Vantage Associates http://www.vantageassociates.com
All About the Implementation
Implementation is an important part of any strategic planning process. Through effective implementation, an organization not only realizes its goals and objectives, but it also builds confidence and credibility in the leadership's ability to move the organization forward in a powerful way. A successful implementation process recognizes the unique needs and challenges of the organization. However, there are a few principles that transcend organizational differences:

Participation - Those involved in implementation must have a meaningful role in developing the plan. Ownership and buy-in come with participation.

Expectations - The goals identified in the plan must have sufficient detail so that those responsible for implementing know what needs to be done and can be held accountable. This usually requires defining 1) what will be done, 2) who will be responsible, 3) when it will be completed, and 4) how success will be measured.

Integration - The implementation process needs to be integrated into the existing management process. This usually means using existing committees and management systems to monitor progress and ensure accountability. Implementation of the plan becomes part of the regular management of the organization, not something that is done as an afterthought.

Communication - The plan needs to be communicated frequently by the organization's leaders. It becomes the context for the day-to-day decisions and it's the leadership's job to help the organization understand how even small decisions support the overall Vision.

Celebration - Successes should be celebrated. Milestones and quantitative targets help recognize progress and should be celebrated when results are achieved.
Nonprofit Governance Benchmark
In response to several requests, I have added a set of benchmark charts to the online board assessment tool. This benchmark data includes the surveys from all the organizations that have participated to date.

I am also providing a short white paper designed to be used with the assessment tool to diagnose and improve board governance issues. The document can be down loaded at the following link: Governance White Paper

Click here to view the BOD Assessment Tool. If your nonprofit would like to use the tool, simply send me an email and I will add your organization to the survey list.
Poll Question
The poll question last quarter asked: How likely is it we will see substantial improvement in the 2012 economy? Here is the result:
10%Very Likely
24%Somewhat Likely
5%Don't Know (50/50)
48%Somewhat Unlikely
14%Very Unlikely
Our poll question this quarter is: How likely is it the Supreme Court will overturn all or part of the new healthcare law?

  • Very Likely
  • Somewhat Likely
  • Don't Know (50/50)
  • Somewhat Unlikely
  • Very Unlikely
  • We will report the results in the next issue. Click here to participate in our poll. You may return to the Poll Page to monitor the results as often as you like.
    Good to Great Managers
    What are the differences between a good manager and a great manager?

    Set Priorities- A great manager is always working under a clear set of priorities. If you are not clear on your own priorities, others will set your priorities for you. A good manager does things right while a great manager does the right things.

    Develop their people- A great manager knows that they are only as good as their people. They invest a significant amount of time and energy helping their people be the best they can be.

    Look toward the future- No matter what the crisis of the day is, a great manager keeps an eye on the future. A long-term view provides a context for short-term decisions. There is no substitute for a clear and compelling vision.

    Always improving- A great manager knows that no matter how good an organization is, there is always room to improve. While each milestone or accomplishment is celebrated, they are quickly replaced by a new set of challenges. Complacency leads to stagnation. A great manager understands stagnation can kill an organization before it even knows it's in trouble.

    For more information contact - Jim Sisson
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