Steven Covey Author of 7 Habits of Effective Leaders talks about doing the right things right, however leadership also involves motivating people to do the right things correctly.   Performance Measurement tools are intended to assist people in understanding if they are focused on the right activities and whether these activities are being performed correctly.  The fundamental difference between performance frameworks that are in place in the public sector currently and what needs to be in place are the motivational factors needed to get public servants to realize the value in using performance measurement to manage towards results.  

This article discusses the premise of many of the performance measurement frameworks used in public sector organizations, the fundamental flaws with those frameworks and provides some effective strategies that can be employed immediately to maximize the returns public sector organizations receive from its performance measurement initiatives.

Public Sector Performance Measurement Frameworks

Many governments have adapted Results Based Performance Management Frameworks.  Results Based
Management is focused on results or outcomes which is more in line with private sector management models which are perceived as more efficient and effective models in terms of achieving results.  Many governments have mandated a Results Based Management program to ensure that its programs, policies and service delivery outcomes are measured and reported. 

Governments have dedicated many resources, time and effort to ensure that its public sector is measuring results however, many public sector employees are simply not using this information to assist in the development of better policies, managing programs and delivering services.  For example the GAO (Government Accountability Office) reported that over a 10 year period there has been an increase in the number of departments that are reporting performance, however, there has not been an increase in the number of departments that actually use this information to improve process, develop better programs and or policies.1

So why is this initiative failing to achieve its overall objective of improving public sector performance?

Issues with Public Sector Results Based Management Frameworks

Measuring for the sake of measurement will not result in better government policies and more efficient and effective programs.  In fact it is more likely to consume resources that could have been used to improve public sector performance and as result, the initiative makes the situation worst and not better. 

Measuring performance needs to be relevant to the management process it supports.  This will be the only way to garner enough support such that public sector employees will actually use management information to make better decision.   For example, if a program is in place to help unemployed people become gainfully employed than program administrators need to understand if their training and support programs achieving these results.  In this example, program leads might also want to know if their programs is as effective as it should be and what would be an indicator of whether the program was a success or a failure.   This type of information would be relevant and helpful to these program administrators and would likely result in improvements in program outcomes.

However, with so much time, money and resources invested in the current results based programs already in place, how do government officials change direction without disrupting the current program?

Quick and Effective Solutions

Like the GOA governments need to take stock and determine if their initiative is achieving its overall goal of improving public sector performance.  This is a critical first step and governments ought to let the data speak for itself. 

Government central agencies responsible for reporting public sector performance need to change their indicators of success from the number of government departments reporting required performance information to the number of departments that have used performance information to manage more effectively.   A secondary success factor would be how have departments that use management information improved?

Finally more emphasis needs to be placed on ways to assist public sector employees to do the right things better.  This can only happen when the public sector has relevant feedback/information that supports the management programs that they are responsible for.

 

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