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How Do You Define "Best Practice"?
While "best practices" are often discussed, a universal definition can be elusive. The Best Practice Institute (BPI) views them not as one-size-fits-all solutions, but as innovative approaches that are unique to each organization. A true best practice is identified through careful analysis and a process of co-creation. It involves learning from the successes of others, but always adapting those lessons to the specific context of the organization.
Best Practice vs. Procedure: What's the Difference?
A common point of confusion is the distinction between a best practice and a standard procedure. The key difference lies in their nature and purpose:
- A best practice is a variable that evolves. It must demonstrate proven, quantifiable results with low variability between the desired outcome and the actual outcome.
- A procedure is a fixed process. It does not have a built-in qualifying factor for results. A procedure could be used to examine or diagnose a best practice, but it is not the practice itself.
The Impact of Best Practices: An Example
The concept of "positive deviance" (PD) provides a powerful example of best practices in action. BPI worked with Jerry Sternin and the Save the Children organization to apply this idea to childhood malnutrition in Vietnam during the 1990s.
PD operates on a simple principle: in any community where people have the same resources, some individuals will naturally discover better strategies to solve problems. In Vietnam, researchers identified the uncommon but successful behaviors of families whose children were healthy despite widespread poverty. These locally derived "best practices" were then shared with the entire community. This approach helped 2.2 million people reduce childhood malnutrition by identifying and scaling solutions that were already present and available to everyone.
Why Best Practices Are Crucial for Leadership
For executive leaders, benchmarking and seeking out best practices is not just beneficial—it is integral to their role. According to BPI founder Louis Carter, best practice learning accounts for 20% of development for executive-level positions. Exploring what other successful organizations and experts are doing stretches a leader's thinking and inspires them to raise performance expectations. The knowledge that greatness is achievable serves as a powerful motivating factor for continuous improvement.
The Globalization of Best Practices
The focus on identifying and implementing best practices is a growing global trend. As large organizations expand into new markets worldwide, the need to find and share effective practices has become a priority. Large-scale change initiatives, often informed by best practices from other industries and regions, have enabled organizations to achieve double-digit growth and adapt to a global business environment.
BPI's Role in Advancing Best Practices
The Best Practice Institute (BPI) serves as a central resource for learning about leadership and organizational change. BPI champions positive transformation by offering a trademarked process for evaluating best practice experts and programs. Through its extensive network of members, thought leaders, and organizations, BPI conducts research and analysis to identify and promote practices that lead to meaningful and sustainable improvement. '''