On Plan Implementations

I was working in a community recently that is very planful. They have developed plans for a variety of endeavors. In some cases they have hired consultants to develop the plans. They have also very intentionally and purposefully involved the public in strategic and thoughtful ways. Very inspiring I must say, from a planning perspective. I will pause here to say that having a good plan is essential but implementation is what delivers results. As I have written about previously on these pages, often there is frequent disconnect between vision and action. Challenges abound, like staffing limitations, budget constraints, lack of accountability, or shifting political priorities or council/board preferences. Getting everyone on the same page with respect to prioritization, connecting plans together, progress reporting, and measurement of progress are all “must-haves” for successful implementation.