I can see you now, frowning at the title of this entry, wondering what this crazy person is talking about today. Bear with me, it will become more obvious in a moment. In early January, I was one of many, many people who were part of yet another reduction-in-force (aka laid off, aka unemployed, aka "don't take this personally, but we really don't need you any more" 
). I'd been forewarned, so I had the holiday season to prepare myself mentally for another career transition. And what I decided was that, despite the uncertainty of it all in this economy, I wanted to try to become a consultant. Scary in so many ways that I can't count them, but...
Remember the movie, "The Bucket List," about two guys with terminal conditions who put together a list of all they things they wanted to do before they die? I started thinking about all of the experiences that I want to have associated with quality before I kick the bucket, and most of those aren't what I see in another corporate job. Don't get me wrong. I know they do exist in some corporations, and I have friends and colleagues whom I envy for their careers. However, I want to take the time to find and support organizations that are zealots about customer satisfaction, with leaders who "get" that it costs more to provide poor quality products and services, and a culture that encourages passion and energy in its employees. I'm tired of doing "stealth Baldrige" and want to be open about what I love and why I love it.
Even if you aren't in the position to be forced to make a change in your job status, it might still be time to make your own quality "bucket list." You might find that some of items on your list could be achieved through volunteer efforts, mentoring others early in their careers in quality, or taking on a challenge in a new way. Please tell me about your list!
Here are some ideas that reflect what is in my "bucket": Getting A Governor or our President Obama to accept Baldrige as a framework - see sample letter below.
Dear Governor XXXXXX:
For the past 10 years or more, I have been actively involved in the process of managing government in selected state agencies across this country, from an evolving global benchmarking perspective. Accordingly, it has been gratifying for me recently to read about your State of Washington GMAP initiative being used today for most, if not all, of your executive branch agencies. You are to be congratulated wholeheartedly, as you have been, with recognition from Governing magazine and the Council of State Government Innovation Awards program.
However, beyond these kudos and accolades, I am writing to offer a business case proposal to you directly, as the CEO of Washington State Government, on how this GMAP endeavor can be extended and expanded to include benchmarking on an international scale. Let me begin with a few facts and observations from my multi-year exposure to benchmarking within both the public and private sectors.
A. State-Wide Performance Management Observations.
1. State-by-State Performance Results Reporting – The Internal View - Little Comparative Data. (Washington, Florida, Minnesota, Virginia, Oregon, etc.) – Our “AS IS” State of Affairs.
After working with two states directly and several more across the United States, it is my judgment that “most states” in terms of today’s performance results are in the “middle of the pack,” with no little discernable systematic process for comparing their current state of affairs with the leading, world-class organizations, in either the private or public sectors. In brief, mediocrity abounds.
Most progressive states (those mentioned above and others)have: (a) Identified and collected their performance metrics for their agencies, (b) Placed them on an accessible web-page or internal/external dashboards for reporting purposes, (c) Have begun to review their results either as individual agencies or on a more integrated basis like Washington, and (d) Have started a process for gathering comparative benchmarking data, but usually only with peer agencies, at a similar governmental level. This global benchmarking is not as yet conducted on a structured, systematic basis, on a global scale, to include best practice partnerships focused on setting meaningful stretch goals. State and national averages are used, perhaps, but rarely global, world-class standards as targets with a focus on reaching the “top 5 – 10%” in the world.
2. State-by-State Comparisons – The World-Class Examples – The External View. (Selected Provinces of Canada, selected Scandinavian countries, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand ) – Our “TO BE” State of Affairs.
As you indicated in one of your inaugural speeches on GMAP a few years ago, we live in a “Flat World” based on the recent book by Tom Friedman of the New York Times. What that means for our collective performance metrics business is that each state should be making “regular” (dare I say daily or monthly) performance comparisons with world-class leaders in each state strategic priority area, whether that be Healthcare, the Environment, Operational
Efficiency, or any of the normal 5 – 8 other priorities that typically appear in a state-wide, or nation-wide strategic plan.
For instance, one could easily compare the customer service or human capital initiatives and business practices of the State of Washington against those in Florida, Minnesota, Singapore, New Zealand, or Australia, in both the public or private sectors, where ever that current state of world-class excellence exists. Finding the leader is the first step, knowing how they got there is the next, and then finally determining how WE get there (our “to be” vision) as the established performance target. I do not see this type of comparison occurring in a systematic way in any of our state governments today – we are only babies beginning to crawl. We need and can do better.
B. My Business Case Proposal – Build A Washington State Global Benchmarking Capacity.
Based on my statements above, if the State of Washington is to be truly considered world-class in its performance, it must build a global benchmarking capacity to strengthen and grow its performance target setting process. Accordingly, I hereby submit the attached executive summary level proposal for your consideration as a valued added element of your current GMAP initiative.
You will note the depth and breadth of this proposed benchmarking proposal, to include all state agencies (and where needed other city, county jurisdictions) across the enterprise of “your” executive branch. It is my firmly held belief that such a global benchmarking capacity is what we as public service leaders are being asked to do today by our citizenry in the United States and across the globe. We owe them that level of a focused commitment, nothing less.
That defines it – my business case proposal and commitment to you and the citizens of the State of Washington. I trust you will give this proposal your utmost consideration in the context of your current GMAP plans and activities.
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this proposal in much more detail with you and/or your GMAP staff in the coming days and will call directly to get your reactions toward that goal.
In the meantime, feel free to contact me at the above address or by phone as your schedule allows. All The Best with your continuing exemplary endeavors with GMAP and elsewhere across your state.
Posted by: Dale Weeks | February 2, 2009 5:30 PM