Why Strategic Performance Management?

Today America faces unprecedented challenges stemming from the federal deficit and debt ceiling; an uncertain global economy; an aging population with new healthcare demands, unpredictable demands on where, how and when US military forces will be used; even an uncertain future US role in a world shaped by hunger and poverty, environmental challenges, the rise of dispersed terrorist threats motivated by distorted religious convictions coupled with a hatred of the US; and companies particularly in Asia and India that, in the eyes of their American counterparts, deliver higher quality products and lower costs than US companies. Whether federal, state, community or private sector, organizations must strategically manage their resources, workforce, processes to meet their objectives and deliver quality at least cost in products and services. No one knows precisely what the next decade will be like. But one thing is certain: if American organizations of all kinds are not positioned to seriously plan based upon empirical data, leverage technology to its fullest and bring to bear internationally-recognized standards in problem solving, they will founder. For the first time this includes the Federal Government -- it is a bi-partisan problem. At Goldbelt Wolf and Goldbelt Glacier Health Services we have embraced a philosophy of Strategic Performance Management. There is absolutely nothing magic about this -- it is not a revolutionary idea we trademark, a sophisticated software program we would like to license or a single methodology that that we would like to impose in cookie-cutter fashion on every problem, issue or objective we encounter. In today's world one would be wise to be wary of those. It is a way of thinking about how to integrate methodologies, tools, standards and reference models that have solid foundations in evidence. This way of thinking is motivated by service to country, agility, reduced cost, and dramatic improvements to quality. We believe that in times like these our country deserves no less. In coming weeks and months, we will elaborate this way of thinking and demonstrate value.