Page 1 January-March 2025 Volume 9, Issue 1 I n this edition of the Horizon, one of our feature articles is Fast and Focused, written by our resident Organisational Development expert, Rosemund Warrington. Rosie’s article caused me to reflect on three issues that I believe are closely related and indeed are intricately connected and interwoven in modern organisations. They are: 1. Personal efficiency 2. Organisational Efficiency 3. Artificial Intelligence (AI) The concept of Personal Efficiency treats with how we as single individuals use our time, resources and our mindset and competencies to achieve desired results in our work. According to Sineth Withanage, “In simple terms, organizational efficiency examines how to increase the output an organization can achieve, using a specific amount of resources. The more output delivered using those same resources, the more efficient the organization is.” We can therefore think that organisational efficiency is the conceptual basis for the strident call that has been repeatedly made in the CARICOM Caribbean Region to do more with less during the last two decades. I can confidently assert that CARICAD has done precisely that. We have used fewer persons to generate more output and greater results, while managing to contribute more toward “earning our keep”. While I would be delighted to suggest that, as Executive Director, I brought a magic formula with me when I accepted the position, that would be unforgivably narcissistic and would simply not be true. The fact is that the CARICAD Secretariat is blessed with a team of people that are: Competent, Focused, Multiskilled, Innovative, Professional, Committed, Loyal, Vision-driven, Mission-driven, Results-based collaborators. Those are individual mindsets, behaviour characteristics and personality traits. The combination of all of those has resulted in an organisational climate and culture in which neither resources nor time are wasted. It also means that individual output at CARICAD is very often at a level that is sometimes stunningly close in my view, to the upper limits of human achievement during a working day. In the words of one former Chair of CARICAD’s Board of Directors, “... that CARICAD Secretariat with a handful of people is as productive and efficient as some offices with 40 people.” It will not surprise you when I say I agree with him. Devon Rowe, Executive Director, CARICAD The evolving technological frontier of AI is already writing a new chapter in both individual and organisational efficiency. CARICAD is exploring ways in which acquiring necessary skills in AI can make the institution more efficient. AI has the potential to take the boring and mundane out of organisational development work. Happy workers are more productive. When drudgery is removed workers are not only more efficient but more effective. In other words, according to Peter Drucker, “...not only will be doing things right, but they will also be doing the right things.” AI has the amazing ability to transform technical processes, making them much more efficient. This is especially helpful for organisations with small teams and tight budgets. By automating routine tasks, AI Continues on Page 2
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