Work with what you've got. If you don't have time to create a computer system, piggyback on one you already have, says John R. Dyer, chief operating officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He was able to use existing software and systems for managed care to process prescription drug program information.
Communicate with your employees. Patricia McGinnis, president of the Council for Excellence in Government in Washington, says a common mistake is forgetting to keep employees informed.
Be enthusiastic. During the 1990s, Bob Stone served as project director of the National Partnership for Reinventing Government. He soon changed his title to "energizer in chief." "The top thing the boss could do was feed people's enthusiasm and energy for the task," he says.
Be inclusive. "Understand who is likely to be impacted, then get them involved," says Gail Wilensky, former administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (as CMS was previously known). "Even if they don't like the results, the frustration is generally not nearly as high if they feel the administration heard them."
Remember your mom. "I always think, 'What would my mother, Lucrecia, think?' " says Dyer. That helps him focus on the beneficiaries and see the program through their eyes.
Move fast. "We'd give people a day to respond," says Stone, instead of the standard weeks or even months. "If you move slow, the system will get you," he says, because objections to the program will mount over time.
Help Congress write the law. Sallyanne Payton, professor at the University of Michigan Law School, adds, "The legislative process focuses mainly on policy, and the details of implementation are left for the agency to figure out later."
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