Tools and strategies

Objective:

Engage staff in defining 3–5 performance metrics that matter.

Step 1: Framing (15 minutes)

City Manager Script:

• “This is about improving services — not auditing performance.”

• “We are building metrics together.”

• “If the metric isn’t useful to you, we shouldn’t use it.”

Ground Rule:
No punishment discussion. Focus on improvement.

Step 2: What Matters Most? (20 minutes)

Prompt:

• What outcomes do residents care about most in your service area?

• What frustrates you operationally?

• Where do delays or bottlenecks occur?

Capture responses on board.

Step 3: From Frustration to Metric (25 minutes)

Ask:

• How would we know this improved?

• What number would change?

• What do we already track?

Convert issues into measurable indicators.

Example:
Frustration: “Permits get stuck waiting for review.”
Metric: Average days between submission and review assignment.

Step 4: Feasibility Check (15 minutes)

Score each proposed metric:

• Data already exists? (Yes/No)

• Staff influence outcome? (High/Medium/Low)

• Clear owner? (Yes/No)

Select top 3–5.

Step 5: Close with Ownership (15 minutes)

Each metric:

• Identify department lead

• Confirm reporting frequency

• Agree on baseline review date

Use this simple internal scoring tool before launching.

Rate 1–5:

Category

Score

Leadership trust level

Psychological safety

Clarity of mission

Existing metric familiarity

Cross-department collaboration

Data literacy capacity

Interpretation:

• 22–30 = Ready for structured rollout

• 15–21 = Start small with pilot team

• Below 15 = Focus on trust-building first

Quick wins should:

• Require no new software

• Improve a visible service

• Be achievable in 90 days

• Demonstrate measurable change

Option 1: 311 Response Time Reduction

Target: 10% reduction in 60 days
Tool: Weekly tracking + small workflow tweak

Option 2: Permit Processing Transparency

Publish average processing time internally
Add simple dashboard slide to council update

Option 3: Meeting Efficiency

Track agenda-to-decision turnaround time
Reduce backlog by 15%

Option 4: Internal Service Satisfaction

Quick 3-question staff survey on internal services
Improve score by 10%

Option 5: Equity Visibility

Disaggregate one metric by geography

Present findings at leadership meeting 

Before selecting a win, ask:

• Can we measure it now?

• Does staff control most variables?

• Will residents notice?

• Can we show improvement within 90 days?

If yes to 3 or more → strong candidate.

Micro-Recognition Strategy

Celebrate improvement, not perfection.

Low-cost examples:

• “Metric of the Month” recognition

• Email highlight from City Manager

• Small internal spotlight in staff meeting

Recognition reinforces behavior faster than policy.