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Leadership, Management & the Leadership, Management & the Role of Performance Role of Performance

MeasurementMeasurement

Michael Lawson, DirectorMichael Lawson, Director

ICMA Center for Performance MeasurementICMA Center for Performance Measurement

www.icma.org/performancewww.icma.org/performance; ; www.icma.org/ncswww.icma.org/ncs;;

202/962-3562202/962-3562

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But first, an account from the field…But first, an account from the field…

Presentation to council members…Presentation to council members…

Report from management and analyst types…Report from management and analyst types… Perspective of a front-line employee…Perspective of a front-line employee… “ “A park where I’m proud to bring A park where I’m proud to bring mymy family…” family…” “ “I want this to spread like a virus throughout the I want this to spread like a virus throughout the organization…”organization…”

1.1. Culture of outcomesCulture of outcomes

2.2. From perspective of residentFrom perspective of resident

3.3. Positive, internal motivationPositive, internal motivation

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Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview

““Good to Great”: Performance-Based Evidence Good to Great”: Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & ManagementManagement

Coda: Making the Time for Performance Coda: Making the Time for Performance Management: “So Easy a Cave Man Can Management: “So Easy a Cave Man Can Do It” (?!?)Do It” (?!?)

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Brief BackgroundBrief Background

• What is the International What is the International City/County Management City/County Management Association?Association?

• What is the ICMA Center for What is the ICMA Center for Performance Measurement?Performance Measurement?

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(1) Performance-Based Evidence as a (1) Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & Key Ingredient to Your Leadership &

ManagementManagement

Great Leadership (Jim Collins):Great Leadership (Jim Collins):

• Establish “piercing clarity” of missionEstablish “piercing clarity” of mission

• ““Rigorously assemble evidence” Rigorously assemble evidence” [performance measures][performance measures]

• Apply rigorous logic, thinking & questioningApply rigorous logic, thinking & questioning

Same concepts in “Evidence-based Management,” Pfeffer & Same concepts in “Evidence-based Management,” Pfeffer & Sutton, Sutton, Harvard Business ReviewHarvard Business Review, January 2006; reprinted with , January 2006; reprinted with permission in ICMA’s permission in ICMA’s Public ManagementPublic Management magazine (September magazine (September 2007).2007).

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(1) Performance-Based Evidence as a (1) Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership Key Ingredient to Your Leadership

and Managementand Management

Piercing clarity of mission (or lack Piercing clarity of mission (or lack thereof)thereof)

Example:Example:

•Fire serviceFire service

If lacking…how this can distort:If lacking…how this can distort:

•Policy making by elected officialsPolicy making by elected officials

•Management decisionsManagement decisions

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1) Performance-Based Evidence as a 1) Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & Key Ingredient to Your Leadership &

ManagementManagement

Seven Key Diagnostic Questions*Seven Key Diagnostic Questions*

A. Establish “piercing clarity” of missionA. Establish “piercing clarity” of mission::

1.1. Are we doing the right “what”? Who is “we”?Are we doing the right “what”? Who is “we”?

2.2. According to whom?According to whom?

3.3. Why be high performance? What is at stake?Why be high performance? What is at stake?

•……and, therefore, what outcomes and results and, therefore, what outcomes and results do we need to achieve?do we need to achieve?

__________________

*Univ. of Virginia, Commonwealth Centers for High *Univ. of Virginia, Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations,Performance Organizations,www.highperformanceorg.comwww.highperformanceorg.com

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Seven Key Diagnostic QuestionsSeven Key Diagnostic Questions

B. Rigorously assemble evidenceB. Rigorously assemble evidence::

4. How do residents view our4. How do residents view our

performance? …fellow employees? performance? …fellow employees?

5. Are we good at it? 5. Are we good at it? HowHow good are we? good are we?

6. What is the appropriate level of performance for us?6. What is the appropriate level of performance for us?

7. How would we know if we were?7. How would we know if we were?

Sidebar: The importance of methodologically rigorous citizen Sidebar: The importance of methodologically rigorous citizen surveyssurveys

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1) Performance-Based Evidence as a 1) Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & Key Ingredient to Your Leadership &

ManagementManagement

……AndAnd one set of action steps: one set of action steps:

C. Apply rigorous logic & questioningC. Apply rigorous logic & questioning::

8. How do we improve? What 8. How do we improve? What real or real or assumedassumed constraints get in the way? constraints get in the way?

• What can we learn and apply from high What can we learn and apply from high performers? [“Best” is not monolithic: (1) top performers? [“Best” is not monolithic: (1) top overall, (2) best at leveraging, (3) best pct. overall, (2) best at leveraging, (3) best pct. Improvement.]Improvement.]

• How do we avoid “mindless mimicry?”How do we avoid “mindless mimicry?”

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1) Performance-Based Evidence as a 1) Performance-Based Evidence as a Key Ingredient to Your Leadership & Key Ingredient to Your Leadership &

ManagementManagementGreat Leadership:Great Leadership:

“…“….What matters is not finding the .What matters is not finding the perfect indicator, but settling upon a perfect indicator, but settling upon a consistent and intelligent method of consistent and intelligent method of assessing your results, then tracking assessing your results, then tracking your trajectory with rigor.”your trajectory with rigor.”

-- Jim Collins, -- Jim Collins, Good to Great and Good to Great and the Social Sectorsthe Social Sectors, p. 8, p. 8

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UrgentUrgent Not UrgentNot Urgent

VeryVeryImportantImportant

II IIII

  

Organizational Organizational leadership & leadership & performance performance management*management*

LessLessImportantImportant IIIIII IVIV

     

Coda: Making Time for Coda: Making Time for Performance Management & Performance Management & Organizational Ldrshp.Organizational Ldrshp.

* “I’ve got a job to do; I don’t have time to think.”*Without it, Quadrant I activities will continue to grow & accelerate.

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Change is Hard…Change is Hard…

“I know evolving from hunting and gathering to agriculture is tough, but hey, no one said change is easy.”

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Food for thought: How much Food for thought: How much time/resources currently devoted to:time/resources currently devoted to:

Tracking dollars:Tracking dollars: Developing and preparing budgets?Developing and preparing budgets? Monitoring month-to-month financials?Monitoring month-to-month financials? Preparing annual financial reports?Preparing annual financial reports? Audits?Audits?

……compared to tracking how well those dollars compared to tracking how well those dollars are spent?are spent?

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““Doc, it hurts when I do this..”Doc, it hurts when I do this..”

It “hurts” when we continue to prioritize, It “hurts” when we continue to prioritize, budget and manage in much the same way budget and manage in much the same way with constricting political and financial with constricting political and financial resources focusing primarily on inputs and resources focusing primarily on inputs and maybe some outputs…maybe some outputs…

What about trying to focus primarily on What about trying to focus primarily on outcomes & results?outcomes & results?

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In closing: Reflect on park maintenance story….In closing: Reflect on park maintenance story…. Presentation to council members…Presentation to council members… Report from management and analyst types…Report from management and analyst types… Perspective of a front-line employee…Perspective of a front-line employee… Front-line employee: “A park where I’m proud to bring Front-line employee: “A park where I’m proud to bring mymy family…”family…” Council member: “I want this to spread like a virus Council member: “I want this to spread like a virus throughout the organization…”throughout the organization…”

1.1. Culture of outcomesCulture of outcomes

2.2. From perspective of residentFrom perspective of resident

3.3. Positive, internal motivationPositive, internal motivation

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Leadership, Management & the Leadership, Management & the Role of Performance Role of Performance

MeasurementMeasurement

Michael Lawson, DirectorMichael Lawson, Director

ICMA Center for Performance MeasurementICMA Center for Performance Measurement

www.icma.org/performancewww.icma.org/performance; ; www.icma.org/ncswww.icma.org/ncs;;

202/962-3562202/962-3562

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Appendix: Overview of ICMA-CPMAppendix: Overview of ICMA-CPM

[FYI only: This section will not be part of the formal presentation but [FYI only: This section will not be part of the formal presentation but is provided for those who may wish to have additional information is provided for those who may wish to have additional information on ICMA-CPM]on ICMA-CPM]

Over 200 cities & counties (and growing)Over 200 cities & counties (and growing) All sizes (urban, suburban, rural)All sizes (urban, suburban, rural)

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MissionMission

Improve effectiveness & efficiency…through the Improve effectiveness & efficiency…through the collection, analysis and collection, analysis and broad-based applicationbroad-based application of performance information for managerial and of performance information for managerial and organizational leadershiporganizational leadership

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How is mission accomplished?How is mission accomplished?

Defining indicatorsDefining indicators Collecting comparative dataCollecting comparative data Ensuring consistent set of dataEnsuring consistent set of data Employing rigorous data cleaningEmploying rigorous data cleaning Providing citizen surveysProviding citizen surveys Annual data reportAnnual data report

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How is mission accomplished?How is mission accomplished?

Facilitating analysis and assisting participating Facilitating analysis and assisting participating jurisdictionsjurisdictions Web (e-database; rosters) & workshopsWeb (e-database; rosters) & workshops Statewide performance consortia (14 so far)Statewide performance consortia (14 so far)

““What Works:” Identification of effective What Works:” Identification of effective practicespractices

For more information, visit For more information, visit www.icma.org/performancewww.icma.org/performance; ; www.icma.org/ncswww.icma.org/ncs