Reaching Out to Government Officials, Partnering for Improvement Efforts PDF Print E-mail
Interest in using lean and six sigma concepts to improve performance continues to grow. Now there is an organization, the High Performance Government Network (HPG Network), to foster creation of a culture of excellence in government. In the works: networking and learning opportunities for local government leaders in management, process improvement, leadership, technology, and strategic partnerships. Workshops are scheduled on energy costs, purchasing policies, health insurance, and other topics.

“We started with participants in several Midwest states — Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Missouri — and we are hearing of interest from governments in other parts of the country,” said Ryan Chasey, president of the Fort Wayne, IN-based organization. “We are also reaching out to businesses and foundations that may be interested in sponsoring the HPG Network. For example, here in Indiana, one of our founding sponsors is the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.” He noted the favorable impact on area business from more effective local government.

The potential for gain from local government improvements is huge, according to Chasey. “If each unit of local government(not counting state or national government) in Indiana would use performance improvement techniques to save five percent off their base budget, it would result in more than a billion dollars in savings,” he said. “In Illinois the number is nearly $2 billion and in California it is over $11 billion.”

Chasey is one of several Fort Wayne employees who left city government to launch the not-for-profit HPG Network in early 2008. Effective collaboration to improve government services among government leaders — along with manufacturing and other organizations — in Fort Wayne and in Madison, WI was described in the Target Magazine article, “Good Corporate Citizenship and Effective Government Got Together,” by Karen Wilhelm (Fourth Issue 2007, pp. 23-33).

More information the HPG Network can be found at their website (www.hpgnetwork.com).

Originally published in Target Magazine Issue 5 2008 at ame.org.  Republished with permission.
 
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