Author Archive

Robert D. Behn

Robert D. Behn, a lecturer at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, chairs the executive education program “Driving Government Performance: Leadership Strategies that Produce Results.” His book The PerformanceStat Potential will be published by Brookings in 2014.
Robert D. Behn, a lecturer at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government, chairs the executive education program “Driving Government Performance: Leadership Strategies that Produce Results.” His book The PerformanceStat Potential will be published by Brookings in 2014.
Management

You Can’t Manage What You Can’t Message

Clarifying and repeating the your organization’s purpose keeps everyone focused.

Management

Use Your Head: Don’t Be Seduced By Technology

Even when using the most sophisticated tools, human judgment is actually required.

Management

That Focusing Trick Good Leaders Use To Stay On Task

Don’t let the crisis of the moment distract you from equally (or more) important matters.

Management

When Performance Measures are Counter-Productive

Different measures create different incentives.

Management

Why Most Managers Should Delegate More Responsibilities

People will work harder to demonstrate that their own ideas are effective than to prove that their boss is a genius.

Management

Why Public Executives Need To Focus On Obliterating Worst Practices

Your worst practices might be undermining your best ones.

Management

The Best Leaders Know How to Pass the Torch

Why executives should stop treating their knowledge like state secrets.

Management

Public Officials Need to Accept That There Is No Silver Bullet

You can’t just copy and paste best practices.

Management

Why Failure Has to Be an Option

The list of successful people who failed first is long and distinguished.

Management

Planning Is Valuable; The Plan Much Less So

The only certain outcome is things won't go exactly as intended.

Management

Rule #1: Policy Design Starts With Operational Capacity

What happens when policy wonks make implementation someone else's problem.

Management

Data Wonks vs. Performance Leaders

Finding key insights in a jumble of data is not the same as the skills needed get consistent, dedicated work from a team.

Management

Why Every Manager Should Use the Great Sewerage Equation

Backlogs are not a government problem. They are a large-organization problem.

Management

Snow Days: When Government Resorts to Naming and Shaming

Will a neon notice on the front door really convince citizens to shovel their walks?

Management

Why Every Agency Needs a Chief Management Officer

The top leader can't do it all in a mere 168-hour week.

Management

Avoid Getting Caught in the Quagmire of Key Performance Indicators

Searching for the ‘best KPI’ is just another substitute for thinking.

Management

What Performance Management Is and Is Not

The phrase is often used when all anyone is doing is collecting data.