The EXECUTIVE SUMMARY #22
The EXECUTIVE SUMMARY by Joe Chimenti
…Purpose, Process, Pay Off
Many years ago, when I was a student in business school, I learned a very simple (but effective) system for outlining a strategic approach. It has 3 steps:
Define the Purpose
The Purpose is the “Why” and articulates the values and direction of the organization. For example:
A successful restaurant creates an extraordinary dining experience by providing quality food and exceptional customer service.
An accomplished physician heals her patients by providing high-quality medical care in a professional, nurturing environment.
An effective local government advances the community by providing security for its citizens, promoting social advancement, maintaining needed infrastructure, and supporting economic growth.
Establish the Process
The Process is then designed to promote, support, and sustain the Purpose. Its primary function is to successfully implement and satisfy the “Why”.
Evaluate the Pay Off
The Pay Off is the benefit realized by the customer, the patient, the citizen. It is a critical measure of performance.
So, in the context of local government (which is really where I am going with all of this), do the decisions made at the highest levels clearly support the Purpose? Are the decisions advancing the community by providing security, promoting social advancement, and supporting economic growth? Are necessary risks being taken to drive the Purpose?
OR…are the decisions protecting the Process, and perhaps securing the less than effective status quo? At which point do the needs of the community supersede the needs of the organization?
At a recent Community Forum on Public Safety, the Redding City Council and City Manager discussed the need to take some risk to discover workable solutions…focusing on what can be done. This is a significant step in the right direction. Hopefully, we will see more of this at both the City and County levels.
It’s a simple strategic approach…
…Purpose, Process, Pay Off