ellig results based management at fema 2000
TRANSCRIPT
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.”