Last time, we introduced Ken Miller's work called Extreme Government Makeover. Unlike many waste cutters and efficiency improvers, Ken comes from government service. He cut his process improvement teeth working to reduce the waiting lines at the Missouri DMV. After that, he spent a decade on the road as a consultant.
He claims to have learned a great deal about what works and what doesn't from his combined experience in government and as a consultant.
At the root of his approach is his view that most attempts to cut waste out of government are doomed to fail because they focus on exactly the wrong aspect. The cost cutters usually cut the people first because in a service industry, that's the most visible expense.
The problem is the cutting the people doesn't fix the gummed up processes of government. An example here are the long waiting lines at a DMV. Cut down the number of staff and the lines just get longer.
Miller contends that citizens are mostly not wanting reductions in the capacity of government to do good. They want the potholes filled, the license plates renewed, the deeds filled etc. What they want is that this is done more efficiently.
His argument is that you need to change the efficiency approach entirely. Don't bash the government employees as most are hard working and loyal people. Use his approach to fix the processes that don't work and then the costs will reduce and the citizen customers will be more and more happy with their government.
I find the approach refreshing and in line with what Dr. Deming taught in the early days of process improvement work in the 1940's. 94% of the problems are not due to people!
After the approach, I would say that the techniques recommended seem to be mainstream process improvement tools.
If you are interested, read more about Ken Miller on his blog: http://kenmillerblog.info/2009/05/extreme-government-makeover/
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Monday, October 31, 2011
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.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
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)
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.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Linked 2 Leadership: The Leadership Collaboratory - Leadership Clarity: Can They See You Now?
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Friday, July 1, 2011
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. |
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