KVSV

Strategic Doing Meeting at NCK Tech Wed Sept 27

 

Strategic Doing

 

Wednesday, September 27, 2017

 

By Terry Bailey

 


 

About 200 people participated in a community wide discussion at the NCK Tech College Conference Room Wednesday evening, September, 27th. The focus of the discussion was Strategic Doing.

 

Curt Frazier, president of the Solomon Valley Community Foundation highlighted the progress of the Foundation since its inception four or five years ago. Beginning with a bank balance of zero at that time, the Foundation now has two and a quarter million dollars in the bank. The Dane Hansen Foundation partnered with the Solomon Valley Foundation last fall in a matching fundraising activity. For each dollar donated to the local Foundation, Hansen matched it with a dollar and a half. A similar fundraising activity is expected to take place again this November.

 

Frazier then introduced the moderator of the evening’s activities, Betty Johnson. Johnson is the president of a consulting firm, Betty Johnson Associates. Johnson has been contracted by the Hansen Foundation to hold three meetings in each of the 26 counties associated with the Foundation. She is currently in the process of conducting the initial meetings in each of the counties to introduce the concept of Strategic Doing.

 

Strategic Doing began at Purdue University. To generate change the main idea is to look to the future and not worry about the past. Strategic Doing is a way to form collaborative groups quickly, move toward measureable outcomes, make adjustments as they proceed, and to create change rapidly.

 

She began her presentation by saying, “It is up to you guys what you want Mitchell County to be. My job is to guide you through the thinking process.”

 

The room was filled with 15 tables with each table occupied by a wide variety of community leaders. There were school administrators and teachers, law enforcement personnel, bankers, attorneys, business leaders, medical personnel and virtually every segment of the community represented.

 

Johnson gave directions and separated the attendees, splitting people in new groups. The newly formed groups were given a large sheet of white paper and were directed to divide it into four equal segments. In the first segment the groups were directed to list all the positive items they could think of about Mitchell County. In the second segment they were told to list all the negatives. The third segment was to contain things that need addressed soon or major problems would exist. The fourth and final segment contained all opportunities that exist in Mitchell County.

 

After enough time had passed to complete the activity, the groups were directed to summarize their efforts on 4”x6” pieces of sticky note paper and then posted on the wall. Johnson read the summarized notes for the entire group to hear. She noted that many of the items were not expensive and could be started without great effort.

 

Johnson announced that the next meeting for Strategic Doing will be held on November 29th. Having identified the issues of greatest importance, the next meeting will be directed at how to move forward. She summed up action by saying, “Once you come to terms with what it is you want to do, you need to do it. If you do not make any movement in 30 days, your project is doomed.”

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