capacity, resources, regula ons, laws,
standards, deadlines.
What risks exist? e.g. overspend, unforeseen changes in external environment, lack of
commitment internally, and how they will be addressed.
What communica on needs exist and how they will be addressed?

ASSESSMENT &
REFINEMENT:

What indicator measures will we use to measure progress with the plan? (NOTE: Include
measures that will enable you to predict whether outcomes listed under Results
will be achieved).
How will we ensure the integrity of the measures we use?
How will we review progress with the plan, iden fy learning (internally and externally),
s mulate crea vity and innova on (e.g. in iden fying and addressing road blocks
that might arise), take correc ve ac on and make improvements?
20

In a similar way RADAR can be used when conduc ng a review of organisa onal performance. It s mulates the
management team to consider:
RADAR BASED ORGANISATIONAL PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
(based upon reviewing a single result or a set of results)

RADAR element:

Things to consider based on the attributes:

RESULTS:

Are we measuring the right things?

Are the results segmented where needed?
Is the integrity of the results assured?
Are we clear on our targets and are they appropriate?
How is our performance against target?
Do we have any compara ve data, how appropriate is it and what does it tell us in terms of
our performance?
Are we clear on what is causing the results?

APPROACH:

What are the approaches (e.g. Leadership, Resources, People, Processes) that we have in
place to deliver the result(s) we are reviewing?
Are they fit for purpose?
Do they align as necessary with other approaches?
Are they aligned with stakeholder needs and expecta ons?
Do they support and align with our overall goals/objec ves/strategy/values?

DEPLOYMENT:

Are we implemen ng the relevant approaches where they need to be?

Are we doing so eec vely and eciently?
Does the way we implement our approaches enable flexibility and support organisa onal
agility?

ASSESSMENT &
REFINEMENT:

Are our indicator measures fit for purpose?

Are we learning from our own experiences (posi ve and nega ve) and from those of others?
Are we genera ng new ideas on what to do and how to do it where needed?
Are we making improvements based on our learning as needed?
Are we turning good ideas into reality?

These are just two examples of how RADAR can be used to ensure eec ve planning and daily management. Perhaps you can think of other applica ons, or have developed and used some of your own. If so wed be delighted to
hear about them so that we can spread the word about RADAR good prac ces within the EFQM Community.

21

Saying Goodbye to a Legend

An interview with Mike Gallagher, the last of the first EFQM Assessor Trainers
The very first EFQM Assessor trainings were held in
Brussels in 1992, over a six week period star ng on the
3rd of March. These courses were all lead by Mike
Gallagher, who will be delivering his last training for
EFQM in March of this year!

bo le of champagne that was standard (in economy!!)

on the flight home.
EFQM: What did you see as the major change over
those 20 years?

EFQM: what do you remember from those first Mike: For Award Assessors, it has to be the move to a
shorter, more structured, applica on document for the
sessions in 1992?
European Excellence Award with the corresponding
Mike: The over-riding feeling, at the start of the first greater focus on gathering informa on on site visits.
course, was one of stepping into the unknown.
Launching The European Quality Award in 1992 meant More broadly, there's the expansion of EFQM
an extremely busy year working to ght deadlines. recogni on schemes to include the Public Sector,
Everything was new; there were no experts on the Recognised for Excellence and Commi ed to Excellence
Model or the Blue Card (the first assessment tool) - to match the range of maturity of Excellence programs
and li le prac cal experience to draw on. In fact, we in organisa ons large and small across Europe and
beyond.
only knew a li le more of the subject ma er than those
being trained so fielding ques ons was some mes a
nightmare.
As the six weeks of training went by though, it became
clearer and clearer from the feedback, that the training
had been well received. It was obvious that we had on
board an enthusias c group of assessors all they had
to do now was to put their learning into prac ce! A er
the final of six courses I breathed a deep sigh of relief,
sat back in my seat and felt I had earned the small
22

Where do I think EFQM will go/be in the future?

What will you miss most in working with EFQM?

Well, I hope EFQM will con nue to survive and prosper.

(This is precisely the same answer that I would have
given back in 1991, when I joined EFQM, and the
posi on then did not look overly promising.) Its not
easy, it never has been, but its to con nue to provide
products and services that organiza ons will want to use
and support - and to build on the goodwill established
across Europe over the last twenty five years.

The wisdom, dedica on and banter of fellow trainers

and EFQM members of sta, several of whom I have
known over 20 years.
Looking back on a working life that goes back over 50
years, I really can say I have enjoyed it all, there is no
doubt as to the highlight however and its the 10 year
period 1991/2000 when I was closely associated with
the European Quality Award at EFQM .

EFQM: Can you share with us one of your most

memorable experiences?
It is dicult to select one par cular event from the
many, so let me men on a few concerning the EFQM
Forum. This is the highlight of EFQMs year and marks
the end of the Award cycle with the public recogni on
of high performing organiza ons that have par cipated
that year .
Seeing King Carlos II of Spain present the very first
Awards in 1992 and realizing what a high profile event
we had become involved in.
The Forum at Stockholm in 1997 where the dinner was
held in the same room as Nobel Prize dinners, indeed
the menu was the same as for a recent Nobel ceremony;
si ng with my wife, Charmian, a few seats away from
the Queen of Sweden the guest of honour.
But perhaps the most memorable of all was the
Amsterdam Forum in 1994. A er the main
presenta ons, a real elephant shued past our dinner
tables and up to the front of the room. Before we had
me to take all this in, the elephant vanished. I believe
they are s ll looking for it in Amsterdam today!

So, a er 22 years of training assessor, Mike is finally

hanging up his PowerPoints and riding o into the
sunset. We know all of you who have been trained by
Mike over the years will join us at EFQM in thanking
him for his outstanding contribu on over the years and
wishing him a long, happy re rement.
We
acknowledge that without our Assessors, the EFQM
network would not work. Our Assessors in turn
recognise that without the skills, dedica on and
insights delivered by EFQMs Trainers, they would not
be able to perform at the highest level demanded by
the EFQM Excellence Award. Thank you Mike you
will be missed!

Snapshots from the first Assessors trained in 1992

23

NEW TRAINING AT EFQM!

Internal Assessor Training

Complete an internal assessment

The Internal Assessor Training is a 3 day course that has been designed to prepare individuals to complete an
internal assessment of their organisa on. During the course, par cipants will get to prac ce using a number of
tools, from simple self-assessments to a full Award simula on. A er the course, they will be able to decide which
tools are best suited to suppor ng their organisa on and how to get started.

When & where?

This training is delivered 3 mes a year at the EFQM oces in Brussels, or it can be organised at your premises. In
2014 the dates are
x

07-09 May 2014

x

09-11 July 2014

x

29-31 October 2014

Price?
 EFQM Member: 1,520 Euros (excluding VAT) - Special launch price for May and July sessions 1,200 Euros

(excluding VAT)
 Non-member: 1,900 Euros (excluding VAT) - Special launch price for May and July sessions 1,500 Euros

(excluding VAT)
For more informa on, don't hesitate to contact training@efqm.org.

24

Winners of the
EFQM Excellence
Awards 2013
On
the
topic
of
Achieving Excellence:
x

Alpenresort Schwarz,
Award winner

x

BMW
Regensburg
Plant, Prize winner

x

Glasgow Housing Associa on, Prize winner

x

Nilfer Municipality,
Prize winner

x

St Marys Colege,
Prize winner

x

Stavropol
State
Agrarian University,
Prize winner

x

VAMEDKMB, Prize
winner

x

Wakefield
District
Housing, Prize winner

x

GC Europe, Finalist

x

Sanitas
Finalist

Hospitales,

EFQM Forum 2014

EFQM Forum 2014

Celebra ng 25 years of Excellence
20 & 21 October 2014Brussels, Belgium
All organisa ons strive to be successful, some fail, some achieve periods
of success but ul mately fade from view, and a few achieve sustainable
success, gaining deserved respect and admira on.

All of them provided

good prac ces that have
been documented and
are available for reading
in the Knowledge Base.

The theme will be "Celebra ng 25 years of Excellence". The programme

will feature

keynote speakers and case presenta ons from the EFQM

Excellence Award nominees focusing on how Europe's leading

organisa ons sustain their success .
The EFQM Forum will take place at the Dolce la Hulpe, Belgium. On 20
October, the Award Ceremony will be hosted by the AutoWorld in
Brussels, one of the most splendid amongst the numerous monumental
buildings along Brussels.

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