From Vision to Reality: The Art of Implementation

1. From Vision to Reality: The Art of Implementation Russ Linden russlinden@earthlink.net Website: www.russlinden.com Blog: http://russlinden.wordpress.com

2. About Russ Linden Russ Linden is a management educator and author who specializes in organizational change methods. Since 1980, he has helped government, non-profit and private-sector organizations develop leadership, foster innovation, and improve organizational performance. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Virginia, University of Connecticut, and the Federal Executive Institute. He writes a column on management innovations for Management Insights, an online column sponsored by Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and Governing Magazine. In 2003 he was the Williams Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the SUNY (Fredonia) School of Business. He has published numerous articles, and five books. His book Seamless Government: A Practical Guide to Re-engineering in the Public Sector (Jossey-Bass, 1994), was excerpted in the May, 1995 issue of Governing Magazine, and has been translated into Chinese. His book Working Across Boundaries: Making Collaboration Work in Government and Nonprofit Organizations, is now in its 7th printing. It was a finalist for the best book on nonprofit management in 2002 (awarded by the Alliance for Nonprofit Management). His latest book, Leading Across Boundaries (Jossey-Bass, 2010), describes the process of forming collaborative teams, the leader’s role in creating collaborative cultures, emerging trends that support collaboration (including Web 2.0), international examples, and methods for dealing with difficult people and situations when collaborating. His clients have included the National Geographic Society, several military and intelligence agencies, a partnership of the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, Drug Enforcement Administration, National Park Service, U.S. Departments of Treasury, Interior, HHS, State, and Education, a governor, two state attorneys general and over four dozen state and local government agencies. He’s also worked with several non-profit agencies in the U.S. and Israel. Before beginning his full-time practice, Russ was a Senior Faculty Member at the Federal Executive Institute. He served as the Director of Executive Programs at the University of Virginia's Center for Public Service, taught at the UVa McIntire School of Commerce, and worked in the human services field for 10 years. His volunteer commitments include scholarship programs that help low-income youth afford college. Russ Linden's bachelor's and master's degrees are from the University of Michigan. His Ph.D. is from the University of Virginia. He and his wife have two adult children. They live in Charlottesville, VA. For more, see his web site: www.russlinden.com.

3. Implementation: Two examples One that should have gone better: leading change at the Dept. of State And one that went better than expected: a collaboration among natural resource agencies. 3

4. Collaboration among natural resource agencies – Service First Some results: • Over 20 co-located field offices • One-stop service centers, serving both agencies’ customers • Integrated operations in several locations • Financial savings from reduced duplication • Improve land stewardship, from improved collaboration • A key learning: the relationship among line mgrs. was a critical • success factor. 4

5. “Implementation is ultimately what government is all about.” -- Gordon Chase* The good news about implementation: • Most managers get energized by implementation opportunities. • Implementation taps our “get-it-done” mentality. • It can remind us why we signed up for this work years ago. • It brings career opportunities. • It’s our chance to make a big difference in people’s live. * From How to Manage in the Public Sector, by Chase and Reveal.

6. Our Goals: Learn … • How to take a program idea (ours, someone else’s) and make it a reality, • The key skills needed, • Some proven strategies for implementing programs, • How to anticipate and overcome the many speed bumps, • Tools for implementation, and • Common implementation phases.

7. Some challenges to implementation • Psychological: we often jump from concept to action, without adequate planning. • Political/Turf: If it’s a new program, some are likely to be threatened/oppose it. • Systemic: The Framers created a gov’t based on fragmented power. Everyone on the gov’t “bus” can hit the brake! • Organizational/Human: “People do not resist change … People resist loss.”* * From Leadership on the Line, by Heifetz and Linsky, p. 11.

8. Some challenges to implementation (cont.) • Obtaining needed resources (without creating enemies) • Finding an executive sponsor • Obtaining subject-matter experts (who are often needed for other projects) • The program idea is tied to the last administration • Stakeholders have different/competing expectations • Leaders lose interest; idea is “OBE”

9. Some challenges to implementation (cont.) Another kind of challenge:

10. Some implementation challenges What other challenges to implementation have you experienced?

11. Our learning activities, course agenda • Cases • Guest speakers • Some tools • Analysis of video clips • Your own “case” – develop a plan to implement a program or service

12. Implementation that’s not going well: The National Park Service • NPS mission includes preserving resources in our nat’l parks • Its leaders emphasize the use of partnerships • Major partnership opportunity: Maintenance • Maintenance function very large: sometimes ½ of a park’s FTE • Maintenance staff may work in same park entire career • Their pay not high, but they take great pride in their work • Often understaffed • Issue: How help maintenance staff get comfortable working with volunteer partners, to maintain parks? 12

13. The National Park Service • Superintendents offer many incentives to partner: • Volunteers are eager to help • They’ll do work the staff can’t get to • They’ll spot unmet needs • Volunteer partners increase public support for parks • Volunteers do low-skill work, free up maint. for higher skill tasks • Working with volunteers will give maint. staff good experience that enhances their careers • Forming partnerships is one of the agency’s priorities 13

14. The National Park Service • Maintenance staff know their superintendents want them to work with volunteers, but they often oppose it. • Why? 14

15. Effective implementation usually begins before it begins • When implementing a program, what are some steps you’ve taken (or, wish you took), prior to “starting”?

16. Getting started before you “start” • Do homework. History of past efforts? Results? Who’s likely to be • threatened? Who wants it to work? • Before selling the solution, “sell the problem” • If possible, keep plan general at the outset so others’ • input can be used • Do a stakeholder analysis • Identify the “veto holders;” learn their interests (FDA embedded OGC and IT staff in their impl. teams) • Create a communications plan (and team); identify the audiences, the information important to each 16

17. Before selling the solution, “sell the problem” A great example of “selling the problem” up front: The Declaration of Independence The 2nd sentence includes truly inspiring words: “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…” But fully 2/3 of the Declaration lists complaints against the king. Jefferson’s main objective was to sell the problem. 17

18. Getting started (cont.) • Connect the program to current agency priorities • Seek an executive sponsor; can the program solve a problem on his/her mind? • Involve key line managers who’ll have a stake in the program; they’ll be there long after appointees leave 18

19. Discuss the read-ahead 1. What did JIVA’s leaders do well? 2. What did they do poorly/overlook? 19

20. Force Field Analysis: An important planning tool 20

21. Force Field Analysis example: the JIVA case Mid Manager Resistance Serve Customers Team Leaders No Metrics Motivated Analysts Some Leaders Need to Know Software 21 21

22. Force Field Analysis: An important planning tool • Write down the goal • Identify the driving forces – those internal and external factors that can help achieve the goal • Identify the restraining forces – internal/external factors that are hurdles to achieving the goal • Decide the length of each line (length = its strength) • Identify a few restraining forces that you/your team can influence: how can you reduce or neutralize those forces?

23. Your projects • Fill out the first 2 questions in the project worksheet. • Find a partner. Explain your project to each other.

24. Implementation strategies that work in most cultures 1. Leverage the power of an impassioned champion(s) 2. Set broad goals, involve stakeholders in the plan 3. Don’t oppose forces, use them 4. Raise the stakes 5. Change the scale; chunk it down or enlarge it 6. Use “pull” as well as “push” 7. Develop trusting relationships

25. 1. Leverage the power of an impassioned champion(s) • It’s great to have a senior champion/exec. sponsor • But it’s usually critical to have a champion at the working level • A great example of having both: Washington, Madison, and the U.S. Constitution 25

26. 1. Leverage the power of an impassioned champion(s) • A project champion is one who: • Is passionate about the project and makes it a priority, • Has credibility among the stakeholders, and • Has some clout.

27. 1. Sometimes, champions have to be tough; almost always, they need to be resolute

28. The tasks of the working-level champion • Articulate the project’s purpose in a way that excites others • Get appropriate people to the table and keep them there • Help parties see common interests, and the benefits from joint effort • Generate trust • Celebrate small successes, share credit widely • Find a senior champion for the effort • Provide confidence, hope, resilience 28

30. 2. Set broad goals, involve stakeholders in the plan: INEAP Interagency Network of Enterprise Assistance Providers • Began in ’06, after consultation with her leaders, stakeholders • Carroll Thomas Martin was a GS-14 at NIST at the time • She was passionate about creating a network of orgs. that serve small businesses • She had run a small business, contacted gov’t agencies for assistance, none could help (or tell her who might help) • She developed idea of info-sharing alliance among gov’t agencies

31. 2. Set broad goals, involve stakeholders in the plan: INEAP • She shared idea with manager who said OK (but wasn’t involved) • She wrote concept paper, found a colleague at SBA who liked it • She and her colleague met with potential partners over lunch (one at a time), explained idea, sought input, listened carefully • She revised plan over 10 times (!) based on the input • Carroll was flexible on INEAP’s design, focused on broad goals

32. 2. Set broad goals, involve stakeholders in the plan • The network started small; 6 attended first mtg. • As people saw the benefits to them/their customers, they got excited; soon membership grew rapidly • They rotate mtg. locations, all contribute to agendas • Carol is very open; shares problems, invites all to exchange ideas • One reason it’s worked: nobody thinks Carol is in it for power. It is all about networking to service small businesses • There is no cost to belonging (except one’s time)

33. 2. Set broad goals, involve stakeholders in the plan INEAP – a few results • INEAP now has members from over 60 agencies • INEAP members share best practices (e.g., how companies can reduce energy usage) which are helping their clients • At regional INEAPS, cross-trained employees provide businesses information from several agencies (not only their own) • The Green Suppliers Network helps large companies share info on reducing pollution without raising costs; these tips are shared with their suppliers • INEAP has provided training on lean manufacturing

34. 2. Start with broad goals … • Carroll Thomas was a great champion. One reason for her success: she stated general goals, and invited stakeholders to craft the plan • What are some advantages to this approach? • What are some potential downsides?

35. The phases that some implementation projects follow … • 1. Getting intelligence • 2. Getting organized • 3. Getting commitment/performance • The INEAP network is a good example of doing the first two phases well. It also demonstrates a dilemma of the third phase. 35 35 35

36. 3. Don’t oppose forces, use them • Aikido uses your opponent’s energy to your benefit • This is what Russ learned (too late) at the State Dept. • EXAMPLES: • The rumor mill • Dealing with contrarians • The egotist who wasn’t heard

37. 3. Don’t oppose forces, use them • EXERCISE: Apply this strategy to the hurdles you identified yesterday. Which ones could be opportunities?

38. Your projects • Fill out questions 3 through 4 in the project worksheet. • Get with your partner, discuss responses. 38 38 38

39. 4. Raise the stakes: the Charles River case Cleaning up the Lower Charles River • By 1995 river had been filthy for over 50 years • Some rowers got tetanus shots before going in the water(!) • Was swimmable 19% of time, boatable 39% • After multiple clean-up efforts, nobody wanted to try again … • Except for the Regional EPA administrator

40. 4. Raise the stakes: the Charles River case • At ‘95 Charles Regatta, EPA reg. admin. announced a goal: • The Lower Charles will be swimmable by 2005. • 300,000 were in attendance • The venue guaranteed major media coverage • Many nonprofits offered to help • EPA offered carrots and sticks to gov’t agencies in area; also sued Boston U. for spills in the river • Harvard and other ed. institutions quickly offered to help (!) • 6 months later, EPA reg. admin. gave the river quality a “D.” • The media covered the story well; they liked his candor, became partners in keeping pressure on agencies to perform • 8 agencies started meeting with EPA, which tapped their expertise

41. 4. Raise the stakes: the Charles River case • Agencies monitored river in 37 locations. It put cause-effect together after spills • EPA provided tech. assistance, resources to cities/companies on the river to reduce their emissions • EPA gave polluters 2 months to begin cleaning up, or face citations/fines • Media gave major attention to all water quality grades (EPA briefed them the day before each announcement) • Media also noted which orgs. were active players, which weren’t 41

42. 4. Raise the stakes: the Charles River case After 5 years, on Earth Day, 2000, EPA gave the river a grade of “B.” It said that the river was now Swimmable 65% of time Boatable 90% of time For an excellent account of this story, see Shelley Metzenbaum’s “Measurement That Matters: Cleaning Up the Charles River,” at www.ksg.harvard.edu/visions/performance_management 42

43. 4. Raise the stakes Some other ways to “raise the stakes” of your project: • Involve a senior leader (or other well-respected person) who is invested in the project’s success • Connect the project to a higher purpose • Connect the project to one of org’s strategic objectives • Invite customers to tell team why the project matters to them

44. 5. Change the scale: chunk it down, or enlarge it Examples of chunking it down: • Manage expectations (avoid bells, whistles) • Conduct small pilots, learn from them • Implement in phases, each with visible deliverables • Monitor, report progress frequently (like the Charles River project) • Thos. Jefferson and his “Academical Village”

45. 5. Change the scale: chunk it down, or enlarge it “If you can’t solve a problem as it is, enlarge it.” -- Dwight Eisenhower Two ways to enlarge it: • 1. Put the problem into a larger context • 2. Widen the number of people involved in solving it

46. 5. Change the scale: enlarge it The Philadelphia Phillies, Clearwater Fl., and the new stadium.

47. 6. Use “pull” as well as “push” Push – using the power of our formal authority Pull – tapping an internal need, goal, or value in others “Push a string and it goes nowhere … Pull a string and it follows you wherever you go.” – Dwight Eisenhower 47

48. 6. Use “pull” as well as “push” • Joshua Chamberlain and the Union deserters from Maine 48 48

49. 6. Use “pull” as well as “push” Some examples of using pull we’ve seen: • Madison’s efforts to get Washington to attend the Con. Convention • Carroll Thomas’ meetings with stakeholders, using their ideas in the plan • The detective’s last comment to the police chief: “I think you know what the right thing to do is sir.” 49 49 49

50. Sometimes, we need to find others who can pull people along Bill Leighty and the Form 47 office 50 50 50