It’s an expression of teenage disinterest. It’s an excellent question for a senior manager to ask. As in so what difference is this really going to make to people? We have improved our position in the league table – so what? We have gained an extra star – so what? All our performance indicators are moving in the right direction – so what? We have increased our spending on vulnerable adults and children in need – so what? We have kept within budget – so what?
These indicators are important to managers and have been the traditional ways in which we have measured our success. But do these measures demonstrate that we have made a difference to an individual’s quality of life? Do they demonstrate we have changed things for the better within a neighbourhood?
What would make a real difference? What would be a good outcome for a service user/customer/ patient? How do we measure this?
For an individual with a learning disability a good outcome following intervention from social services would not be measured in terms of the number of people having an assessment within 10 days of referral or the number of people helped to live at home. A good outcome would be the ability to use public transport, to have a job, a flat, a friend. Helping someone with a learning disability fulfil their potential and lead a better quality of life requires a range of organisations to work together.
A good out come for a patient is not the percentage of people how have their operation with in 18 weeks but it might be freedom from pain, increased mobility, being able to hear what people are saying or being able to return to work.
For a neighbourhood a good outcome might be a reduction in the fear of crime. Not being afraid to go out at night, not being afraid to collect your pension or walk across the shopping parade alone, not being afraid to walk past a group of young people. Of course reducing the fear of crime can not be achieved by one organisation working in isolation. So a reduction in the fear of crime is a measure of success for the effectiveness of partnership working.
As managers in the Public Sector we are often heard saying they we are driven by the desire to make a difference or that we are passionate about improving people’s lives yet when challenged with- how do you know if you have made a difference? We struggle. In our desire to demonstrate success we have measured what is easy to measure rather than what matters to the citizens and customers we aim to serve.
Perhaps it is not surprising that when we proudly parade our star ratings and improved position in the league table or even how much more money we are spending they respond with –So What.
Blair McPherson is author of UnLearning management short stories on modern management www.blairmcpherson.co.uk