Slides used in the Employment and Training Administration Atlanta regional forum May 2009.

3. We live in a networked world Internet map of city-to-city connections Source: chrisharrison.net

4. The iPhone production network Question: Who makes the iPhone? Answer: A network led by Apple

5. Question: How many companies made the Wizard of Oz? Answer: One (Metro-Goldwyn Mayer)

6. Question: How many companies made the Spider Man 3? Answer: Fifty-six (working in a network)

7. Question: How did regions function in a pre-networked world? Answer: Silos

8. Question: How do regions function in a networked world? Answer: Still Silos

9. We need new approaches to link and leverage assets within our communities and regions

11. Strategic planning evolved to handle the complexities of managing large hierarchies...like the military and Fortune 500 companies A small group at the top did the thinking A larger group at the bottom did the doing

12. As organizations have become more networked, older strategic planning models do not work so well. The reason: There is no top or bottom to a network.

13. Dilbert emerged to make fun of strategy in a hierarchical world...

14. Organizations have been moving toward teams...where there is no separation of thinking from doing

15. Strategic Doing is a discipline to enable teams of people to do complex projects in these open networks

16. Most places: People and organizations work in isolation trying their best Strategic Planning: A few people try to sort it all out (but it often does not work) Strategic Doing: A continuous process of aligning, linking and leveraging

17. With Strategic Doing, leaders guide open conversations to translate ideas in to action... Key Insight: People move in the direction of their conversations

18. Strategic Doing is simple, but not easy. It takes practice to keep focused on four key questions... What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

19. Strategic Doing begins when a core team of people agrees to take responsibility for the Strategic Doing process... The Core Group agrees to use a Strategic Doing process to produce and update a Strategic Action Plan

20. The Core Team identifies focus areas of opportunities to produce dramatically better results....

21. Within each focus area, teams start with initiatives or projects

22. 30 Days The process of shaping a strategy is continuous

23. The team starts with Strategic Action Plan Version 1.0, then 1.1, then 1.2 and so on... 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.3

24. Strategic Doing is not that much different than planning a family vacation

26. Strategic Doing generates “link and leverage” strategies Strategic Doing produces alignments, links and leverage A great example...The new Water Council in SE Wisconsin

29. Gorilla innovation Swarm innovation Strategic Doing produces a swarm of innovations

33. The Innovation Cafe at Memorial Hospital in South Bend serves no food, but offers a place “where staffers and outsiders can learn to craft new ideas."

36. Strategic Doing is simple, but not easy. It takes practice... What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

37. What could we do together? 1. Explore the assets at the table 2. Watch for patterns and possible connections 3. Find opportunities by connecting assets (What if?)

38. Here’s an example of a worksheet to connect assets to opportunities from a Strategic Doing Pack What are the assets within our region that we can connect to establish national leadership in the skill assessments? What are the opportunities we see when we connect these assets? How do you describe this opportunity? How can we link and leverage these assets? Examples can include people, organizations, events, programs.... Opportunity 1: Example: we could conduct monthly webinars to inform us of the innovations taking place in the region. Opportunity 2: Example: We could conduct a Youth Summit once or twice a year to keep everyone on track and connected Date: Questions? Contact:

39. As we connect assets, we notice something strange starts to happen... The “network effect” takes hold...

40. Strategic Doing is simple, but not easy. It takes practice... What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

41. What should we do together? 1. Pick an opportunity 2. Define an outcome with 3 characteristics 3. Describe a transition path using SMART Goals Where do you want to be in 3 years? SMART = Simple + Measurable +Achievable + Relevant + Time Sensitive What will people be doing? And how will they be doing it? Pick something transformative..not just something you are already doing...Pick something that you can do together that you cannot just do alone

43. Here’s a worksheet for defining characteristics of an outcome... What does success look like? Define 3 characteristics of your Outcome. Example: Creating a nationally recognized workforce summit that regularly pushes innovative initiatives to address the challenges of at-risk youth. Characteristic 1: Active on-line community of innovators Characteristic 2: Strategy teams that engage at-risk youth as members Characteristic 3: Example: Regular webcasts Date: Questions? Contact:

44. Here’s a worksheet for SMART Goals to mark a pathway SMART GOALS For this project by this date.... SMART GOALS We will do this.... Example: By September 2009 We convene a core team of professionals in the region interested in at-risk youth Date: Questions? Contact:

45. Strategic Doing is simple, but not easy. It takes practice... What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

46. What will we do together? 1. Write an Action Plan of who does what by when 2. Make personal commitments

47. Here’s a worksheet for an Action Plan Action Steps: To move our project forward over the next thirty days, we will do these actin steps: Responsible: By When: Date: Questions? Contact:

48. Strategic Doing is simple, but not easy. It takes practice... What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

49. How will we learn together? 1. Capture your conversation on the web 2. Plan the next face-to-face meeting for revisions 1.1 1.2 1.0 1.3

50. Strategic Doing is like paddling a kayak in the ocean The task requires quick strategic assessments and continuous “doing”

53. You can start drawing your strategy map this way: :

56. The Strategic Doing workshop will generate the components of a Strategic Action Plan for that initiative: 1.1 Skill Assessments Outcome for Skill Assessments: SMART Goals for Skill Assessments: Skill Assessment Action Plan: Schedule for Revision: What could we do together? What should we do together? What will we do together? How will we learn together?

57. You will not start by trying to do everything at once. You might start with 6 initiatives:

58. 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 To keep organized, you start numbering your initiatives as they emerge... 1.1 1.2 2,1 3,1 4,1 5,1

59. In the next months, you conduct more Strategic Doing workshops and add other initiatives, so your strategy map looks something like this:

60. Your simple numbering system will help you keep everything straight: 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 2.2 2.3 2.1

61. Eventually. you will may “grow” a strategy map that looks something like this:

62. The Strategy Map is flexible. There is no one right way to draw it. The key point that you focus on doing something... The Atlanta Region has modified the strategy framework developed in at the national re-employment summit in Baltimore

64. Thank you! Questions? Ed Morrison [email_address] Linda Fowler [email_address] om