ellig results based management at fema 2000

Results-Based Management at the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Jerry Ellig

Mercatus Center

George Mason University

Which do you want to be?

“The sorriest bunch of bureaucratic jackasses I’ve ever known.”

“Much more proactive, much more sensitive to the consumer… They have just made a tremendous amount of improvement.”

What is a “result”?

A result is the intended benefit produced or harm avoided for a particular set of clients or the public at large.

Results-Based Management and Organizational Structure

Mission and Measures Responsibilities and

Decisionmaking Authorities Incentives and Performance

Evaluation Knowledge Systems Organizational Culture

Mission and Measures

Results-based mission specific enough to guide action

Results-based performance measures derived from mission

FEMA Mission

“Reduce the loss of life and property and protect our institutions from all hazards by leading and supporting the Nation in a comprehensive, risk-based emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.”

FEMA Action

Reorganized into 5 directorates:

Mitigation Preparedness, Training, and Exercises Response and Recovery Federal Insurance Administration (flood

mitigation and recovery) National Fire Administration (fire mitigation and

preparedness)

Grants to states must fall into one of the mission categories

Mission-centered measures

Mitigation: Actual disaster losses vs. baselines

Preparedness: Surveys of training course alumni; state capabilities survey

Response/recovery: Average length of time to deliver financial assistance, and customer satisfaction with aid process

Performance Results

Measure Result

Mitigation grants More than $2 saved for every $1 spent

Flood losses $1 billion/yr. saved

Course surveys – US Fire Admin.

87% report improved job performance

State assessments FEMA programs lead to higher scores

Wait to receive housing assistance

8 days, vs. 10 in 1997 and 20 in 1992

Customer service surveys

89-97% favorable for individual victims

Responsibilities and Decisionmaking Authorities

Well-defined and understood

Reflect mission

Access to resources and info. commensurate with results for which people are responsible

Roles/responsibilities in disaster assistance

Mission determines responsibilities of sub-units

Federal, state, local roles clarified Federal Response Plan Unneeded management layers

eliminated Decisionmaking authority more

closely matches responsibilities

FEMA’s Reorganization

MGT LEVEL

Agency Director

Directorate

Office

Division

Branch

Team

Unit

REORG RESULT

Retained

One eliminated

Most eliminated

Retained

Retained

Eliminated

Eliminated

Empowered employees?

“Mileage for personal vehicles is reimbursed at 24 cents per mile when your travel is fewer than 125 miles (one-way distance to destination), or when a state vehicle is requested but not available. On longer trips (greater than 125 miles, one-way to destination) or when a state vehicle is available but declined, the reimbursement rate is 16 cents per mile…luxury vehicles are not allowed…Remember to fill the gas tank before you turn in the car. Gas station refueling is acceptable and will be reimbursed. Car rental companies charge an excessive amount for refueling – those charges will not be reimbursed.”

--Travel policy of a state university

Decisionmaking Authority

Individuals sign their own correspondence

Managers take initiative to pre-position resources in advance of disaster

Mitigation officials make purchase/relocation decisions independent of director’s office

Incentives and Perf. Eval.

Pay/promotion should be linked to results individuals produce

Accurate measures of success provide nonmonetary motivation

Pay linked to performance?

“There must be a better reason for giving raises than the fact that the earth went around the sun one more time.”

Small financial incentives…

Senior staff evaluated based on org. performance goals

Small bonuses = 1-2.5% of salary

Suggestions can earn $100-2500

Innovation can contribute to promotion

Interviews revealed pay does matter

…large intrinsic motivation

1993: half of FEMA employees said they would take a job elsewhere if offered one

Today

FEMA attracts “fixers and scrappers who want to get something done.”

“We don’t have to wear bags over our heads when we go to meetings with other departments.”

“Once you work at FEMA, you don’t want to work at any other federal agency.”

Who’s doing better?

Knowledge systems

It’s NOT just “IT”

It’s not just data:

Much knowledge is dispersed, tacit, subjective, contextual, and conjectural

It’s NOT just “IT”

Pre-teleregistration: long lines just to schedule appointments

Rocky start

Customer focus: Listen to stories instead of asking standardized questions

More than 90 percent of victims say application process was easy, clear, accurate, and caring.

Accounting for the nature of knowledge

Small size fosters informal sharing of experience

Routines

“Hot wash”

FEMA management recognizes this issue needs more attention

Organizational Culture

Results, not process

Values support focus on responsibility and results

“Walk the talk”

Walking the Talk at FEMA

Continuous improvement

Customer service

Quality work

Public stewardship

Cost reduction/ productivity measures

Customer surveys,Critical evaluation factor

Quality of results measured

Critical evaluation factor

Mitigation, flood insurance goals

More walking the talk…

Creativity and innovation

Partnership

Hurricane Floyd rental assistance

Tolerant attitude toward mistakes

FEMA coordinates and assists

Federal Response Plan

What other values foster a focus on results?(NOT means or processes)

What evidence would show that these values guide action?

Remember Basic Principles…

Mission and Measures Responsibilities and

Decisionmaking Authorities Incentives and Performance

Evaluation Knowledge Systems Organizational Culture

Change Can Happen!

1993 survey:

Half of FEMA’s employees said they would take a job elsewhere if offered one.

1998:“I think people are no longer ashamed to say they work for FEMA, which is phenomenal.”