Thabang J Motsohi

The following are the primary considerations when evaluating the performance and prospects of any organization.

• What is the intended purpose or value proposition and vision for the organization?
• Has a fitting operating structure or model, that is properly resourced, been created to achieve its vision aligned strategies and intended outcomes in the dynamic operating context?

This is at the heart of the concept of Fit for Purpose. Concepts tend to become mundane and turn into meaningless rhetoric unless they find material application in praxis. The time has come for the application of the concept of ‘’Fit for Purpose, 2018 by Thabang J. Motsohi’’ to be elevated to a higher level to publish a tool to monitor and focus leaders on the state of fitness of their organizations. The suggestion here is that leaders of organizations must feel compelled to publish a Tri-Annual Declaration Statement of Fit for Purpose as a voluntary statement of assurance to all stakeholders that their organizations comply with minimum requirements of the concept. Such a declaration must be easily accessible on their websites.

Further, they must publish clear areas of shortfall (and work-in-progress) and what remedial strategies they have put in place, and the target dates, to achieve compliance. Such a declaration will aid in policy development and evaluation by the market served by these organizations. And it will also serve to promote transparency and a sense of ownership and responsibility and personal stakeholder equity in the organization.

It is vital that such a declaration must be simple in its presentation and stick to the primary drivers of the Fit for Purpose concept. Critically, it must be generated by the leaders of the organization and supported by the employees.

Too often political leaders have enthusiastically quoted the concept without a clear understanding of what it takes to implement it optimally. This proposal is intended to lift the discussions and engagements onto a higher platform.

The Declaration must confirm that:

1. The value proposition or mandate for the organization has been clearly articulated and shared at all levels of the organization
2. The vision aligned strategies and plans to achieve agreed targets and outcomes are understood at all levels
3. The structure, business module, level of required competencies and operating practices are optimal for the task
4. Management processes are supported by appropriate and fitting technology and information management systems
5. The governance system and framework are effective

Underlying the declaration is a clear principle of incremental improvement over time. For this reason, an honest declaration must also focus on clearly identifying and articulating shortcomings and weaknesses in operations and the strategies and plans in place or contemplated to mitigate them.

The Declaration must be signed by the Chief Executive or Head of the Organization. It must also exhibit endorsement by the employees.

In a significant way, this is a gamechanger because it is an internally generated statement of the performance and prospects of an organization.