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SB 79: Munsterman Wants LEAN Government

Dennis Daugaard is viewed by some as a CEO-style governor. But the man who came in second to Daugaard in last year's GOP primary, Scott Munsterman, is also in Pierre making some managerial noises. Back-cracker, former mayor, and now State Representative Munsterman (R-7/Brookings) has joined Senator Mark Johnston to introduce Senate Bill 79 to apply "LEAN" management techniques to state government. That's not just lean as in cut the budget. That's lean as in the whole complex of management principles promoted by Jim Womack and Dan Jones. SB 79 breaks it down this way:

For the purposes of this Act, the term, LEAN techniques, means methods of improving administrative processes that:

  1. Are based upon a focus of a customer service perspective that seeks to optimize value delivered to the public;
  2. Involve employees, the regulated community, and the public in continual improvements and the finding of solutions;
  3. Use a continual improvement framework that emphasizes rapid implementation rather than lengthy planning;
  4. Seek to reduce the complexity of the process; and
  5. Use metrics and visual controls to improve decision making and problem solving.

Rapid implementation, continual improvement, deep stakeholder engagement, metrics and visual controls... sounds like you guys are going to need a wiki and a serious online dashboard! Among the bill's directives is a goal to "Replace paper with technology whenever possible." (Um, paper is technology---might want to tighten up that language.) DSU tech grads, submit your proposals now....

Munsterman wants each state agency to identify one process that it can improve through lean techniques. This bill then directs the Bureau of Administration to look for private outfits to train state personnel in lean techniques... for free. (That might be a little too lean.)

If this bill can improve public services and citizen engagement in government, then more power to it. I'm glad to see that, even though he didn't get that big office of his own in the Capitol, Rep. Munsterman is working to apply his managerial know-how to state government.

8 Comments

  1. larry kurtz 2011.01.24

    Another red state failure. Munsterman must scare the spit out of educators. Looks like South Dakota will be adopting Sharia Law before it's all over.

    Will South Dakota be the next red state to host an episode of domestic terrorism?

  2. Bob Klein 2011.01.24

    There's little evidence that Munsterman knows anything about this. But assume he does. Why does it take legislative action to change management style? If it does, why limit it?

  3. snapper 2011.01.24

    "Anyone can steer the ship but it takes leadership to chart the course." - Scott M. at everything in the General Election

  4. caheidelberger Post author | 2011.01.24

    That, Bob, is a good question. The bill seems much more executive purview than legislative. I wonder... could every agency in the state look at this bill and say, "But we're already operating by these principles?"

  5. Bob Klein 2011.01.24

    At least it gives Munsterman something to do besides destroy the state.

    I think neither of us has a quarrel with the alleged objectives.

  6. Guy Gregory 2011.01.24

    Cory, I just got done posting an article on Badlands Blue about this bill. I have to say that I believe most of us have seen this before in our own organizations. They go ahead and pay big bucks to bring in these contractors with theses fancy, technical program on how to improve the efficiency of the organization, only to have it not work.

  7. caheidelberger Post author | 2011.01.24

    Why yes you did, Guy! [Read read read...] Good points!

    As Bob says, we all like the goals. But as I read your thoughts and others and think about the bill, it seems increasingly odd to legislate a managerial theory and style. SB 79 could be a recipe for lower productivity, as we spend more time in training sessions. And just what specific outcomes would agencies have to produce to satisfy the requirements of this bill?

  8. Michael Black 2011.01.24

    There is a difference between being "efficient" and being "effective"?

Comments are closed.