Critical Steps for Enacting Cultural Change

Abstract

At the direction of newly appointed Secretary Debra L. Miller, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) underwent an agency-wide assessment in 2003 to determine the performance of the agency, including the administration of more than 900 stakeholder surveys. Although the respondents gave the state's physical transportation system high marks, they clearly said that the way in which KDOT was delivering that system could be improved. The agency relied too much on one-size-fits-all solutions rather than being responsive to local needs, and, as a result, KDOT was criticized for being out of touch with local officials. KDOT needed to transition from making decisions primarily on the basis of technical information or formulas to making decisions on the basis of a more collaborative, inclusive approach. To shift the internal culture and its decision-making processes, KDOT developed a phased, strategic approach that was based on external data and that allowed innovation to be driven internally and externally. Phase I used external feedback to assess performance and to develop improvement strategies. Phase II established performance measures to hold the agency accountable for meeting internal and external expectations. Phase III, under way, involves the development of the long-range transportation plan in which collaboration with stakeholders is being institutionalized as KDOT's way of doing business. Through these efforts, KDOT's culture has shifted significantly in just 4 years. This includes improved relationships with local officials and internal acceptance of the need to collaborate when making decisions. Although the effort is still under way, KDOT's initial success can largely be attributed to strong support from top leadership, the implementation of sequential changes, and the close tracking and communication of progress.