The AGA Weblog

Transforming Bureaucratic Cultures

By: Warren Master

Warren Master is Editor-in-Chief & Board Chairman, The Public Manager (www.thepublicmanager.org)

Over the past decade or so, government at all levels has begun requiring short- and long-term plans, including strategic goals, measurable objectives, a system for assessing outcomes and periodic reporting on results. Beginning with the federal CFO Act of 1990, followed by related measures such as the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Government Management Reform Act of 1994 (GMRA) and the IT Management Reform Act of 1996 (ITMRA or Clinger-Cohen), among others, pressure has mounted to achieve greater accountability. More recently, decision makers have attempted to tie budget and other resource decisions to agency performance.

Ironically, this shift to a more results-oriented management system hasn’t yet made a noticeable dent in public sector organizational culture. This observation is warranted because, for such a transformation to have occurred would have surely nudged most culture-bearers out of their bureaucratic silos and stovepipes. For example, in a post-silo organizational culture, budget and financial management analysts would be regularly collaborating with technologists, acquisition specialists, agency planners, HR counterparts and others to assure that co-lateral strategies support agency budget priorities.

Major Transformational Challenges

So what are the most challenging “haystacks” we face at this time—15 years after passage of GPRA?

Performance
Starting with the performance challenge itself, to what extent have the various team elements planned, resourced and orchestrated initiatives to foster a performance culture? How have they assured that all contributors understand the link between the procurement process and vendor performance? Between setting budget priorities that help guide agency investment decisions and justifying and reporting on the measurable outcomes of agency training efforts? To set standards, hold organizations accountable and consider changes to HR law, personnel policies and systems, and other innovative ideas in pursuit of a performance-based culture?

Accountability
Moving to accountability challenges, how have agency strategic emphases shifted to address priority oversight needs? Performance measurement aside, what pressing demands need to be addressed in the area of ethics? What is being planned to assure basic performance measurement acumen and distribute responsibility appropriately in a multi-sector workforce? How have new technologies given agencies more effective tools and techniques to assess and mitigate risks and assure proper internal controls? Moreover, how have organizations raised the bar on managing and sharing costs and employing more results-oriented budgeting techniques?

Human Capital
As for human capital, how have workplace learning efforts focused on measuring performance and linking pay and performance (where applicable)? Given the complex, wide variety and pressing nature of the transformative challenges facing today’s government organizations, what are agencies doing to prepare their current and future leaders and managers to drive this change over the next several decades?

Technology
How do agency strategies assure that the organization will keep pace with new technologies and rising E-governance expectations among all relevant users—citizens, the business community AND a younger more Web-savvy work force? Also, the public sector has slowly made increasing use of telework and other flexible workplace arrangements. What are agencies doing to become “telework-ready” to ensure continuity of government operations in the event of a significant work stoppage?

Communication
How are government organizations balancing the need for internal controls and confidentiality with the demand for increased freedom of information? Given the volume, pace and complexity of policy formulation activities, how are government agencies engaging citizens today—particularly in the context of new communication technologies? Given the inter-dependent nature of today’s public sector challenges and solutions, government agencies and occupational groupings will need to go outside their own vertically integrated comfort zones and interact with other bureaucratic sub-cultures to achieve priority outcomes. How are agencies reaching out across traditional boundaries, and how are basic organization assumptions and behaviors changing with respect to sharing information and collaboration in planning, sourcing and managing efforts of common importance?

Governance
Going beyond inter-institutional communication, how have bureaucratic cultures evolved to share responsibility for achieving results? What are different levels of government doing to prepare for and respond more collaboratively to catastrophic disasters, and how are lessons learned institutionally shared with others? Moreover, more and more government work requirements have been sourced to private contractors. Given the need to measure and report on the performance of all parties, how are organizations communicating oversight and accountability roles and responsibilities in such a demanding, resource-stretched environment? In this regard, how have government organizations successfully engaged the private sector, achieving high performance while remaining faithful to their missions and code of ethics and protecting the proprietary needs of their business community counterparts?

MONDAY: Eric Berman, Deputy Comptroller, Commonwealth of Massachusetts; AGA GASAC Representative

Think Big! Act Courageously! Make a Difference!

By: William Morehead, Ph.D., CGFM

William Morehead, Ph.D., CGFM, a member of AGA’s Jackson Chapter, is the chair of Accountancy, Computer Information Systems and Finance at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS. He is AGA’s National President-Elect Designate.

Think Big! Act Courageously! Make a Difference!

These seven words say a whole lot, yet they can say very little unless something bold is behind them. I intend to use these words as the foundation of my National Presidential theme in 2009—the subtitles that follow the theme will vary.

We, as Americans, are truly a blessed people who live in a blessed nation! Recently, I was out of the country teaching in a week-long strategic management seminar in Baku, Azerbaijan (borders Georgia to the North, Armenia to the West, The Caspian Sea to the East and Iran to the South). The experience was wonderful; the people were warm, welcoming, caring and genuinely interested in the training; the seminar went great; the food was delicious; and, the city was beautiful. Azerbaijan is enjoying its freedom from Russian rule and is prospering thanks in great part to its oil production.

Nevertheless, as a young government on its own, so to speak, she and her people are learning how to conduct business in a democratic society. Corruption clouds her progress—yet, the businessmen and businesswoman in the strategic management training were anxious to succeed on behalf of their country and themselves.

During our training, these business leaders made comments about sincerely trying to run their organizations using sound business practices—with integrity and little or no corruption. They discussed the difficulty of the task, but they were trying hard to be successful because they wanted a better country for future generations, particularly for their children and grandchildren.

It didn’t take long for me to realize I was in the midst of a group of pioneers, much like those of the early West who had big dreams; those who made bold decisions to fight the unknown to conquer the West; and, those who made huge sacrifices—in some cases, giving their lives—to make a difference for the country we so freely enjoy today. These business leaders in Baku are similar pioneers in their country today. They might not individually be successful in achieving their goals, but they are part of a movement to restore integrity, good business practices and wealth to their country, their government, their businesses, their families, their children and grandchildren and themselves.

Oh, if we were so bold today! It does not take but one quick trip outside the U.S. to know we are a blessed nation! In everything we do, we should be about operating with the utmost integrity. We should be leading the way! We should be using our time, talents and resources to make a difference in our societies. We should not be afraid of taking risks to push the edge of improvement. We should not pause from volunteering to help make our country—and our world—a better place to live in.

So, as we celebrate the Fourth of July this week, let’s be ever mindful of our men and women who have placed and are placing their lives on the line for our freedom. Let’s be thankful for those pioneers who have gone before us: in the West, into space and in places of bold financial leadership by fighting to improve financial management standards.

Let’s take this opportunity to consider how we as individuals, and perhaps collectively, can “Think Big! Act Courageously! Make a Difference!” If you know of ways we, AGA, need to think big and act with courage to make a difference, don’t hesitate to let me know. I am here for you.

TOMORROW: James B. Lockhart, director, Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, on "Small Agencies Benefit from the CEAR Program"

R-E-S-P-E-C-T and Just What It Means To Me: Keys to Success in Any Profession

By: Julia Ranagan, CGFM, CPA

Julia Ranagan, CGFM, CPA, a member of AGA’s Washington, D.C. Chapter, is an Assistant Director with the Federal Accounting Standards Advisory Board.

When members of AGA’s Washington, D.C. Chapter called to tell me I had been nominated for this year’s national Emerging Leader Award of Excellence, I was floored. When Rick Fair, AGA National President, called to congratulate me on winning the award, I was speechless. To me, the definition of a true leader is someone who has the ability to influence others in a positive manner while earning respect in return. Some days I have trouble convincing my five-year-old to wear shoes.

I was asked to write about the keys to my success that led to this award. I believe being selected for such an honor is a result of the qualities that have been instilled in me by my wonderful parents and the exceptional mentors, supervisors and colleagues I have worked with over the years. I have learned something different and useful from each person with whom I have come in contact. There are countless keys to success, so I have selected the seven attributes that I think best define a leader and presented them below in the form of an acrostic (R-E-S-P-E-C-T).

RESPECT—I have chosen the word “RESPECT” for my acrostic as well as the first letter because I believe respect is that important. A leader shows respect for others’ time, space, viewpoints, backgrounds, experience and diversity, just to name a few. Everyone’s life experiences have led them to the place they are today. While a leader need not always agree with others, each person deserves to be heard and respected as a human being. Through demonstration of respect for others, a leader receives respect in return. You can gain a sense of how well you respect others by the number and quality of personal and professional relationships that you are able to maintain over the years.

ENRICHMENT—A leader looks for opportunities for enrichment at every turn, whether that be through membership in a professional organization, reading books on topics that provide a broader depth of knowledge or learning a new sport. A few years back when I was working as a government consultant in San Diego, I learned how to skydive on the weekends and became certified to jump solo. I will pull on that experience and what I learned about myself in the process for the rest of my life.

SERVICE—A leader finds ways to be of service to others, whether through serving in a professional organization such as AGA, creating a report for a manager that provides needed information or volunteering in the community. The year I served as the editor of the Washington, D.C. Chapter newsletter, The Washington Connection, gave me a valuable look into the workings of the organization that I never saw from the outside in many years of membership.

PROFESSIONALISM—A leader demonstrates professionalism when dealing with everyone. All too often, I have seen senior officials walk past lower-level staff without so much as a glance. I find that true leaders recognize and take the time to acknowledge everyone they come in contact with.

ETHICS—A leader strives to always do what is right even when no one is looking. I learned the difference between right and wrong at a very young age. I was in the grocery store with my mother, and she refused to buy me a pack of PEZ candy. When my mother found it in my pocket after we got home, she marched me back up to the store and made me return it to the store manager and apologize. That is the best lesson on ethics I ever learned and it has vividly stuck with me for 30 years. Taking something that does not belong to you is stealing no matter how “little” it is, how well you can justify taking it or how bad you want it. I now teach my daughter the same lesson. There is no such thing as “Finders, Keepers, Losers, Weepers” in her world. I prefer the motto “Finders, Keepers Will Become Poor Sleepers.” If my daughter finds a penny on the ground, I have her return it to the closest cashier, manager or employee. More often than not, they tell her she can keep it. Others realize I am trying to teach her a lesson, thank her for her honesty and give her a reward such as a lollipop or sticker in return.

CERTIFICATION—A leader takes the initiative to become certified in his/her field, whether it be the CPA, CGFM, CIA, CISA, CFP, CPM, etc. Earning and maintaining a relevant certification demonstrates a dedication and commitment to the profession that is unmatched by diligence alone.

TRAINING—A leader acknowledges the need for constant learning (and re-learning) and seeks training in areas that will further develop needed skills. Whether it be classroom, self-study or on-the-job, continual learning translates into continual growth.

I am tickled pink to be recognized by my peers as an emerging leader. It is a reflection of what I have learned from my parents, supervisors, mentors and colleagues. I look forward to learning from them, and others I have not yet met, the keys that will continue to unlock the doors to success in the years to come.

What other keys to becoming a successful leader do you think are important?

MONDAY: Bill Kilmartin and Breck Marshall, of Accenture, on "Talent Management: How to Compete and Win the War for Talent"