Quality Standards for Highly Effective Government

Quality Standards for Highly Effective Government, Second Edition establishes a "new normal" in government that will ultimately reinvent the practice of democratic government. The principal catalyst for this change will be the adoption of auditable quality standards within every government entity―based on efficiency, effectiveness, and delivered value. Conventional wisdom says that government is not efficient and not effective – but, we are still unsure what works and what is broken in government, where to find some common sense, and where to start to fix it.

The problem sounds huge, but the solution is not all that difficult. Quality science can provide a structure for efficiency and effectiveness, democratic institutions can create consensus goals, and auditable standards can show where these issues exist and to what degree. In addition, it can drive change where it must happen, because if you can measure it, you can manage it.

Auditable quality standards can make these unknowns highly visible and offer a clear scorecard that anyone can follow. They can provide holistic and thorough measurements because they will align with the unique roles and responsibilities at three fundamental levels of leadership in government: (1) Work unit supervisors and managers at the "front line" of government service; (2) chief executives, department directors, and their deputies as "Executive Management" of government agencies, and (3) elected top leadership, as those key officials must define the priorities, outcomes, programs, and budgets.

This book proposes that a focus on efficiency and effectiveness, combined with its defined value, provides the foundation of effective government, and of its audit standard.

In this book, you will learn four necessary strategies that will support the use of these standards including:

• Creating an imperative for consensus
• Ending incentives for building bureaucracy
• Building a safety net for champions of efficiency
• Making elected representatives accountable for results

This book presents the methods necessary to measure and improve the quality of organizational systems in government, across the board, and on a sustained basis to achieve value, efficiency, and effectiveness -- It is the manifesto and map for government’s future.

Richard Mallory, MM, PMP is a principal consultant and Senior Project Manager in government practice for CPS HR Consulting of Sacramento, CA. He is the immediate past Chairman of the American Society for Quality Government Division (2013-2015), and currently chairs its Center for Auditable Quality Standards in Government. Mallory has unique knowledge of government operations obtained as a consultant to hundreds of jurisdictions and agencies around the United States, and as a former Director of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (1997-1998) and the California-Nevada State Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (1986-1993). Mallory is a seven-time Examiner for the Baldrige Quality Award, six times for the California State Award and once at the National level. Mallory is author of Quality Standards for Highly Effective Government, and Management Strategy: Creating Excellent Organizations. He holds a Master’s Degree in Management and is a Certified Project Management Professional.