A management audit is a systematic assessment or analysis of the competencies and performance potential of managers. The focus is on the needs and success of the company.
These audits are used, for example, when the management team needs to be assessed as to whether it is up to the current challenges. What measures can be taken to strengthen the leadership team? Another application is in the context of integrating newly acquired companies. Do the leadership teams fit together? But also the targeted promotion of members of a talent pool can be supported by such an audit. In addition, there are a multitude of other possible applications.
This article explains the preparation as well as the implementation of the process of a management audit.
In order to be able to meet the challenges of a management audit, some preparations have to be made.
The first step is to define the objective of the audit. It must become clear what the intended result of the management audit should be.
Depending on the intended outcome, the company names the employees who will participate in the audit. At the same time, the topic areas on which statements are to be made from the company's point of view are defined and discussed. A catalogue of questions is then drawn up for these areas, which is specifically adapted to the topic areas to be examined. On the basis of this information and specifications, the team of consultants is put together to carry out the management audit. From this team, a central contact person is appointed as project manager who is available to the company at all times.
The smooth implementation and evaluation of the management audit is based on a schedule agreed with the stakeholders.
Once all the preparations have been made, the audit starts with the entrance briefing for the participating employees of the company. At the beginning, the participants carry out an aptitude diagnostic procedure. This is a self-assessment that can be carried out online and is tailored to the respective position of the participant. This self-assessment is mirrored against known best practice or norm profiles. The result of this mirroring shows the participant's suitability, strengths and fields of action in relation to his or her current position.
As part of an extended procedure, multi-profile matching can be used to examine the participant's suitability for other possible positions.
Using the results of the suitability diagnostics, structured interviews are then conducted along the specific questionnaire prepared beforehand. Due to the four-eyes principle, two experienced counsellors always take part in each interview. The results obtained are discussed with the project manager.
If several teams of consultants conduct the interviews, the results are validated again by the project manager.
Overarching findings are also summarised by the project manager and presented to the company.
The second part of this topic will deal specifically with the evaluation of a management audit. How does the evaluation proceed? Which results are intended for the employees and which are important for the company?
About the author
As part of his training as an officer, he studied electrical engineering and graduated as a graduate engineer. This was followed by extra-occupational studies leading to a degree in industrial engineering with a focus on "organisation and planning" and "marketing".
After his career as an officer, he joined a subsidiary of EADS in Paris, where he was responsible for international marketing, communications, trade fairs and exhibitions for several years.
Back in Germany, his path in a technology company led him via the strategy division, later head of a product division, to the management. There he was responsible for sales, technical studies, strategy and business development.
In 2010, he moved to Rheinmetall to join a subsidiary as COO. After 2 years, he was responsible for a division with 2,500 employees as Business Unit Manager. Extensive successful restructuring in Germany and Switzerland, successful founding of a joint venture in the USA as well as representation in several political and technological committees rounded off this phase.
He used the experience he gained in the field of technology and general management to become a member of the supervisory board of both HR Consult Group AG and the technology company MECOMO AG. Accompanying the strategic development of HR Consult Group AG over several years then convinced him to become a board member of HR Consult Group AG. Because one experience is central: "It is all about people."
