“Trust but verify” was President Ronald Reagan’s mantra during the Cold War. But today, “trust” is a key element to creating effective cross-agency networks to get things done. But what, exactly, is “trust,” and how do you know what to look for? Increasingly, addressing public management challenges requires the use of collaborative networks across aRead… Read more »
OMB releases first quarterly progress reports for the 2014-2015 round of agency priority goals. The Obama Administration in 2009 directed agencies to identify a small handful of priorities that they would commit to achieving in a two-year timeframe. This initiative was embedded into the GPRA Modernization Act of 2010. Agencies are required to identify priorityRead… Read more »
“Today the Administration is releasing detailed action plans for the fifteen CAP goals,” announced Office of Management and Budget deputy director for management, Beth Cobert, in a blog post in late June. These four-year goals were first announced with the release of the FY 2015 budget back in March. Cobert’s announcement accompanies the first roundRead… Read more »
Agency chief operating officers are required to conduct quarterly progress reviews on priority goals. Sometimes called “PerformanceStat” meetings, they can be effective problem-solving sessions or terrifying blame games. So, how do you make PerformancStat meetings effective? OMB says that these review meetings should be constructive and focus on learning. Astute observers, such as Harry HatryRead… Read more »
OMB released a refreshed list of cross-agency priority goals for the remainder of the Obama Administration. There are 15 goals, seven mission-related and eight management-related. Only three carry over from the previous set of commitments. Following are edited excerpts from Performance.gov. Cross-Agency Priority goals address the longstanding challenge of tackling horizontal problems across vertical organizationalRead… Read more »
GAO has issued a series of reports over the past three years identifying more than 80 areas where there is potential duplication and overlap. It observes that “agencies face a range of barriers when they attempt to work collaboratively.” On occasions, the Government Accountability Office breaks the mold for its reports and looks for thingsRead… Read more »
Federal agencies this year will be subject to a new statutory requirement. A new law requires the Office of Management and Budget to annually determine if agency programs meet goals set out in their annual performance plans. To do this, OMB has created a new review process. A provision of the Government Performance and ResultsRead… Read more »
Set your New Year’s resolutions now! In early 2014, for the first time federal agencies will simultaneously submit refreshed strategic plans to Congress, covering the next four years. You should put them on your “must read” list for the new year. Many agencies have been quietly posting their draft strategic plans on-line for public comments,Read… Read more »
Over the past two decades, the goal of those in the “performance movement” across the globe has been to change the culture of government agencies to be more results-oriented and performance-focused in their work and their decision-making. But it has been a long road. In 2011, two European academics conducted a meta-analysis of 519 studiesRead… Read more »
A recent GAO report on the executive branch’s approach to new requirements in the Government Performance and Results Act recommends that “OMB improve the implementation of the act.” But a sub-theme in the report describes how agencies are actually building a long-term, solid foundation for a performance-driven government. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is requiredRead… Read more »