‘What makes them get out of bed in the morning? And what should that point on the horizon be that we are working towards? What are we aiming for?’
Schiphol Group on the Path to HPO
Many managers and directors would be content to relax when things are going well for their organization. But not Otto Ambagtsheer, Director of Consumer Products & Services (the retail division) at Schiphol Group, who, together with his employees, is doing everything possible to become an HPO.
The first HPO diagnosis conducted a few months ago resulted in a solid seven. A great result, made possible by an intensive organizational development program that Ambagtsheer’s business area has undergone in recent years. “But no one felt the need to sit back. The main question was: what’s next? What are we going to do now?” says Otto Ambagtsheer, director of this business area.
For Ambagtsheer, the answer was clear: his business area, which deals with consumer-oriented services at Schiphol such as parking, retail, hospitality, and (social) media, needed to become a High Performance Organization.
But why was he so eager to achieve this? Ambagtsheer thinks for a moment. “Mainly because it’s fun and challenging to work in and for an HPO organization. Not just for management, but for everyone. Of course, we are a commercial organization: we have clear and ambitious financial goals. We want customers to spend money with us. But they will only do so if we put them at the center.”
“HPO is the next step for us. We are convinced that by adhering to the five HPO pillars, we will become even more successful and achieve our ambition. And to improve, we need the HPO philosophy. It comes from the people themselves and is about the long-term development of the organization.”
In 2010, Ambagtsheer introduced Consumers GROEIT, an acronym for the words hospitality, result-oriented, entrepreneurial, empowerment, inspiring, and teamwork. The organizational development program paid off. Absenteeism decreased, employee satisfaction increased, consumer spending—a key KPI—increased, and results improved.
Thus, it did not come as a complete surprise to Ambagtsheer that his organization was in good shape, as evidenced by the HPO scan. “There was a lot of enthusiasm within the management team to continue with the philosophy,” says Ambagtsheer. “I also wanted to pursue it, but I didn’t want to impose the ambition to become an HPO on the organization; it had to come from within.”
The broader management team went on a two-day retreat to consider their position within the HPO trajectory. On the second day, participants attended an HPO masterclass, where the results of the measurement were broken down into different departments. “Concrete action plans emerged for everyone: individual and team plans. Everyone within the management team could then work on their own strengths and weaknesses,” Ambagtsheer explains. “Everyone was willing to scrutinize their role and returned from the retreat full of enthusiasm and energy.”
Ambagtsheer also returned with a clear assignment. “A unifying vision is an important part of becoming a high-performance organization. So we are first going to determine what our collective ambition is. I will not decide that, nor will the management team. I will find out by talking to employees at all levels of the organization. What makes them get out of bed in the morning? And what should that point on the horizon be that we are working towards? What are we aiming for?”
Based on those conversations, Ambagtsheer will formulate a vision for the future, which he hopes will be supported by all employees. After that, more concrete plans will be formulated. “Only then can we prioritize effectively. But one thing is already clear: the passenger is central. We are a hospitable organization, and people should feel comfortable with us.”
Reaction of HPO Expert Esther Mollema
HPO Expert Esther Mollema on Schiphol Group
Otto Ambagtsheer’s business area is incredibly ambitious and result-oriented; they are eager to move forward. Throughout the process, the management team has increasingly sought to connect with the rest of the organization. It was wonderful to reflect on that collective ambition during the two-day retreat, together with my colleague Merel Broekhuizen. What is the shared vision that everyone works so hard for? When this is clear and widely supported, it is much easier to decide whether something contributes to where you want to go. Not only for managers but also for employees. That collective ambition provides focus and guidance for everyone in the organization.
As a passionate hockey fan, I see many similarities between sports and organizations. Is being average enough, or do you want to win, with all the consequences that entail? That is the question an organization must ask itself: do you collectively choose top performance? Schiphol Consumers answered that question with ‘Yes.’
[Note] The HPO Center regularly organizes inspirational sessions, workshops, and lectures on successful collaboration, performance improvement, and High Performance Leadership. If you are interested, have questions, or want to learn more about what the HPO framework can mean for your organization, please contact Marco Schreurs.[/note]