Implementing Action Plans Problem Solving and Making Decisions

1. Implementing Action PlansProblem Solving and Making Decisions Class 4 July 29, 2010

2. Implementing Action Plans 1. Setting goals and objectives: example: Goal: To improve foster care services Impact objective: To decrease the number of children waiting for foster homes from an average of 150 to 100 each year Service objective: To conduct a recruitment campaign that will increase the pool of foster parents from 10 to 60 Product objective: To produce a training manual for foster parents Operational objective: To hire two additional recruitment staff **not all objectives lend themselves to quantifiable measurement **objectives should not conflict with each other

3. Anticipating Unintended Consequences • Preparation is essential before taking action • A positive decision, although beneficial may produce negative side effects • i.e., Iatrogenic effects • Managing Change • Tipping point leadership • Initiating pilot programs: Projects that focus on short-term, urgently needed • results have the best chance of success • Labeling something as a “crisis” focuses needed attention and may help • find a solution

4. Handling resistance to change: **resistance alerts the manager that they may be a problem **staff may resist if they do not understand purpose of change **wise not to implement change if staff strongly oppose **timing of change is essential **use energy of resistance **consider: staff skills; culture of the organization; feasibility of the project; level of funding; changes in marketplace or public policy; risk of mission drift

5. Contingency Planning imagine the worst; the unlikely “what if” scenarios fail safe analysis Work out the details of a plan Reverse Order Planning Forward Sequence Planning Timeline Charting

6. Questions for Discussion • Your are the manager for a program designed to serve street youth at risk • for HIV/AIDS. What would you determine to be the mission statement; • overarching goal; and objectives ( impact, service, product, operational) • for the program. • What kinds of problems might you anticipate as you begin implementation • and what contingency plans would you develop? • List major tasks that you would need to perform to get the program going and • create a 12-week timeline.

7. Problem Solving and Decision Making 1. Analyzing the Problem **specify the problem: when, who, where avoid oversimplification **determine the boundaries: develop a problem statement **clarify different perspectives 2. Consider Alternative Solutions ** consider trade-offs; identify advantages and disadvantages of various solutions

8. Making Decisions • Following questions help minimize risk: • a. Does your decision increase something of value? • b. Can the decision be made at lowest level possible? • c. Can the decision be considered an experiment? • d. Are the negative consequences so great that decision should not • be made? • e. Can commitments be made on an incremental basis? • f. Are you fully prepared to carry out the decision? • g. Do you have a workable exit strategy? • **be boldly tentative! • **involve staff in decision making!

9. Decision Making Pitfalls: flaws in the process to be avoided: 1. Clinging to the familiar 2. Defending past decisions 3. Seeking only confirming evidence 4. Framing the question too narrowly

10. Monitoring Results: • -managers and staff must review the results of their efforts • - can be measured through objectives and performance indicators • Making Corrections • -review of success or partial success provides a springboard for • future decision making and next steps

11. Questions for Discussion • Identify a problem in your organization • Develop a brief problem statement and describe how the problem might be defined • by clients, line staff, administrators, and public officials connected with your • agency • 3. Consider 3 alternative solutions to the problem • 4. Choose a solution and state how you would monitor the results