A Transportation Executive's Guide to Organizational Improvement

Overview

This report is a guide to state DOT best practice in organizational improvement programs and performance. It provides guidance on determining where and how to start improving organizational effectiveness. Actual state program examples, tips, and data are included among detail on these nine success factors that contribute to organizational improvement effectiveness:

• Legacy leadership – leaders that are more concerned with leaving a successful organization than personal gain
• Champions – internal, high-level advisors and advocates of organization performance issues
• Measures of success – investments in systems to measure and report performance
• Desire to look in the mirror – conduction of self-evaluation
• Alignment – ensuring an optimal use of resources to accomplish goals and priorities
• Dialogue – strong systems for communication and outreach
• Taking care of business – balancing short and long-term strategic goals that drill down throughout the organization
• A culture of kaizen – focus on continuous improvement

Empowerment with accountability – maintaining clear expectations and an ability to achieve success