Win the Nobel Prize for Proactive Operations

You’ve worked hard.

It’s been over a decade since you started working in your field.

“When I was thirteen I started as a hawker for little league baseball games,” you always tell your kids.

It takes hard work and dedication to become a general manager of a renowned sports venue. But, you’ve persevered and made it to the top of your game.

From hiring staff to putting in operational policies, you’ve done it all. You’ve put in the hours – and years – necessary to gain the respect of your industry peers.

But, while you might’ve put in the time to prove your ‘experience,’ have you tested your abilities as a leader.

Have you reached the highest level? Or, do you believe you can get better?

Just because you’ve done something for ten years (or more), doesn’t mean you’re doing it right or as good as you could be doing it.

Do you agree?

Now, we don’t want to be shortsighted. We know you’re successful. We’re aware you care.

But, we also don’t want you to overlook the potential for stepping up your game.

We’re always asking ourselves, “What’s next?” You must too. There’s always something to learn and a new way to perfect your operation

We want you to run one of the world’s greatest properties. That’s what we've always wanted.

We want you to win the Nobel Prize for…

Proactive Operations!

Nobel Prize for Chemistry Awarded to Molecular Scientists

“The 2016 Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to three European molecular scientists who developed the world's smallest machines,” according to Angela Dewan’s latest CNN article.

The prize went to Jean-Pierre Sauvage of the University of Strasbourg in France; Sir James Fraser Stoddart of Northwestern University in the United States; and Bernard L Feringa of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands for the "design and synthesis of molecular machines,” Angela’s article continues.

According to the article, “The men, who have researched both independently and with each other, will share the 8 million kronor ($933,000) prize between them.”

Receiving the Nobel Prize, as you probably already know, is a highly regarded award. The prize money is only a bonus to the recognition.

How would you feel if you were recognized for the Nobel Prize?

Starting today, you have your chance. We’d like you to strive for your “Nobel Prize” of sorts.

One where you take your years of experience and combine it with the principles of Proactive Operations that we provide in this article.

Are you ready to win the Nobel Prize for Proactive Operations?

Let’s get started.

3 Parts to a Nobel Prize for Proactive Operations

We’re advocates of maximizing performance.

That’s why we created Proactive Operations.

Throughout our experience working with several hundred properties, we’ve gained a lot of insight.

We noticed one thing in particular, though.

Many operations run a ‘reactive operation’ whereby they are waiting for things to happen so they can respond and mitigate as much as possible.

This practice seemed to be the trend for several decades. It’s dangerous too.

But, we knew there was a solution. We knew this because there are many proactive operations out there already, they just didn’t know it yet.

We took responsibility. We had to spread the word.

We knew that we had to take the lessons learned, the things that were being done right (and wrong), and use them to develop a methodology for helping everyone improve performance.

This process of examination led us to Proactive Operations.

So, what is Proactive Operations? Glad you asked.

Proactive Operations is where property operations utilize strategy, infrastructure, and technology to achieve maximum performance.

You can receive this “Nobel Prize” by employing:

Strategy
Infrastructure
Technology

Through strategy, infrastructure, and technology you can define the framework used to achieve maximum performance.

After employing this operational method, you should see tremendous positive results. The world will see it too. Your guests, staff, and boss – all of them.

But, just like the molecular trio who won the Nobel Prize for chemistry, you will need to show evidence of your ‘success.’ This framework will help you organize it.

Strategy Is the Beginning

Prize winners need a basis for their findings. They need to start somewhere. A place to begin dissecting the problem.

For operations, that starting point is the creation of your strategy through in-depth evaluation. You must understand your new or current operation.

To accomplish this, we’ve created the ACDA Principle™, which helps you address the four most important areas of your operational strategy:

Awareness
Communication
Documentation
Analytics

Start with these twelve questions to ensure you address each area of your operation.

What currently occurs in your operation?
Does your staff always know or only sometimes know what’s happening?
How does your resource allocation stack up?
Are you able to efficiently manage departmental teams (i.e. Maintenance, Guest Services, Police, Fire Rescue, and Administration)?
How does your staff communicate (i.e. mobile devices or radios)?
Does your team efficiently execute operational tasks?
How far back can you quickly retrieve incident details?
Is liability defense something your operation struggles with regularly?
If a guest loses something, how quickly can you find it and return it?
Can you track accountability?
Do you know whether your staff is executing the correct protocols-to-handle?
What tools do you use to improve your operation's performance continuously?

These are common questions we share, but we also expect you to go further with them during your strategy stage.

Now, take the insight gained from your questioning and apply it to the formulation of your infrastructure.

Build an Award-Winning Infrastructure

This phase is where your physical operation takes shape.

Your infrastructure will vary depending on your particular industry or operational needs; therefore, you must have ‘infrastructure.’

Your infrastructure needs to include representatives from each department where issues or incidents could affect performance and guest experience.

Read this article we created to set up your infrastructure. It’ll also help you understand why your infrastructure is vital to stability.

Create your infrastructure so nothing slips through the cracks. Then implement technology to skyrocket your operation’s performance.

Technology Is the Greatest Benefit to Operations

“For the greatest benefit to mankind” – Alfred Nobel

‘Software’ is a superpower that exploded to the next level in the 21^st century. Its rapidly growing presence is the greatest offering to operations.

It allows you to employ Proactive Operations.

Strategy and Infrastructure may get you to the nomination. But, technology is how you win the Prize.

In recent articles on this method, we’ve taken one aspect from your strategy and explained how it would improve performance.

Today, we’re going to provide explanations for each aspect of the Principle. One thing you’ll deduce is the cumulative value of solutions that work together.

Awareness: Text Communication increases your awareness because it offers your guests and staff the ability to see incidents and issues, and report them to your command center. Now, everyone can ‘see,’ and then say something.
Communication: Incident Management Mobile Apps supplement or replace your current communication methods by putting a mobile device in the hands of your staff. This technology is a cost-effective solution, which reduces radio traffic and allows more staff to participate in reporting of incidents.
Documentation: Web-based solutions, such as an Incident Management System or CMMS, provide an efficient way to digitally store critical details of incidents and other various property issues. Replacing your illegible written notes helps you protect your property from liability, and ensures all vital data is captured for future analysis.
Analytics: See how many text messages are received. Understand the amount of time it takes for mobile response teams to get on scene to a slip and fall. Know the number of work orders your maintenance team is completing each week. Know what’s happening, and then fix and optimize it.

Utilizing technology puts you at the forefront of Proactive Operations. Not using it forces you to react to the weaknesses present throughout your operation.

Give your team the advantage.