What's Behind the Buzz about Transforming Government

Most leaders have by now been exposed to a veritable alphabet soup of quality improvement initiiaves.  There were Quality Circles, TQM, SQI and CQI; remember those?  I do and have even  taught them.

Now LEAN and Six-Sigma are the popular intiatives to reduce waste and improve efficiency.  LEAN had it’s genesis in the Toyota Production System Kaizen philosophy.  This approach has been applied with notable success in an improvement resistant sector, healthcare.

Now we have an increased call to drive waste out of government, to reinvent it, make it more like business and so on. 

This is not actually new, news though.  Take this quote:  "We don't want to get rid of government.  We want it to work better and cost less.  We want it to make sense."  Sounds current, doesn’t it.  That’s actually from then Vice President  Al  Gore.

Many people, when asked, feel there is waste in government and often epitomize this perceptions with the snapshot view of the highway contruction worker leaning on a shovel.

The core question about transforming government is where to begin and that involves identifying the problem which may lack the convenient simplicity of popular sloganism as most lasting problem solving does.

In the next post, we’ll explore views from quadrants as diverse as the 9/11 Commission and the Missouri Drivers’ License Bureau about the state of government.

Checklist "Feel Good"

Let's face it, many of us like lists.  They can help us get organized and stay focused.  I find that there is also a downside.  Lists can also enable us to "feel good" that we've got it, been there and done that.  Whoa nellie, not so fast.

 

Here is a good example.  Frank Bucaro wrote a nice piece in Linked2Leadership entitled "Leadership and Ethics, the Eight Great Habits" (Linked2Leadership 8/16/11)

 

http://linked2leadership.com/2011/08/15/the-great-8-habits/

 

Taken as a set of self-reflective pointers, I found it stimulating.  Take this one:  "How am I a better person because I am part of this organization?".

 

No, I'm not talking about spieling off a trite or politically correct response as to a situational interview question.  Really, am I?  The answer some days might be "no" and a trend of same speaks to time for change in capital letters.

 

Taken as a checklist, I find the list quickly loses it's value for me and descends into triviality.  I don't spend much time daily reviewing lists such as this one.  What I do is look for challenge points that catch me. 

 

When one does, I nab it and work it until I find my own journey as a leader has progressed over, under, through and beyond the hurdle.  Then I look for the next one.  If nothing catches you in this list, toss it.  If it does, that might be your next diamond in the rough.

 

Here is the list:

 

Start building ethical habits by using these 8 reflection points each day:

1. Find every opportunity to practice the virtues of integrity, trustworthiness, honesty and compassion.
2. Ask yourself this: "How is my organization better today because I am in it?"  And "In what ways?"
3. Weigh out your actions  in order to cause more good than harm.  (Consider the short-term vs. long-term consequences of your actions.)
4. Ask yourself this: "How am I a better person because I am part of this organization?"
5.  Remember to treat each person with the dignity and respect that every human being deserves.
6. Be aware of whom you benefit, whom you burden , and how that decision is made.
7.  Find and name strengths of the organization  that can help you become more human.
8. Practice getting beyond your own interests to make the organization stronger.

Linked 2 Leadership: The Leadership Collaboratory - Leadership Clarity: Can They See You Now?

Linked 2 Leadership: The Leadership Collaboratory         Leadership Clarity: Can They See You Now? July 22, 2011 at 12:03 AM   Though it seems a clichéd notion improving your company culture starts at the top, you have to lead by example. Is what you say what they see? To make sure, just lead by example to improve your organizational culture. Be Somebody Real If you're a leader who promotes a company culture of "do what I [...] Media Files ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96&r=G ClarityDiamondWater.jpg (JPEG Image) zemified_a.png?x-id=182e54b1-2d14-4743-9335-2ebef2cdb839 (PNG Image)         Leaders: Take Your Business Back! July 21, 2011 at 12:03 AM   I often hear from managers that employees have more power than their bosses. Studies have shown that the majority of workers in North America do not want to move into a management role. The trend toward servant leadership and participative management has created a lot of very good results, but in many cases it has also created chaos, [...] Media Files ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96&r=G BusinessCreditKey.png (PNG Image) zemified_a.png?x-id=bcd42b3f-796a-4a7d-9ec9-e92a1b5bbfbc (PNG Image)         Gaining Influence as a Leader July 20, 2011 at 12:03 AM   So, you decide that you want to build additional influence at work. What’s one to do? Maybe you want to gain greater influence with a particular group of people, such as your peer group or your team members, or even a group of more senior leaders.  Or maybe you want to exert greater influence over [...] Media Files ad516503a11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536?s=96&r=G influence.jpg (JPEG Image) zemified_a.png?x-id=ee5c16ae-47c0-4855-af53-67d91e61b3ac (PNG Image)             This email was sent to rssfeed@bluepenstar.com. Delivered by Feed My Inbox PO Box 682532 Franklin, TN 37068 Account Login Unsubscribe Here

Finding the Right Dose of Chocolate

A few months ago, I stumbled on to Sam Parker, writer of a blog with no fluff inspirational leadership messages (and services).

 

In a recent post, he writes about performing a professional value evaluation.  Huh?  I've never seen one so this picqued my interest.

 

In typical Sam Parker fashion, no fluff, he says ask yourself whether your work:

	"1.		creates a positive buzz about you and your work?
	2.		makes others want you as a part of their team?
	3.		makes your employer cringe at the thought of losing you?
	4.		makes your patients (or colleagues) excited about referring you to others?"   That's pithy.  His argument is that if your work loudly proclaims value, you are creating economic and job security in trying economic times.  While it's not something I consider daily or even weekly, I think his points are valid.   You can read more about Sam Parker at www.givemore.com   My view about external inspirational messaging like Sam Parker's is that each person needs to find how much they need in their "diet" to continue in a progressive, leadership balance.  It's like chocolate, for some people, a little goes a long way.  For others, daily consumption is just right.   With external leadership inspiration, you need to find the right dose of chocolate for you.  For me, a little bit now and then is what is useful.

Preparing Leaders in the Face of the Unknown

A recent editorial* in a healthcare trade magazine by National Center for Healthcare Leadership staffers posed the question whether our leaders today are being prepared for the future.

At first, I thought the piece called "Timeless Truths" would lead to a cheer-leading piece about helping those following in your footsteps and so on.  Garman and Harris Lemak who wrote the piece took a more challenging line.  They argued that lack of resources and the unknowns facing us are not excuses to fail to prepare tomorrow's leaders.

They challenge that if you as a manager don't have resources for development, identify where in your organization it's already taking place and support it becoming more effective.  "Our task is less to 'turn on the spigot' and more to guide the water that's already flowing in the directions that will be most effective."

As to preparing in the face of the unknown, Garman and Harris Lemak argue to work on the timeless basics, collaboration skills, performance improvement and relationship building as keys that will be essential ingredients of leadership success regardless of the face of the future later revealed.

I set down the piece determined to look again for where the leadership water is already flowing.

* "Timeless Truths" may be found in the May 2, 2011 edition of Modern Healthcare, page 25.