Strategic Planning & Performance Management Flashcards

When developing a strategic plan, 'stakeholder engagement' is considered essential primarily because it:

Answer: Builds community ownership and improves plan quality

Engaging stakeholders builds community ownership of the plan and surfaces diverse perspectives that improve goal relevance, feasibility, and ultimately plan effectiveness.

Which concept describes the gap between where an organization currently is and where it wants to be in its strategic plan?

Answer: Strategic gap

A strategic gap identifies the difference between current performance or conditions and the desired future state articulated in a strategic plan, helping prioritize initiatives.

Under the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) framework, which element is considered central to a municipal manager's professional accountability?

Answer: Adhering to the ICMA Code of Ethics

The ICMA Code of Ethics establishes the professional and ethical standards that municipal managers are expected to uphold, forming the cornerstone of professional accountability.

A city's strategic plan identifies 'reduce traffic fatalities by 20% within three years' as a goal. Which measure would be the BEST outcome indicator for this goal?

Answer: Annual traffic fatality rate per 100,000 residents

The annual traffic fatality rate directly measures the outcome (lives saved), making it the best indicator of whether the 20% reduction goal is being achieved.

A municipality conducts an annual 'program evaluation' to determine whether a specific service should be continued, modified, or eliminated. This process is most aligned with which principle?

Answer: Results-based accountability

Results-based accountability (RBA) uses performance data and program evaluation to make evidence-based decisions about whether programs are achieving their intended results and merit continued investment.

In strategic planning, 'scenario planning' is used primarily to:

Answer: Prepare for multiple possible future conditions

Scenario planning develops multiple plausible future scenarios (e.g., economic growth vs. recession) to test strategic assumptions and build organizational resilience under uncertainty.

Which practice ensures that a municipality's strategic plan remains a 'living document' rather than sitting on a shelf unused?

Answer: Linking plan goals to department budgets and employee performance reviews

Integrating strategic goals into budget allocations and performance reviews creates accountability structures that drive day-to-day decision-making and keep the plan actively used.