Six Rules for the Effective Non-Profit

The first is to define what it defines as success. It is easy to confuse good intentions with actual results. The definition, from management guru, Peter F. Drucker is not only simple to understand, it helps non-profit executives think about all the other aspects of their mission and work.

Words We Affirm Have Power

Affirmations, or repeating words or phrases out loud do have the power to keep us attuned to the definitions and to the outcomes they define and engender. Here are a few of mine. What are yours?

Educational News, from Great Britain

I found this article from the BBC astonishing. Considering the sad state of affairs for so much of education in the US and in particular reading and writing, these plans sound almost revolutionary. Consider these excerpts” There will also be a new focus on spelling and grammar. The plans will be put out to public

The Next Big Areas for Quality To Address

TQM and the entire development of the Quality Movement and Principles is headed toward several key areas. These are:

1. Government
2. Public/Private Partnerships

How Accountability Brings Rewards

So, to create or enter into a ‘state of being accountable’, by definiton means you and your organizaiton are liable or anwerable for agreed upon results or outcomes.

A cousin of accountability is responsibility.

ProvenCare delivers lower health costs with improved quality

Find out how the hospital President Obama mentioned in his Sept. 9 address to Congress is providing measured and improved qualityy health care at lower prices all focused on customer satisfaction and outcomes.

After Action Reviews

Consider for a moment what the Army and the other armed services to from a training and systems thinking point of view. They take thousands of young, untrained men and women and within a very short time, they are part of teams that learn, function and accomplish tremendously difficult tasks. At the same time real bonds of commitment to the mission and to each other are formed. What they are already doing in many ways is what corporations and government is struggling with. Consider one tool they use, The After Action Review.

Lean Six Sigma in government

Lean Six Sigma is new to City government. Fort Wayne may be the first City in the country to implement Lean Six Sigma. Mayor Richard wanted to capitalize on the many benefits it could bring to Fort Wayne government.

Community Good Service Grant for Lean in School District

The School District of Ashland, in Ashland, WI, recently received a Community Good Works (CGW) grant to help implement a lean program throughout the district.

Making our schools effective & efficient, our students excellent & ethical

Pennsylvania School District Data: Will School Consolidation Save Money?

Gov. Ed Rendell has proposed consolidating 400 of the state’s 500 active school districts to cut costs. See how your district’s finances compare to districts around the state. Are smaller districts really less efficient? Delve into the data by entering your home county via the link to the right:

This article has information on Lehigh County Pennsylvania. The local political leaders are interested in ideas from Lean and Six Sigma that could help them reduce costs and make their processes more effective.

Public schools are under stress to reduce costs while imporving performance at the same time. I will keep you posted on developments of this project.