Paradise nearly gained: Volume 1 - Developing the Frontline Management Initiative

The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can we make a heaven of hell, and a hell of heaven
Paradise Lost 1667, book 1, 1.249

Introduction

The Frontline Management Initiative (FMI) already provides a framework for management development for almost 30 000 frontline managers in Australian enterprises. However, what is most interesting, is that it is the first national initiative designed to support workplace and organisational learning. Developed from the recommendations of the Enterprising nation report in 1995 (Karpin 1995), the Frontline Management Initiative is designed as a key lever to increase management capability and performance and, thereby, to improve business effectiveness.

The FMI is significant because it is a national program of competency-based management development with a flexible framework that can be adapted to diverse organisational environments. While nominally focussing on individual manager development, the initiative is based in the workplace and has a capacity to act as a catalyst for organisational learning and cultural change which can build business capability. The FMI is a move away from restricting training and learning to certain places and times, towards workplace learning and knowledge construction. The present study shows the potential of the FMI to be a high-leverage initiative capable of linking individual development to business performance improvement.

Purpose and method

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the FMI in the workplace. The primary objective is to determine the difference the FMI is making to businesses and what changes occur in organisations which adopt the FMI.

The Enterprising nation report argued that business growth depended on the development of more enterprising and diverse organisational climates, which could only be constructed through better trained managers with improved interpersonal managerial skills. This study investigates the impact of the FMI at individual, organisational and business levels and collects evidence about the strategic intent of organisations adopting the FMI. The analysis of the emerging FMI learning processes and pedagogic relationships are secondary objectives of the research.

The multidisciplinary research team, based in five states, began by examining FMI practices through a series of focus groups. A national survey of management development and a targetted national survey of FMI users followed. Over 120 telephone interviews were then undertaken with managers responsible for training and learning. These respondents were mainly FMI users, but some non-users were interviewed. Finally, 19 organisations provided access for in-depth, semi-structured interviews with FMI managers, participants, team members and line managers.

Findings

The most evident outcome from the survey is the limited penetration of the FMI and the lack of awareness about the FMI. The survey confirmed that the FMI is seen as a framework most suited to medium and larger businesses, in both the private and the public sectors. The survey also suggested there was a link between investing in training and business growth.

The subsequent survey of FMI users confirms there is strong staff involvement in training within such organisations, a positive response to the FMI and evidence of organisational impact. However, strategic orientation varies markedly between organisations with, in some instances, a blurring of boundries between user and non-user groups FMI components are sometimes borrowed and adapted by non-user groups. In conjunction with the later telephone interviews, the survey suggests that, by late 2001, over 25 000 people had participated in the FMI in more than 1000 organisations nationwide. The survey evidence suggests the FMI experience improves managers capability to change and innovate.

There is a strong congruence between the findings from each stage of the research. The telephone interviews suggest that non-FMI organisations are more likely to have sporadic training cultures, but where they are aware of the FMI, there is often a desire to explore and make a case for using the FMI. The interviews highlight the embryonic nature of most FMI initiatives, which were mainly in a pilot or first-year stage at the time of data collection in this study.

The subsequent case-study interviews suggest training managers enthusiastic, and often evangelical, responses to the FMI are shared by many participants and staff. The FMI is seen as a successful initiative in nearly all organisations, with the remainder suggesting that their own processes, and not the FMI framework, are responsible for any lack of impact. At an individual level, managers have a more confident identity and more competence in communication skills. The FMI is seen as initiating improved workplace interactions and attitudes to innovation. Each mature FMI user provides evidence of business impact, as do those immature users building developmental FMI programs. The strategic nature of the initiative means that it may be some years before business impact is evident. Most of the case studies provide evidence of business growth, or survival in tough environments where the FMI is seen as a significant contributor. In terms of the underlying chain of development, the FMI is seen to have had a significant impact at an individual and organisational level, and there is growing evidence to suggest it will impact more widely at a business level as local practices mature.

It is clear that the diverse practices evident in the case studies can be viewed as a continuum of FMI practice, beginning with training or accreditation but moving towards a more developmental FMI model. Basic models are externalised, didactic and have limited managerial involvement. The developmental models have diverse workplace learning practices, and greater managerial involvement is evident in the FMI.

The emerging picture is of a sporadic and diverse FMI landscape, mainly found in medium and larger organisations, with positive and often evangelical users in the earlier phases of FMI activity. These people are a vanguard which marks a significant shift to workplace learning, providing evidence of the FMI as a high-leverage initiative. It is evident that a strategic approach and a good human resource development (HRD) infrastructure create a developmental FMI program, and that a lack of such planning and support inhibits FMI adoption.

The competencies at the core of the FMI appear to be robust, adaptable and have been translated into diverse FMI practices as varied as the organisations involved. FMI users form a continuum of practice, from accreditation to developmental models. Developmental models, with diverse learning pathways and strong management support, are increasing organisational effectiveness and the cultural impact of the FMI. At an individual level, the FMI facilitates the formation of managerial identity. Organisationally, the impact is on communication and team-building, emphasising critical interpersonal management skills, with the FMI acting as a catalyst for organisational learning activities. However, concern about the validity and comparability of assessment standards is almost universal.

Most users report business improvement and suggest the FMI is one of several significant contributors facilitating change. It is surprising that, while it may be too early to expect significant evidence of the relationship between FMI adoption and business effectiveness, many organisations reported evidence of such a relationship. There are even indications the FMI may be critical in challenging the barriers of accreditation and articulation that exist between traditional higher education programs and workplace competency-based qualifications. In many cases, the emerging structures of the FMI have been a catalyst that has generated new learning practices and contributed to the extension of managerial identity. However, such cases are not universal and there is still considerable territory that the FMI is yet to colonise.

It is evident that the FMI has greater impact where it is actively managed by the enterprise, viewed as an investment and given symbolic and substantive support to build a developmental program. Support from learning champions and bundling with associated strategic initiatives underpin such programs. The study found the FMI was a high-leverage initiative with considerable impact beyond the participant group. It seems the FMI is a pilot initiative in establishing learning as a core business activity, legitimising workplace learning and is instrumental in forming a workplace learning structure. As such, the FMI can be viewed as a significant platform for changing attitudes so that instead of training being seen as a staff cost, learning is seen as a business investment. A number of the case-study organisations are constructing attitudes and structures that bridge individual development and organisational performance improvement, both conceptually and substantively.

Implications for further consideration

The research found the FMI framework had a significant impact on enterprises that took up the challenge of competency-based management development. To maintain this impact, the FMI will need to build the quality, and, thereby, the sustainability of FMI practices, and extend its penetration. Previous studies suggested that a competency-based approach to training can systematise enterprise learning at practical and mechanistic levels and give immediate benefits. By contrast, competency-based management development is a longer-term strategy that requires vision and investment to realise the far greater rewards. From the evidence gathered in this study, the research team feels the following strategies offer the greatest potential to achieve such an outcome.

Enhancing the quality and sustainability of the FMI

While there is support for the existing competence framework, emerging FMI practices are diverse and have produced both accreditation and developmental models. It is evident that developmental models are more likely to facilitate organisational development. However, they need intensive leadership and investment. Further, there are real concerns that assessment processes may undermine the currency of FMI achievements.

Creation of a supporting agency or network

Building developmental FMI practices is a complex task that requires symbolic and substantive support. Training and people development managers are asking for the support of an agency that networks FMI users and facilitates interaction and dialogue between them about FMI practices. Such an agency could also play a major role in promoting the more effective validation and moderation of FMI assessment practices. In addition, the agency could research FMI best practice to provide case material which could influence CEOs and senior managers to invest in developmental FMI models. Such a supportive structure exists for the Management Charter Initiative (MCI) in the UK.

Increasing the penetration of the FMI

While FMI users generally report satisfaction with the framework and organisational impact, they are still a minority voice. The majority of managers responsible for training were unaware of the FMI initiative. Many of those who were aware, were keen to make a business case inside their organisation. While the patterns of FMI penetration were similar geographically and by industry type, smaller business generally had little interest in the FMI. The potential market for the FMI is still vast.

Marketing FMI success to non-users

It is evident from current FMI users responses that the use of the FMI is likely to improve business effectiveness. A renewed marketing campaign, based on current FMI successes, is needed to reach a wider network of senior and training managers. In particular, a second round of workshops should be held. Increasing online materials would enhance the potential for customisation. Consideration should be given to making more components of the FMI freely available to promote enterprise use.

Small business development corporations and regional development organisations might consider accessing Department of Employment, Science and Training (DEST) funds with the aim of promoting small- and medium-sized business FMI learning clusters and ensuring that all enterprises are aware of the funding available to support FMI initiatives. The use of the accumulated authoring trust funds to market the developmental FMI model to users and non-users would appear to be appropriate.

Continued monitoring of investment in the FMI

Given the present impact and potential of the initiative to improve business performance, further research is needed to learn how to leverage the impact of emerging FMI practices.

Investigation of organisational standards in capability building

A feasibility study should be undertaken into the drafting of organisational standards or competencies in capability building which could serve as a reference point for enterprise development practices and that might form an award or monitoring framework underpinned by tax incentives. The case-study sites could be revisited to provide further detailed accounts of business impact and the FMI competencies, subject to a later review by FMI graduate managers. The role of those developing and orchestrating workplace learning within enterprises should be a focus of further research.

Conclusion - paradise nearly gained

While a significant amount of territory remains untouched by the FMI, there are very positive responses from users and user organisations. In the more developmental models, new learning structures are being created that have significant potential to leverage organisational learning and lead from individual development to business performance improvement. In such organisations, learning is beginning to be viewed as a core business capability. Many managers and participants talked enthusiastically of their critical learning experiences and subsequent innovative action. It would appear that, currently there is a very real opportunity to introduce more managers and organisations to such an environment.