Governance tips for Kejriwal

As the initial euphoria over his success settles and he gets on with his job, Arvind Kejriwal will realise (perhaps he already has) that he has raised the bar for expectations significantly.

Managing expectations is the key factor in aligning the stakeholders for sustainable changes. The people who found genuineness in his election promises now want him to deliver on them.

Implementation holds the key to this. We have no shortage of ideas but we lack in delivery.

This is the major challenge for Kejriwal, and his opportunity to be different.

“Anybody who wants a genuine, honest government despite where he lives, whether in a posh colony or a jhuggi , is an aam aadmi . The demands of the aam aadmi are very simple, but the polity of this country has failed to provide even those basic amenities over the last 65 years despite spending crores,” said Kejriwal in his debut speech in the Delhi Assembly.

This is a statement everyone would agree with, but there must be a clear implementation plan to change the situation from State A (present) to State B (desirable).

NEED TO PRIORITISE Given his background, Kejriwal should be able to use project management principles of delivering outcomes in an integrated manner.

The word ‘project’ is derived from the Latin word projectum , implying ‘to throw something forward’. Project management principles are, therefore, the principles of creating a sustainable future.

For years, we have been given to understand that governance is a political process. However, I would like to believe that governance is more a matter of administration and management, and Kejriwal needs to focus on them. His five-year stint in office is a major programme comprising hundreds of projects.

In such a scenario, right prioritisation is a must in order to make a major impact on the masses. He needs to work in project mode with a project mindset, with clear outcomes and definite time, cost and quality parameters built in.

The 17 objectives he discussed in his debut speech in the Assembly should immediately be converted into projects and work should begin on them. Timelines have to be set. Accountability fixed.

Project management is a lot about reducing uncertainties. The sooner you reduce uncertainties, the earlier the project will conclude successfully.

Mindset matters A project mindset is built into the work culture. It looks at the goals and deliverables based on prioritisation, given the perpetual constraint of resources.

We do not plan to fail but fail to plan, and therefore detailed planning is the prerequisite of a project mindset. The second major characteristic of a project mindset is to always look at the ‘whole’ and implement part by part without any conflict with the whole and between the parts.

China excels in this. China has 160 times more certified project managers (CPM) than India. CPM credential holders are equipped with the project mindset methodology.

These CPM credential holders follow the rigorous practices and rules of global best practices.

As honorary chairman of the China Project Management Committee (CPMC), I have been to China more than 20 times and seen how China has taken project management as a discipline and made it the backbone of their economy.

We could certainly replicate this in India, and in particular in a state like Delhi.

RISK MANAGEMENT Kejriwal has a major challenge in ensuring his team’s working style is based on ‘project mode’. When you want to build a sustainable future, it must be carried out through project management methodology. Projects are undertaken to build the future in the present. This needs proper planning, matching existing resources to planned objectives, well-defined targets for time, cost and milestones, with simple monitoring systems. We must have a proper forecasting system of the likely issues which may arise.

Risk management is inherently built into the project mindset. It is impossible to have all the information needed about the future and thus, going wrong in some of our decisions is natural and must be seen as part of a learning exercise.

The major challenge will lie in accelerating the rate of reduction of uncertainties. You cannot start a project, realise midway that it isn’t working out and shelve it.

If the new chief minister wants to show that he is different, he will have to adopt this project mindset and make sure it trickles down right to the last person in governance.

An eye on the result We must be delivery oriented in every task we undertake — small or big. The problem with the way our governments function is that projects are inaugurated with much fanfare but fizzle out after some time as there is no accountability on delivery.

Kejriwal needs to change this. Every member of the government needs to be accountable for the projects that come under his or her domain.

The administration must be fully aligned to political compulsions in making Delhi delivery oriented.

Only delivery- and result-oriented development policies will win the support of the masses.

If the people of Delhi have brought in a new dispensation, it highlights their desire to have a new system of governance in place, a system that delivers on promises and projects.

Kejriwal has asked honest officers to come forward to help form a clean government. He would do well to also engage professionals who have a good record in implementing projects.

Performers perform as it is part of their DNA. A project mindset is the process of creating this unique DNA code for India to flourish again.

(The author is President, Project Management Association, India.)