Fallen Stars and Shining Stars: Which Does Your SPD Have?

A colleague of mine uses the following phrase in reference to SPD: “No one wants to talk about how ugly the baby is, but the baby is ugly.” I say odds are, if you have an ugly baby, you may want to look at the parent(s), because chances are the debacle department is a reflection of its leader(s).

I started writing this article more than a year ago while consulting for an SPD with a fallen star. Unfortunately, the organization didn’t want to deal with the root of the problem, the manager’s inappropriate behavior and inability to run the SPD. They felt if the right processes were put in place, the problems would go away. In less than two years the fallen star was removed from the position and the hunt was on again to fill the position. This is called the cost of non-conformance, doing it right the first time.

SPD needs strong management that doesn’t just stay within the budget, but understands the needs of the staff members, their peers, their supporting staff, and most of all, the organization’s needs as a whole. They need to understand how to be creative with what they have as well as how to present statistical findings. There also should be an educational program in the department, plans for staff seminar participation, workshops, and conferences. Do your homework; there are companies that will come to your facility to meet your educational objectives.