At Camp Wellstone we ask participants if they have ever been part of a citizen's group that met for weeks or months, but just couldn't seem to get anything done. Unfortunately almost everyone nods, remembering hours of unproductive meetings and the frustration of disorganized work. Good planning can be the antidote to this scenario and learning how to develop a good plan is a skill every good organizer needs.
A good action plan does a number of things.1) It provides direction and focus to the work. It allows all participants to know where the campaign is going and the steps along the way;
2) It provides a framework to analyze strengths and weaknesses of supporters, allies and opponents, thereby suggesting the most powerful strategy to win.
3) It allows the campaign to wisely use the precious resources of time, money and people;
4) It provides an accountability mechanism and let's everyone know how their work contributes to the whole;
5) It helps those who are participating to understand how decisions are made and their role in the structure and
6) It gives the organizers the ability to say "no" to requests that might be wonderful, but do not fit the plan.
An action plan should be written down and shared with participants in a campaign. This is especially important if the campaign is being conducted by a coalition of groups that need to speak with one voice. Once written, however, plans are not set in stone. They are flexible documents than can and should change if the situation changes. Finally, an action plan allows people to evaluate their work and learn from their victories and defeats. A plan allows us to come back the next year and the next, having grown smarter and more skilled in moving our agenda forward.
