Sexually Transmitted Diseases  >  Program Guidelines  >  Leadership and Program Management

Program Operations Guidelines for STD Prevention
Leadership & Program Management

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Sections on this page:

• INTRODUCTION L-1
• THE WHAT AND THE HOW
• STRATEGIC PLANNING
• Mission and Goals
• Vision
• Organizational Values
• Strategy
• Process Effectiveness

INTRODUCTION L-1

As the Institute of Medicine's report The Hidden Epidemic: Confronting Sexually Transmitted Diseases indicates, state and local health departments are the logical agencies to lead area-wide STD prevention efforts. STD program managers within these agencies carry out the primary responsibilities of developing, implementing, and supporting comprehensive STD prevention systems throughout their jurisdictions. In collaboration with health care and community partners, these agencies provide leadership to determine and define STD prevention needs and priorities of the communities based upon analyses and interpretation of local data, relevant research, and other pertinent information. They also furnish program management the opportunity to direct and administer program operations and program resources.

LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM MANAGEMENT: THE WHAT AND THE HOW

Leadership and program management are necessarily related but have very distinct concepts. Although attentive to both content and process, leadership is much more related to the concept of effectiveness--doing the right things--while management must attend to efficiency--doing things right. One definition that seems particularly appropriate for use by public health programs is "Public leadership is the inspiration and mobilization of others to undertake collective action in pursuit of the common good" (Bryson 1992). Leadership tasks laid out by Bryson include the following:

• Understanding the context
• Understanding people involved, including oneself
• Sponsoring the process
• Championing the process
• Facilitating the process
• Fostering collective leadership
• Using dialogue and discussion to create a meaningful process
• Making and implementing decisions in arenas
• Enforcing rules, settling disputes, and managing residual conflicts
• Putting it all together.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

"Strategic planning is a set of concepts, procedures, and tools to help leaders, managers and others think and act strategically on behalf of their organizations and their organizations' stakeholders" (Bryson, 1995). This chapter is not intended to be a primer on strategic planning as many public health agencies already employ various models of strategic planning that can be extended to STD prevention programs. Strategic planning is essential to effective leadership and program management. It is the continuous process of systematically evaluating the organization, defining its long-term objectives, identifying quantifiable goals, developing strategies to reach these objectives and goals, and allocating resources to carry out these strategies. References are provided at the end of this chapter to inform managers about the strategic planning process. Additionally, universities, management institutes, and others provide specific training in the strategic planning process. Nonetheless, the following concepts are key to successful strategic planning, that STD prevention leaders and managers should consider as they conduct long-range planning.

Mission and Goals

The statement of mission provides a sense of direction and purpose as well as a common statement against which to weigh all future decisions for compliance. A mission is a statement of what an organization is (character) and what it wants to do (quest, contribution, achievements). Goals are broad statements of desired future conditions with specific results. Mission statements and goals provide members of the organization with a sense of direction and facilitate effective interaction in other strategic planning processes.

Vision

A statement of vision articulates a view of a realistic, credible, and attractive future for the group -- a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists. Building a shared vision is a way of finding common purpose.

Organizational Values

Articulating and clarifying the shared values of an organization are important to the integrity and ultimate effectiveness of that organization. Shared values form part of the foundation of an organization's culture. Research has found that shared values make a significant difference in work attitudes and performance (Kouzes, 1995). Among other things, the development of shared values facilitates both the understanding of job expectations and the achievement of consensus about key organizational goals and strategies. Shared values should not be construed as minimizing diversity of opinion within an organization.

Strategy

Strategy is the overall plan of action for achieving a particular goal. Strategy formulation must be based on sound scientific knowledge, a thorough understanding of the constituency and its health needs, and full awareness of STD prevention services capacity within the project area. Important factors in determining strategy are:

• identifying organizational strengths and weaknesses
• determining public health environment opportunities and constraints
• matching organizational strengths and weaknesses with environmental opportunities and constraints
• setting policy, the critical factor being deciding what the program is not going to be.

The strategic plan should show the detailed strategies selected to meet goals. Successful strategies build on strengths, overcome weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and minimize threats. Each strategy selected in the strategic plan should include:

• Goals addressed
• Expected effects of the strategy and when they are expected
• Critical assumptions on which the expectations are based
• Critical information used in selecting the strategy and its sources
• A brief description of how the strategy was selected and by whom.

Strategies selected should also be consistent with National STD Prevention strategies as outlined in the IOM Report-The Hidden Epidemic, Chapter 6. These are:

• Overcome barriers to adoption of healthy sexual behaviors
• Develop strong leadership, strengthen investment, and improve information systems for STD prevention
• Design and implement essential STD related services in innovative ways for adolescents and underserved populations
• Ensure access to and quality of essential clinical services for STDs.

Once the context and direction of the program is set through the strategic planning process, it is management's duty to effect the strategies articulated in the organization's strategic plan. This is typically accomplished through the development of the organization's operational plan. The success of STD prevention programs depends directly upon how well personnel carry out specific day-to-day responsibilities in implementing tactics that will prevent the acquisition of STD, interrupt transmission of STD, and minimize long-term adverse health effects of STD. STD program management must possess accurate information about the performance of individuals and prevention program components. This information is essential to interpreting events correctly and making appropriate policy decisions that ensure a program's success.

Process Effectiveness

An assessment is made to determine the extent to which the existing processes serve the mission and goals. Processes are assessed, discussed, and confirmed, as appropriate, or shaped to enhance what the organization is attempting to accomplish.

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