Country experimental laboratories : one year later

The rest of the Agency can benefit from the experiences of these Country Experimental Laboratories (CELs), synthesized herein. In general, CEL staff report revitalization and increased enthusiasm for their work. Inculcation of core reengineering values -- managing for results, customer focus, expanded participation, teamwork, empowerment and accountability, and staff development -- has begun to influence Missions" management practices and those of partners and counterparts. Among the lessons learned on the frontiers of reengineering are the following. (1) Teams make better decisions when they share a common vision and set of values. (2) A customer focus inspires staff and grounds Mission strategies in reality, and involving customers in program and project planning from the outset is essential for sustainable development. (3) Full participation of partners in design and planning improves the quality of the end product. (4) Teamwork increases staff empowerment. (5) Morale of the Mission as a whole, and of foreign service nationals in particular, improves as authority and responsibility are delegated. (6) Investing time to develop work plans and objectives for each employee that relate to the strategic framework pays large dividends in performance gains. (7) Sustained emphasis on staff development is key to reengineering. (8) Reengineering of planning and design can be accomplished within existing policies and regulations. Finally, the fact that USAID/Washington has not yet been reengineered, and that key players in the external environment (embassies and Congress) haven"t endorsed these values, has hindered the CELs" progress in implementing reengineering.