The intersection of strategic planning and performance measurement: where vision meets action.

• Author: Croskey, Monica D.
• Position: PM2 Connections: PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT & MANAGEMENT

Governments are rarely accused of having too few mission statements or too few aspirations, with frequent proclamations of becoming the safest city in America, the most business-friendly community in the nation, or the best place to live, work and play No; what governments are often accused of is having too much vision and not enough action. After all, how does a community determine whether it's truly the safest in America? By the complete absence of crime, or by having the lowest crime rate per 1,000 residents? What steps will a community take to decrease its crime rate? What resources--financial, human capital, partnerships, and so on--will be needed to accomplish such a goal? A well-developed strategic plan can help a community accomplish meaningful goals by incorporating performance management to ensure that the jurisdiction's resources are tied to its broader vision

THE PROCESS MATTERS

The way a strategic plan is developed will influence the extent to which it is useful and meaningful. A strategic plan that was created by budget analysts alone will likely only be meaningful to the budget office. The key to a successful process is involving stakeholders. Doing so communicates the important message that others' contributions are valuable. Their participation will also create buy-in. Governments should develop processes that, at minimum, include citizens, elected officials, senior staff leadership, and even the local media.

Citizen Involvement. Since governments exist to serve the public, strategic plan processes should include contributions from the public. From online citizen forums to neighborhood charrettes, there are many ways governments can involve citizens. Exhibit 1 illustrates the process used by Rock Hill, South Carolina, which begins with a citizen survey and citizen focus groups, both conducted by an independent third party. The planning timeline allow the city to review the citizen survey results before conducting focus groups, so any concerns can be discussed there.

Data--Share, and then Reflect. In addition to gathering data on citizen opinions and perceptions, a government should consider reviewing its current priorities, initiatives, and performance. Once data has been gathered, it needs to be shared with key stakeholders, and time should be set aside for stakeholders to discuss and reflect on the data. If elected officials and staff reflect on the data and develop their insights in complete isolation, the strategic plan will have diminished utility; it is no longer a robust tool for mutual awareness. Rock Hill sets aside two days for a retreat for elected officials and senior staff leadership, allowing them to discuss data and begin developing the framework of the strategic plan. To lay a foundation for informed discussion, all attendees are given the citizen survey results and the focus groups report before the retreat starts. Given the open meetings law, it is common for the local newspaper to have its assigned government reporter attend the retreat, and like all other attendees, the reporter is provided with the survey results...