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High-Performance Partnerships - National Academy of Public ...

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RESULTS<br />

chapter four<br />

T<br />

he ability to produce significant positive results for the community or client makes a<br />

partnership high performance. Real and meaningful outcomes that are measurable,<br />

time specific, and important to the community or customer—this is what high performance<br />

is all about.<br />

RESULTS:<br />

Mothers in Hampton’s Healthy<br />

Start program had no repeat teen<br />

births (defined as pregnancy within<br />

12 months <strong>of</strong> the first child’s birth)<br />

in fiscal year 2002, compared to 30<br />

percent for the state <strong>of</strong> Virginia.<br />

98 percent <strong>of</strong> the children in<br />

Fairfax’s Medical Care for Children<br />

Partnership receive immunizations<br />

and health assessments, compared<br />

to only 78 percent <strong>of</strong> children not<br />

in the program.<br />

By partnering with the California<br />

<strong>Public</strong> Employee Retirement System,<br />

the Centers for Medicare and<br />

Medicaid Services has been able to<br />

more effectively communicate<br />

Medicare information to approximately<br />

1.2 million people.<br />

But, make no mistake. Meaningful outcomes are<br />

very difficult to achieve, especially when they<br />

involve multiple stakeholders and complex community<br />

issues. Simple partnerships are hard.<br />

<strong>High</strong>-performance partnerships can be extraordinarily<br />

so, but they are worth it.<br />

A partnership that has not yet achieved “highperformance<br />

status” can produce significant<br />

tangible value. And, many do. The partnering<br />

process alone can improve interagency relationships,<br />

communications, service coordination,<br />

and customer outreach and orientation.<br />

It also can help solidify a foundation <strong>of</strong> trust<br />

among the partners and community, leading to<br />

a common mission and willingness to share<br />

decision-making responsibility and accountability.<br />

Sometimes, these accomplishments may<br />

be the only things that one can realistically<br />

expect from a partnership in its early stages.<br />

Without an effective structure, exceptional performance<br />

is unlikely to occur.<br />

HOW TO MEET CHALLENGES<br />

TO RESULTS<br />

Since results define success, how can a partnership<br />

position itself to maximize its performance?<br />

What elements must be in place for it to become<br />

high performance?<br />

<strong>Performance</strong> measurement has been the subject<br />

<strong>of</strong> many publications and training sessions.<br />

Several national organizations, including the<br />

International City/County Management<br />

Association, Government Financial Officers<br />

Association, and <strong>National</strong> Association <strong>of</strong><br />

Counties, assist partnerships in understanding<br />

66 Powering the Future: <strong>High</strong>-<strong>Performance</strong> <strong>Partnerships</strong>

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