DEFINING HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR PARKS AND RECREATION SERVICES

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DEFINING HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR PARKS AND
RECREATION SERVICES

• Recreation Nova Scotia Conference 2003
• November 13 to 15, 2003
• Claire Tucker-Reid, General Manager
• City of Toronto Parks and Recreation

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DEFINING HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR PARKS AND
RECREATION SERVICES

• Content Overview
• 1. Setting the Context
• 2. Principles of a High Performing Organization
• 3. Advantages of Articulating High Standards
• 4. Session Deliverables
• 5. The Tool
• 6. Testing the Tool
• 7. Recommendations to CPRA

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DEFINING HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR PARKS AND
RECREATION SERVICES

• Efficiency is doing things right effectiveness
  is doing the right things.
• Peter Drucker

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - SETTING THE CONTEXT

• Discussion on the definition of high performance
  and excellence in organizations is not new
• In parks and recreation, we havent articulated
  the indicators that determine and measure our
  standards

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - SETTING THE CONTEXT

• Guidance can be taken from the National Quality
  Institute and their Progressive Excellence
  Program
• This workshop will assist us in the discussion of
  standards and deliverables and what high
  performance looks like in parks and recreation
  services

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - PRINCIPLES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• The continuum of high performance must be
  emphasized
• The process can be summarized into 3 main items
  Approach - Progression - Results
• Continuous improvement is a 'way of life'
• "Don't try to boil the ocean" (Canada Post
  Director, Saskatoon) - improvements are made
  gradually

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - PRINCIPLES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• Strengths within an organization should focus on
  
• Clear evidence of leadership commitment and
  involvement in the quality/high performance
  management system
• Evidence of employee involvement in planning

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - PRINCIPLES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• Organization-wide awareness of the importance of
  customer focus
• An integrated approach and alignment of the
  employee role in providing customer support
• Commitment to improving the experience for all
  stakeholders
• Highly effective communication processes

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - PRINCIPLES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• Fundamentals of the journey toward high
  performance must entail a solid plan, process
  documentation, measurement, continuous
  improvement and a commitment to staying on course
  
• Setting a foundation that serves as a platform to
  lead to significant operational results and
  outcomes within a defined time period

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - ADVANTAGES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• Excellence/high performance enables quality and
  healthy workplaces
• These in turn produce best results for customers
  and stakeholders
• Employee satisfaction is high
• Greater efficiencies and effectiveness
• More focus for the organization
• Increase in team work

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS - ADVANTAGES OF A HIGH
PERFORMING ORGANIZATION

• Awareness about where we are and where we want to
  go
• Connecting everything we do - or plan to take on
  - back to our mission statement
• Results in better programming tailored to present
  and future needs of customers and stakeholders

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -SESSION DELIVERABLES

• By the end of this workshop, the participants
  will have
• Ratified a list of indicators of high performance
  for parks and recreation
• Tested a draft assessment tool for high
  performance in parks and recreation and
• Talked about next steps.

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HIGH PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

• Readiness to Excel
• Organizational Effectiveness Human Resources
• Fiscal Resources
• Physical Resources and Environmental
• Programs and Services
• Partners and Stakeholders

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• Assessment of the High Performance Standards tool
  will include
• Dividing into 5 groups
• Review the Key Result Areas and their Strategic
  Direction Statements
• Review the Products/Outcomes listed under each
  Key Result Area

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• Questions to ask within the
• discussion groups
• 1. Do you agree with the Strategic Direction
  Statement?
• 2. Is there anything to add to the
  products/outcomes under each?

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• Readiness To Excel
• Prior to launching into a high performing
  operation
• Basic requirements
• 1. Mission
• 2. Vision
• 3. Value Statements
• 4. Strategic Plan
• 5. Planning Framework

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• KRA - Organizational Effectiveness Human
  Resources
• Leadership - purpose, direction and shares
  responsibility for decision-making
• Structurally sound organization
• Broader contexts well-understood, engaged
• Staffed efficiently and appropriately
• Staff valued, developed, recognized

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• KRA - Fiscal Resources
• Maximizing available funding
• Provision of subsidies
• Seek additional revenues

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• KRA - Physical Resources and Environmental
• Parks, trees, facilities, equipment
• Well maintained, safe, accessible, reflect
  community demographics
• Green initiatives
• Sound environmental practices

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• KRA - Programs and Services
• Customer-driven
• High quality, accessible
• Responsive to needs
• Meet standards

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS -THE TOOL

• KRA - Partners and Stakeholders
• Part of service planning and delivery
• Engaged, supported, recognized
• Set of common goals that are articulated

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HIGH PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN PARKS AND
RECREATION

• We are what we repeatedly do.
• Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
• Aristotle