Introduction
Jan Carlzon is widely regarded as one of the greatest leaders in the airline industry. His daring yet calculated approach to revolutionizing Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) redefined the company’s trajectory and earned him a place in the pantheon of revolutionary business leaders. Central to Carlzon’s success at SAS was his governance strategy, which he termed the “7-C Management Model” or the “Seven Cs of Management”. This model identified the seven essential management functions that are necessary to ensure an organization is successful. This paper will discuss Carlzon’s “7-C Management Model”, including an overview of the model, its principles, and an assessment of its effectiveness in contemporary organizations.
Background
Prior to Jan Carlzon’s appointment as the President of SAS in 1979, the airline was facing a wide range of challenges. Customer satisfaction levels were falling, and the airline was losing the battle against its competitors. Faced with these difficulties, Carlzon implemented a drastic restructuring of SAS, relying heavily on his 7-C’s of Management. This model identified the key functions that a manager must carry out in order to ensure an organization is successful.
The Seven C’s of Management
The concept of the “7-C Management Model” was first introduced by Jan Carlzon in his book Moments of Truth. According to Carlzon’s model, there are seven essential areas of management that a leader must focus on in order to achieve success. These areas are:
Communication: Implement clear and effective communication strategies to ensure everyone in the company is on the same page
Collaboration: Encourage collaboration amongst different departments and teams
Culture: Establish a positive and productive culture
Customer Service: Focus on customer service as the primary means of achieving success
Commitment: Demonstrate and expect commitment from employees
Competency: Ensure all staff members possess the competency and skills required to do the job
Change: Implement changes as and when they are needed
These seven areas of management all form the foundation of successful business organizations. When combined, they are able to provide a comprehensive approach to organizational management and ensure companies are able to reach their goals.
Effectiveness
The 7-C Management Model is widely regarded as a highly effective approach to organizational management. By focusing on all seven aspects of the model, organizations are able to ensure they are well-equipped to deal with the ever-changing market conditions. This allows them to remain competitive and maintain their success.
The 7-C Management Model is particularly beneficial for large organizations that need to maintain their competitive advantage. It enables these organizations to remain agile and adaptive in their approach to the market, allowing them to remain relevant and successful. Moreover, it places a strong emphasis on customer service, which is essential for companies to achieve success in today’s market.
Conclusion
Jan Carlzon’s 7-C Management Model is an essential tool for organizational leaders. By focusing on communication, collaboration, culture, customer service, commitment, competency, and change, leaders are able to ensure their organizations remain dynamic and successful. The model is particularly beneficial for large organizations that need to maintain their competitive edge in a rapidly changing market. Ultimately, the 7-C Management Model is a proven way of achieving success in today’s business world.
