This document outlines a performance improvement program for the Office of the President and Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs in Liberia. It was developed in partnership with the US Agency for International Development. The goal is to implement new systems and tools to improve leadership, service delivery, efficiency, accountability and results. A consulting team will conduct interviews and identify performance gaps. They will develop and test quick performance improvement tools over an 8 week period. The program aims to provide institutional changes and tools to enable individuals to carry out their functions more effectively.

1. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
LIBERIA
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
AND
MINISTRY OF STATE FOR PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS
November, 2006
OFFICE OF TRANSITIONAL INITIATIVES (OTI)
UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
GOAL
Implement new systems, procedures, and performance
improvement tools that will enable the President to:
• demonstrate leadership and commitment to action,
• deliver quality services,
• energize the Government bureaucracy,
• concentrate available resources so as to achieve high
performance with true accountability, and
• achieve positive and measurable results for the benefit of
the citizens of Liberia.

3. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION
• August 2006 - Initial assessment report by OTI identified
performance problems in the Office of the President and the
Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs. Additional analysis
was recommended and approved.
• September to November, 2006) - Second phase to design
and implement a performance improvement program will
take place during an intensive 8 week period. A
standardized approach will facilitate the collection and
analysis of information and enable specific performance-
based solutions to be developed and implemented as the
foundation for future comprehensive capacity building,
performance improvement and reorganization efforts in key
ministries and then Government-wide.

4. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• Focus on Performance..WHY?
• According to international standards for public administration,
performance means to: accomplish, complete, achieve, produce.
• Good performance happens when those things are done according
to agreed standards for quality, timeliness, and cost effectiveness.
• The entry points for this performance improvement effort are the
integrated functions and services of the Office of the President
and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.

5. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
PERFORMANCE VISION…(EXAMPLE)
• The Office of the President and the Ministry of
State for Presidential Affairs will be A model, top-
performing, professional organization enabling
the President to maximize the use and impact of
her time for the benefit of Liberia.

6. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• METHODOLOGY: “8-S” – a Participatory Process
The 8-S approach to identify performance gaps consists of the following elements:
1. Services – what is expected to be delivered for each specific function being reviewed (e.g.,
Communication/Correspondence),
2. Statutes – the laws, regulations, orders, or policies that authorize and govern the service,
3. System/Sub-systems – the detailed steps (i.e., the system [who does what, when, and in what
order]) that are used to deliver the service,
4. Standards – the general principles and the current/existing qualitative/quantitative measures of
performance for the system/sub-systems,
5. Structure – the organizational unit that administers the systems/sub-systems,
6. Staff – the titles, responsibilities, and number of staff assigned to administer and operate the
system/sub-system,
7. SWOT – the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats (constraints) associated with the
system/sub-systems, structure, and staff
8. Strategy for Improvement – Specific actions that will be used to: 1) strengthen/modify the
current system, 2) introduce new processes, or 3) introduce international best practices not
currently used by the Office of the President and Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs.

7. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• CONTEXT
• Very targeted demonstration project that focuses on actual
performance in the Office of the President and the Ministry of
State for Presidential Affairs. A great place to start and it could be
a model if successful.
• Government-wide issues related to reorganization, right-sizing
and reform may be “informed” by this type of PIP, but those
initiatives have a broader, long-range purpose.
• International best practice PIP approaches have strong leadership
and commitment to change.

8. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• COVERAGE
At minimum, the following services (functions) and the systems that
achieve performance will be analyzed by the designated team
members according to the 8-S approach:
• Internal Administration
• Operational and Logistical Support
• Policy Development
• Economic/Budgetary Affairs
• Communications
• Cabinet Affairs
• Legislative Affairs
• Political Affairs
• National Security Affairs
• International Affairs and Donor Coordination

9. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• Leadership is Essential
– The involvement, commitment, and follow through of the
President and the Minister are essential
– Key managers have already been empowered to guide the effort
– Middle managers and key staff help to define performance gaps
and create appropriate tools. IMPORTANT CONCEPT

10. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• CONSULTING TEAM
• Steering Committee endorsed by Minister of State for Presidential Affairs (MOS) ,
consisting of:
– National Coordinator, Liberian Reconstruction and Development Commission
– Deputy Minister of MOS for Public Affairs, Communications, and Technology
– Deputy Minister of MOS for Administration
– Deputy Minister of MOS for Economic, Financial and Legal Affairs
– Economic Advisor to the President
– Human Resources Director, MOS
• Three expatriates, a senior official from the Office of Transition Initiatives
(OTI)/USAID, and two experienced consultants have been mobilized to assist in the
design and implementation of a performance improvement program. Their combined
skills in public administration, management systems, and information and
communication technology will be used in this effort.
• A cadre of mid-level professionals from within the current organization may be
assigned to assist with fact-finding, analysis, and validation of performance
improvement tools.
• All of you – senior managers who are responsible for producing outputs.

11. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• WORK PLAN (bold are completed)
Sept.25-30 KEY TASKS
Review documents (e.g., OTI Assessment Report, August 2006)
Initial Meetings and Orientation
OUTPUTS
OK
Oct. 2-7 Develop 6 Week Work Plan
Conduct briefings with Senior GOL and USG Officials
Develop Generic Performance Improvement Tools
Work Plan Drafted/Presented
Briefings Conducted
8-10 Models Prepared
Oct. 9-14 Create Structured Methodology for Fact-Finding
MOS forms Steering Committee for Program Coordination
Agree on Approach and Define the Intended Deliverables
Establish Work Space in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
8-S Workbook Developed
Cmte. Formed / Empowered
Presentation to Minister
Space Assigned/Being
Renovated
Oct. 16 -21 Conduct Interviews and Identify Potential Performance Gaps
Prepare Sample “Tools” (Quick Wins) to Correct Performance Gaps
Test Tools and Train/Coach Concerned Staff
Oct 23-28 Conduct Interviews and Develop Potential Performance Gaps
Prepare Report Outline/Identify Training Approach
Develop a Performance Improvement Program “Definition”
Oct 30-Nov. 4 Finalize Candidate Tools; Test and Define Capacity Requirements
Prepare Draft Action Plan for Each Function
Conduct Seminar/Obtain Commitment from Steering Committee
Nov. 6-11 Finalize Tools
Prepare Action Plan for Each Function
Present Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

12. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• Consultative/Consensus Process…with YOU
– Interviews with key informants – YOU - will be conducted (October 18
– 25, 2006) to jointly identify opportunities for performance
improvement in each of the 10 service areas (functions) of the Office
of the President and the Ministry
– Key findings, conclusions, and recommendations will be developed
collaboratively
– Tools to improve performance will be developed and tested in each
area. Approximately 40 candidate performance improvement tools will
be developed and tested
– Based on feedback from implementers, approximately 25 tools will be
implemented with coaching provided by the team.

13. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
Quick Wins ----Process Re-engineering
1. Performance Contracts… DMIN J.Geebro/ Thelma Johnson/
2. Correspondence Tracking….Elva Richardson
3. Advance and Scheduling Checklist…Emmett Kennedy
4. Code of Ethics…Thelma Johnson
5. Referral Tracking…Min W. Knuckles, Jr.
1. Performance Reporting / Scorecard…MIN Saytumah
2. File and Document Management System

14. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
• PLANNED ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• MACRO….INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE
– Tools will be provided to improve the performance of specific functions
of the Office of the President and the Ministry of State for Presidential
Affairs - and thereby demonstrate possible means of accelerating
other projects devoted to improving public administration, governance,
and resource management in the Government.
• MICRO.…PERSONAL GROWTH
– On a day-to-day basis individuals –YOU - in the Office of the President
and the Ministry of State for Presidential Affairs will have the tools
needed to carry out their functions in a more effective and self-
rewarding manner and will be able to use these tools to produce
measurable results that support the President’s mandate and mission.

15. PERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM
DISCUSSION