When trying to implement results-based management (RBM), a frustrating reality for many managers is that staff tend to view these efforts as simply a compliance activity. It is seen as an accountability tool for management and thus it is externally driven. The consequences of this are that the focus is on reporting instead of learning, and once submitted, reports are just filed and promptly forgotten.
Numerous guidelines and resources exist that breakdown practical steps to managing results. From our experience though, these guides still do not accurately emphasize key processes that need to take place to support this shift, which is why we think managers get stuck.
Summary of Existing Step-by-Step Guides
The core of RBM is RESULTS so there is no escaping that you will have to develop or refine a results framework. You need to clarify what changes in behaviour, status or knowledge of beneficiaries are expected, rethink what activities directly support the realization of these outcomes and review how you define and measure effectiveness through Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Targets must be determined, and decisions made on how this indicator data will be collected and used. Inclusive stakeholder participation in these reviews is a MUST.
As a leader, you will also have to “walk the talk” by making intentional and consistent efforts to engage your team in constant critical reflection on programme experiences and results, especially outside the pressure of reporting requirements. Trust me when I say, your actions will speak louder than any policy document will, and you need to set the tone by ensuring you are committed, and seen as being committed, to seeing this shift through.
As this article on evaluative thinking added, you also need to build the M&E capacity of staff and make results accessible and in user-friendly formats. As the availability of results and their intentional review improves, this will need to be accompanied by a willingness to implement changes based on findings and an openness to results-guided experimentation.
However, these steps alone are often not enough to institutionalize a shift to evaluative thinking. In our experience, there are 5 other key steps for a successful shift from simply a compliant team to an engaged team that we will cover in our next blog.
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