Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX) Guidebook Series

“Through extensive research and analysis, the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is offering the field of corrections a comprehensive business model entitled the APEX (Achieving Performance Excellence) Initiative. The APEX Initiative is an agency-driven systems approach to building capacity for higher organizational performance, best practices, data-driven decision making using multiple self-assessment tools, and a Guidebook series with strategies, interventions, and pathways. The APEX Public Safety Model presents a whole-systems view of a correctional agency” (p. v). You definitely want to put this on your must read soon list! Ten chapters follow an introduction to Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX): overview to APEX; APEX Leadership Domain; APEX Organizational Culture Domain; APEX Operations Focus Domain; APEX Stakeholder Domain; APEX Workforce Domain; APEX Strategic Planning Domain; APEX Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management Domain; APEX Results Domain; and developing a 7-step communications plan.

This guidebook “is the second book in the APEX Guidebook series and is designed to help correctional practitioners deepen their knowledge of the Public Safety Model domains. It offers practical suggestions for improving performance and creating positive change by sharing best-practice methods and current literature on higher performance in corrections” (p. ix). APEX itself provides strategies for achieving performance excellence in the Public Safety Model domains-operations (which includes safe and secure supervision and settings and process management), stakeholder focus, workforce focus, strategic planning, measurement/analysis/knowledge management, and results. Eight chapters follow an introduction to Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX): introduction; operations focus-safe and secure supervision and settings; operations focus-process management; stakeholder focus; workforce focus; strategic planning; measurement, analysis, and knowledge management; and results.

“Culture, including beliefs, assumptions, values, norms, and practices in an organization, determines the success of an organization’s performance and change efforts. This book helps illuminate the role culture plays in an organization that is striving for higher performance ... Knowledge of culture enables an organization to proceed along the path to successful change. The APEX Change Management Model provides a process and map for organizational change based in research and best practices; it engages the human component of the organization to ensure success” (p. 85). Eight chapters follow an introduction to Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX): introduction; organizational culture and change; introduction to change management; APEX Change Management Model; additional elements of successful change management; communications planning during change; change management principles and practices in action-Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA); and changing culture during challenging times.

“Previously, not many assessment tools looked at issues that specifically affect those who work in the field of corrections ... [This book] presents three organizational assessment tools developed specifically for the field of corrections. The APEX assessment tools are designed to look at an agency’s readiness to take on a change process, understand the importance of safety and security to correctional operations, measure performance on the APEX Public Safety Model’s eight domains, and provide guidance for developing a performance improvement plan” (p. vii).

Five chapters are contained in this publication:

• introduction;
• how to use the APEX Assessment Tools Protocol;
• APEX Screener;
• APEX Organizational Profile;
• and the APEX Inventory.

The three tools are bundled with this publication.

This directory “is an integral part of the National Institute of Correction’s (NIC’s) Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX) Initiative. It provides resources, tools, and interventions to support correctional agencies on the APEX journey. This directory is designed to complement the APEX Guidebook series and to enhance efforts to improve performance excellence by providing domain-specific resources and interventions. It can also be used as a stand-alone guide to change management and to the APEX Public Safety Model domains, which include the following: Leadership; Operations Focus; Organizational Culture; Stakeholder Focus; Workforce Focus; Strategic Planning; Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management; [and] Results. Using this directory, the agency can target one or more domains and can find specific domain-related guiding questions, tools and interventions, case studies, and other resources to direct a change effort for improvement. Potential scenarios for change include the following: (1) when an agency is getting ready for Prison Rape Elimination Act compliance; (2) when a new jail director comes on board; (3) when a new committee is formed to direct performance excellence; (4) when a change in legislation requires agency changes; (5) when an agency is running smoothly, but assesses itself preventively and finds room for improvement in specific domains; (6) when a new program is put into practice; and (7) when an opportunity arises to embark on a change effort” (p. 1).

“APEX Resources Directory Volume 2 provides supportive information to correctional agencies embarking on the APEX (Achieving Performance Excellence) journey. It introduces the National Institute of Corrections (NIC) Information Center, provides detailed information on creating a communications plan for those implementing the APEX Initiative, describes how to use focus groups to effectively gather information and feed-back, and includes a team development guide for those who want to build teams, enhance team performance, and understand what makes teams an effective part of any organization” (p. 1). Chapters following a view of achieving performance excellence are: introduction; NIC resources; APEX Communication Plan; focus groups-a practical guide; and team development guide; and book summary.

“Leadership is a very important component of higher performing organizations. This book presents a breadth and depth of information about leading others and describes what leaders need to excel at and what up-and-coming leaders need to know as they prepare themselves for leadership positions. Taking a balanced approach to leadership allows correctional leaders to influence different people and diverse stakeholder groups in differing situations. Good leaders know when they need to manage rather than lead and how these two activities differ” (p. 71). Chapters cover: an introduction; focus on the leader; leadership of others ad beyond; leadership that is transforming; case study-collaboration shifts a dysfunctional culture; and case study-new leadership as a catalyst for change.

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) and People in Charge LLC are pleased to present the Achieving Performance Excellence (APEX) Change Team Training Curriculum - part of the APEX Initiative. The APEX initiative incorporates culture, leadership, performance measurement, results, and a change management strategy to help corrections agencies use their resources wisely to improve their organizational performance ...

The APEX Change Team Training will provide correctional agencies with capacity-building training in the APEX systems approach to organizational performance improvement. This training is designed to create teams of internal change agents in all sectors of corrections. It will enable participants to build their skills and take the APEX components out to their agencies and successfully implement the APEX processes: assisting their agencies as they go through the culture and change management processes, developing integrated and holistic implementation plans to meet any identified gaps, developing comprehensive communications plans, and working toward sustaining the change efforts.

Modules include: · Welcome and Program Overview; · APEX Public Safety Model; · Change management and organizing people; · Agency assessment: laying the groundwork for change; · Define the goal; · Build the implementation plan; · Communications planning; · Implement and sustain changes; · Workshop close. Includes copies of the PowerPoint presentation slides.