Step 7 of 7
Yearly Plans
How do we make it real?
We need to plan for success; success doesn’t just happen on its own. A plan is not enough. You must also put “legs” on your plan, so all your hard work becomes projects and programs that truly benefit your community.
Who should be involved
Chief and Council, EDC and band leadership, department heads and the staff who will carry out the work.
What you’ll need
Your workbooks from Steps 1 to 6, a strategic plan template if you’d like one, and the Step 7 worksheets.
You’ll finish with
A yearly plan with clear owners for every task, and a rhythm for checking progress together.
01 · LEARN
Put your plan into ACTION
This is where many Indigenous communities fail to move forward: the plan is written, but never operationalized. ACTION is how you add legs to your plan.
Alignment
All leadership and departments understand the plan. If they helped create it, alignment comes easily. Without buy-in, the plan goes nowhere.
Commitment
Once aligned, leaders and departments commit to working toward the plan’s goals and objectives.
Tasks
Each leader and department head writes out the tasks needed to fulfill their part, one by one and in order.
Interdependence
Every department depends on the others to keep the plan wholistic. Meet weekly to share progress, ask for help and celebrate.
Ownership
The people responsible for tasks shape how they get done. Hold them accountable, and don’t micro-manage.
Non-negotiables
Plans can change. Know the items that must be done no matter what, and do them first.
Your draft plan is already written
As you completed each step and wrote it all down, you created a well-prepared draft of a wholistic strategic community and economic plan. If you’d like a template to shape it, your province’s Indigenous or First Nations department, or a non-profit Indigenous development organization, will likely have one.
Walnuts first
Picture a jar, five walnuts and a pile of popcorn seeds. Pour the seeds in first and the walnuts won’t fit. Put the walnuts in first and the seeds fill the spaces between them.
Your non-negotiables are the walnuts. Do them first, and the smaller tasks will fit around them.
Before you begin: assemble your draft plan
Put your six workbooks together. This is the plan you will put into action.
- What you have: assets, territory audit and opportunities from Steps 1 to 3.
- What you protect: your no-go zones from Step 4.
- What comes first: your priorities and early wins from Step 5.
- What could stop you: your risk plan from Step 6.
- Who will do the work: a list of leaders and departments for this year.
02 · GATHER
Four leadership activities
Work through these with your leadership team and department heads.
ACTIVITY A
Align and commit
- Walk every leader and department through the plan.
- Make sure each one understands their part in it.
- Ask each one to commit to the goals and objectives for this year.
Worksheet 7A · Yearly plan
ACTIVITY B
Break the work into tasks
- Assign each department its portion of the plan.
- Have each department write out the tasks to fulfill it, one by one and in order.
- A work breakdown structure helps here.
Worksheet 7B · Tasks and owners
ACTIVITY C
Give people ownership
- Assign each task to a specific person.
- Let them create their own strategy for it and bring it to their supervisor to discuss and approve.
- Hold them accountable, celebrate their successes, and help them get back on track if they need it.
Worksheet 7B · Tasks and owners
ACTIVITY D
Meet every week
- Hold a weekly leadership meeting.
- Share what work has been completed.
- Ask where a department needs help.
- Celebrate each other’s successes.
Worksheet 7C · Weekly check-in
03 · DECIDE
Questions to answer together
- What are our non-negotiables: the items that must be done?
- Which of them are our walnuts for this year?
- Who owns each task, and who do they report to?
- When will we review the plan and adjust it for new information?
- How will we celebrate our successes as a community?
Worksheet 7A · Yearly plan
What makes something non-negotiable?
- Projects or programs you are accountable to a funder for
- Work your community’s health and well-being depend on, such as health care, housing and food security
- The end objectives your community has agreed are written in stone
Lead, don’t micro-manage
Nothing is more demoralizing than feeling constantly watched. Give your team ownership, hold them accountable, and celebrate their successes. This is true leadership.
04 · RECORD
Your Step 7 workbook
Capture your yearly plan in the Step 7 workbook. Together with Steps 1 to 6, it completes your community’s wholistic community and economic development plan.
- 7AYearly plan
- 7BTasks and owners
- 7CWeekly check-in
Would it be helpful to work with someone?
If you would like some help putting your plan into action, ICDPRO’s team can work alongside your leadership.