Welcome to the April 2008 issue of Rise & Shine
Your Leadership Solutions and Resource Newsletter!
Bright Lights (Tips/Solutions)
Program Evaluation
At an organizational level, evaluation is often conducted as a way to measure key indicators of success. The primary purpose of program evaluation is typically to provide information (both formative and/or summative) for future decision-making. By first defining the outcomes, and then outlining the programs and services (process) for accomplishing the outcomes, an organization can evaluate the cost effectiveness of their programs and services and their aggregated value for both the organization and their clients/customers.
While focus on research is good, what is most important is that both the research itself, as well as the results, must be open to outside scrutiny. Ideology and research do not always go well together and plans need to be in place to ensure there is a process of policy and practice development that responds to research findings as they become available. Ultimately, therefore, it is in evaluating the development, implementation, and impact of programs/services that an organization holds itself accountable to its vision, mission, and guiding principles.
As the name implies, program evaluation focuses on the effectiveness of individual programs/services, rather than on the effectiveness of the organization as a whole. From a technical perspective, in order to ensure both validity and reliability of the data collected, it is important to:
- ensure adequate clarity and definition of the desired outcomes,
- use multiple measures from multiple sources, and
- incorporate an assessment of any possible extenuating factors which might influence the outcome.
(Kluger & Alexander, 1996)
Naturally, no single form of assessment/evaluation alone will provide us with "the answer" to our program/quality improvement questions or concerns. Most effective evaluation research uses a number of concurrent assessments. One example of a major form of multi-use program evaluation is referred to as "consumer satisfaction" or "group climate" surveys. The purpose of such surveys is to measure the perception of client/customer regarding the quality of the products and services. The surveys themselves are designed to provide an opportunity to anonymously provide feedback, as well as share issues and concerns. All consumer surveys are done for the purpose of improving the quality of program/services being provided.
Perhaps the most important aspect of using consumer surveys as part of a comprehensive program evaluation is that the information must be shared and actions must be taken, when appropriate. For example, it is possible that from time to time a serious issue may come up as part of a consumer survey. It must always be kept in mind that the primary purpose of all this effort is to improve client/customer satisfaction.
World Views (In the News)
Finding Innovation Where It Lives
Smart companies don't just wait around for their geniuses to shout "Eureka!"
Everywhere we speak around the world, to groups of every sort, we hear people talk about innovation in its most glamorized form—as a revolutionary breakthrough that changes entire industries and rewrites consumer behavior. We hear questions about how companies should organize to generate the next iPod and manage their people to produce, or attract, the next Sergey Brin or Larry Page.
Such queries are all well and good. Sometimes the innovation war is won by a brand-new killer app or a genius yelling "Eureka!" Far more often, innovation doesn't arrive like a thunderbolt. It emerges incrementally, in bits and chugs, forged by a mixed bag of coworkers from up, down, and across an organization, sweating and wrangling it out in the trenches.
Glamorous, hardly. Powerful, absolutely.
Now, make no mistake. Such iterative, bottom-up, collaborative innovation doesn't happen by accident. Indeed, it can only occur when managers encourage, and the whole organization buys into, a mind-set nearly religious in its zeal. This mind-set's central belief is simple: that innovation is so deeply ingrained in everyone's job—yes, everyone's—that employees arrive each day thinking, "Is there a better way to do everything we do around here? How can we improve on our products and services?" It's a mind-set that makes people excited to share new ideas and to embrace the notion that you only win as an organization when everyone's brain is engaged.
Managers, of course, will see this mind-set take hold as they reward it with raises and bonuses and celebrate it, making role models of those who bring bright ideas forward, no matter where they find them. But the innovation mind-set is most effective when it's coupled with an institutionalized process that draws together employees from different levels and functions, and, with a facilitator, gets them talking, debating, and problem-solving as a team. Some companies call these sessions "workouts." Others refer to them as "innovation councils." By any name, their purpose is the same—to bring an innovation debate to the people closest to the products, services, and processes. So often they're the real geniuses, and the ideas they generate collectively, perhaps ironically, so often leapfrog rivals focused on that one big breakthrough.
(Adapted from Jack and Suzy Welch, BusinessWeek.com)
New Horizons (News from RSC)
"Reaching New Horizons" - A Journey in Servant Leadership
As another way of keeping everyone informed and open up the opportunity for creative dialogue, Rising Sun Consultants has initiated a new Blog entitled “Reaching New Horizons” – A Journey in Servant Leadership.
The Blog (located at http://risingsunconsultants.blogspot.com/) will contain White Papers, Book Reviews, general posts, open dialogue and a special feature “Thought for the Week” which will be posted first thing every Monday morning.
Please join us and review our new Blog, or better yet, GET INVOLVED and let us and others know what you think!!
Rays of Hope (Stories/Parables)
The Old Mule
Once upon a time a farmer owned an old mule who tripped and fell into the farmer's well. The farmer heard the mule braying and was unable to figure out how to bring up the old animal. It grieved him that he could not pull the animal out. He'd been a good worker around the farm. Although the farmer sympathized with the mule, he called his neighbors together and told them what had happened. He had them help haul dirt to bury the old mule in the well and quietly put him out of his misery.
At first, the old mule was puzzled, but as the farmer and his neighbors continued shoveling and the dirt hit his back, he had a thought: he ought to shake off the dirt and step up. And he did just that.
"Shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up...shake it off and step up." Even though he took painful blows of dirt and fought panic, he just kept right on shaking it off and stepping up!
It wasn't long before the old mule stepped up and over the lip of that well. What could have buried him actually blessed him...all because of the manner in which he handled his adversity.
- Author Unknown |
Thank You
On behalf of all of us at Rising Sun Consultants, we want to thank you for reviewing the April edition of our Rise & Shine Newsletter and we want to wish you all …
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your interest in Rising Sun Consultants and we invite you to visit our website (www.risingsunconsultants.com) and encourage you to submit a question for a future addition of Rise & Shine.
Until next month: Always Keep Your Eyes on the New Horizon! |
