Government Executive - Authors - C. Morgan Kinghorn

What's Next

C. Morgan Kinghorn and William Shields Jr. — Wed, 01 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Now that the campaign is over, let's get to the real work of improving government performance.

With the rough-and-tumble presidential campaign behind us, commentators will examine the dynamics that shaped the 2004 election. They will ponder events that appeared on the front pages of newspapers, in the evening news and on the Internet, and influenced voter attitudes. The choice in candidates may have been stark, but there was little opportunity in the heat of the campaign to explore broad choices, lay out alternatives, have meaningful discussions, or develop workable solutions for major issues.

While the commentators look back, fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration are looking forward. For five months in Government Executive, they have offered management advice to the next president.

Some issues played prominently on the political landscape: battling bioterrorism, reforming health care, negotiating fiscal issues. But others are no less important, including managing across different levels of government and reforming regulation.

Four themes woven throughout the articles would serve the next administration well in the transition from campaigning to governing.

1. Establish a management capacity to effectively administer programs and deliver services.

Several authors made compelling cases for a renewed emphasis on management, from strengthening the "M" at the Office of Management and Budget to integrating management into planning the president's initiatives. In the hustle and bustle of a transition, the president cannot let management fall by the wayside. The consequences would be enormous-namely in program initiatives that are tough to deliver, and in public distrust of government.

Building on the President's Management Agenda-focusing on results and accountability in human capital, competitive sourcing, electronic government, financial management and integrating performance measures into the budget process-would send an early message of commitment to improving government performance.

2. Strengthen creative approaches to service.

Social, economic and technological changes are fundamentally altering the institutions on which citizens rely. Governments at every level are looking to creative partnerships to deliver those services. This collaboration should be encouraged. Because the merging of public and private governance will continue, it is equally crucial to test new management models.

3. Develop stakeholder involvement.

The need for stakeholder input-spanning sectors, levels of government and political parties-is greater than ever. Several years ago, the National Academy of Public Administration developed principles of effective consultation with stakeholders, which is the key to successful coordination and collaboration. The principles address inclusive process, two-way information exchange, access to decision-makers and feedback.

4. Ensure a government that works for all.

Christopher Edley, dean of the School of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote that policymakers rarely get caught up in carefully defining social roles, even though choosing social priorities is inescapably political. But both are critical to ensuring that a government of the people serves all the people.

We need an informed public debate on the tough issues of the 21st century, not safe positions that fail to get at root causes.

These are big ideas that require big thinking and practical solutions. As leaders advising leaders, the National Academy of Public Administration stands ready to inform the public on the wider, and sometimes difficult, range of alternatives.

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Presidential Prowess

C. Morgan Kinghorn and Ryan J. Watson — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0400

Effective management initiatives are critical to constructively addressing these daunting challenges. And the four cornerstones to implementing those initiatives can form the foundation for a president's management triumphs.

Be a creative, determined leader.

Presidential leadership involves mapping the course and serving as the driving force behind each initiative. The president must think innovatively as he develops and leads his management agenda. Instead of simply studying how government is currently managed and then developing a strategy for change, presidents should paint a portrait of how government would ideally operate and ask: "How do we get there?" After all, "Leaders must encourage their organizations to dance to forms of music yet to be heard," as leadership guru Warren G. Bennis once said. Getting government to dance can prove exceedingly difficult. Politics, turf battles, and champions of the status quo often pose significant challenges, making effective presidential leadership even more essential.

Raise the visibility of critical management initiatives.

President Bush's emphasis on results and accountability is one example of a chief executive taking a public stand on critical management efforts. The President's Management Agenda kicked off Bush's high-profile effort to improve government performance. As part of the agenda, the administration has evaluated more than 400 federal programs worth about $1 trillion in an effort to allocate more funding to programs that deliver positive results. Politicians and pundits might argue about the merits, objectives and details, but there is no doubt that Bush's results-oriented policies have put the issue of results on the table and have greatly expanded advances in prior administrations.

Bring management-related policies down to ground level.

Given how a president expects his initiatives to be perceived by a whole host of stakeholders, what will be necessary to make each one happen? It is an unquestionable tenet of public management that without pragmatic attention to implementation, even the best policies can fall flat on their face. Ignoring effective management techniques and tools when formulating new policies or improving existing ones can be a recipe for disaster.

For instance, the president should strike the balance between monitoring progress and micromanaging. While management initiatives need active support from the top, the president should not stifle the creativity of civil servants responsible for making his policies a success. There is, however, a growing need for carefully examining how programs are constructed and managed up front, rather than expecting civil servants to pick up the administrative flotsam of well-meaning programs that are badly designed. If done right, this will give federal employees a sense of ownership of presidential initiatives.

Create an atmosphere of bipartisan, intergovernmental collaboration.

The new president's honeymoon period is a perfect time to establish the tone for constructive conversation. Partisan politics run rampant through the corridors of Washington, but if the president engages Congress on both sides of the aisle, involves leaders from departments and agencies, and consults with state and local governments, he will see measurable benefits. In the 21st century, all government is intergovernmental. And, in this environment where all government is intergovernmental and even international, the way the federal government implements its policies needs more fresh and open thinking about the importance of the management of new and complex initiatives.

These four cornerstones should form the foundation for the management agenda of whoever resides in the White House in January 2005, because that is where management starts-1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

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Presidential Prowess

C. Morgan Kinghorn and Ryan J. Watson — Thu, 01 Jul 2004 00:00:00 -0400

Building a management agenda on the four cornerstones of leadership.

First in a series of columns by Fellows of the National Academy of Public Administration-current and former government officials and scholars who will offer management advice to the next president.

Whether Sen. John Kerry or President Bush prevails in the election, the next president will wrestle with some of the most extraordinary challenges any chief executive has ever faced in areas such as homeland security, bioterrorism, health care and fiscal management.

Be a creative, determined leader.

Raise the visibility of critical management initiatives.

President Bush's emphasis on results and accountability is one example of a chief executive taking a public stand on critical management efforts. The President's Management Agenda kicked off Bush's high- profile effort to improve government performance. As part of the agenda, the administration has evaluated more than 400 federal programs worth about $1 trillion in an effort to allocate more funding to programs that deliver positive results. Politicians and pundits might argue about the merits, objectives and details, but there is no doubt that Bush's results-oriented policies have put the issue of results on the table and have greatly expanded advances in prior administrations.

Bring management-related policies down to ground level.

Create an atmosphere of bipartisan, intergovernmental collaboration.

These four cornerstones should form the foundation for the management agenda of whoever resides in the White House in January 2005, because that is where management starts-1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

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