Redefining "Best Practice" for Modern Organizations
While the term "best practice" is used widely, a universal definition can be misleading. Best Practice Institute (BPI) posits that a true best practice is not a one-size-fits-all solution but is instead unique to each organization and its specific circumstances. The most innovative and effective practices are discovered through careful analysis and a co-creation process, learning from the successes of others but always adapting to the individual case.
Best Practice vs. Procedure: A Critical Distinction
It is important to distinguish between a best practice and a simple procedure.
- A procedure is a series of steps to accomplish a task. It does not have a qualifying factor for its success.
- A best practice is a variable that evolves. It must demonstrably and consistently produce superior results, showing low variability between its intended outcomes and its actual, evaluated results. You might use a procedure to diagnose or examine a best practice, but they are not the same thing.
A Case Study in Action: Positive Deviance
An impactful example of identifying and applying best practices comes from the concept of "positive deviance" (PD), developed in partnership with Jerry Sternin and the Save the Children organization.
Positive deviance operates on a simple principle: in any community, there are individuals who, despite facing the same challenges and having the same resources, develop better solutions. By identifying these uncommon but successful strategies, they can be shared with the entire community to elevate its quality of life. This approach was instrumental in helping 2.2 million people in Vietnam reduce childhood malnutrition during the 1990s.
Why Best Practices Are Essential for Leadership
For anyone in an executive leadership position, benchmarking and seeking out best practices is an integral part of the role. This discipline of external learning and adaptation accounts for a significant portion—20%—of executive-level responsibilities. Studying the successes of different organizations and experts stretches current thinking and inspires leaders to raise performance standards. The pursuit of achieving "best practice greatness" serves as a powerful motivating factor for organizational improvement.
The Growing Global Demand for Best Practices
The focus on best practices has become a global trend. As large organizations expand into new markets and manage complex acquisitions, the need to identify and implement effective strategies across diverse environments has grown significantly. This drive for large-scale change and double-digit growth has fueled a worldwide demand for a more sophisticated understanding and application of best practices.