Balanced Scorecard: Step-by-Step for Government and Nonprofit Agencies, 2nd Edition

3

Before You Begin

Roadmap for Chapter 3 It was Christian Bovee who observed that “The method of the enterprising is to plan with audacity and execute with vigor.” This chapter is devoted to the first half of Bovee’s inspirational wisdom. Planning is crucial in virtually every initiative we undertake, whether it’s building a house, writing a report, or developing a Balanced Scorecard. There are a number of elements of a task that must be considered long before any nails can be driven, pens lifted, or metrics debated and decided upon. In this chapter, we’ll take a careful look at each of the building blocks of a successful Balanced Scorecard implementation.

The chapter begins by posing the question, “Why do we need the Balanced Scorecard?” It then challenges you to develop specific reasons for using the Scorecard in your organization. It’ll then transition to the human element of the Balanced Scorecard, beginning with a review of the vital nature of executive sponsorship. Next, we’ll take a close look at your Balanced Scorecard team, considering the size of the team, skills necessary, and roles and responsibilities of all members. Once you’ve determined your rationale and have gained support and established a team, you must decide where to build your first Scorecard. We’ll consider this question and I’ll provide a number of criteria to help you make this important decision. No initiative of this magnitude can be completed without the allocation of human and financial resources. ...