By Susan J. Daluddung, Deputy City Manager, Peoria, Arizona

Here we are in the first working day of 2014 thinking about how city management has changed and what we will accomplish in the upcoming year. Now faced with cultural change, new government models, and dwindling resources our challenges seem bigger. They may be more challenging but I argue that city managers do have the tools at hand to continue to manage through the changes.

To deliver results, we are qualified, skilled and trained on policy goals and service demands-we know what to do.  Do others know what we are accomplishing? The work is being done, so let’s put it down on paper and let the taxpayers know what’s being delivered. People know if we are measuring the results by using performance measures and then reporting on them. If we are not, then we are missing a great opportunity to review, evaluate, conduct course corrections, assign resources, and boast about accomplishments. Living the performance management culture means developing core practices in all of the departments. Underlying all of this is performance measurement. Your city’s management results are revealed by reporting on key performance areas.

This requires strategic planning which reveals the City Council priorities and helps to align the priorities with the budgeting process. Obviously, if the performance areas are not being captured in the budget, then they are not being accomplished due to lack of assigned resources. Without planning and budgeting you can get lost in a maze of not knowing where your City is going and if previous strategies have actually worked. Also, the public doesn’t know what we are doing unless we measure and report on progress.

In addition, a Director’s perspective becomes clearer when they have to report on their performance. Many of their challenges, in addition to their accomplishments, are apparent when they use performance management as a guide. It is not uncommon for a Director to accept the status quo of their projects because in their eyes, “it works.” Performance management often opens eyes to the reality of these projects. Yes, they may work, but are they efficient and do they still meet the goals of the organization? Working with Directors to establish measurable goals which better meet the needs of the organization reaps the benefit of a performance management outcome.

Performance management may not get you more resources or fewer responsibilities, but it will get you the answers needed to work more efficiently with the resources and responsibilities you do have. My recommendation here is to play around with the tools you have at hand, and use your performance management to play well.

Happy New Year to all those working in management in cities throughout the ICMA network.