5 Quick Ideas - Using Data: Polling

Polling is one of the key ways you can get a fair understanding of what is going on, and perceptions on an issue, policy, or effort.  There are a few things you need to have in order to get useful and effective data however:

1. A large enough group to get a representative sample - If you've got a couple hundred people you are trying to gauge, a poll probably doesn't make sense.  If you've got several thousand or more, you might want to consider a poll.
2. A basic understanding of what you're polling - This isn't a deathnail if you don't have it, but it is pretty important.  If you start talking about something that no one understands, how useful is the feedback?
3. A pollster experienced in your efforts - Sometimes national pollsters can't do local polls effectively, and vice versa.  Sometimes pollsters who focus on voting populations can't effectively transition into business interests.  Make sure your pollster understands and is competent in your field of interest.

And if you don't have those? There are solutions there too.

Identify your core audience - Figure out where you are going to get the best information that you need.  Can you narrow it down and do interviews/ focus groups/ surveys?  Can you expand it in order to get great input from a broader perspective.

Educate first - Spend a little pre-marketing to your target audience.  Educate them on what you are trying to gauge.  Do so dispassionately and without prejudice.  Give information not opinion.  Then when you do reach out, they are ready to be asked your questions.  You can even use the questions as a way to further educate on pros and cons - a good pollster will help you with this.

Interview researchers - don't just use the easiest and most present pollster.  Use the one that makes the most sense.  If it isn't adding up then reach out to peers, competitors, and find new people to work with on this project.

Yes, I know, that's 6 quick ideas and the title says 5.  Well just remember the words of Winston Churchill -

"There are lies, there are damned lies, and then there are statistics."

FOLLOW US -
Twitter
Facebook

North Shore on Politics

So I am in Hawaii right now, speaking to another group on political advocacy.  And naturally I had to watch one of the greatest movies of all time on my way here - North Shore.

Now if you aren't familiar - first of all your life has been wasted - but it is the story of Rick Kane, Arizona surfing champion (wavepool in Tempe, stop interrupting me) who goes to the North Shore of Hawaii to take on the surfing world.  Along the way he loses everything, makes new friends, learns valuable life lessons, and leaves Hawaii a champion.  No spoilers there, go watch it, it's pretty much the best movie ever made.



Now my ridiculousness aside, there are actually some pretty important lessons to learn from this -

DON'T EXPECT SOMETHING OFFERED TO BE DELIVERED
Rick goes to Hawaii on a whim, no place to stay other than a guy he met a year ago who offered him a room if Rick ever goes to Hawaii.  Rick shows up, the guy is a strip club bartender, and doesn't deliver.
Lesson - Always verify before you agree to someone's help.

NOT EVERYONE IS AS THEY SEEM
Rick idolizes Lance Burkhart in this movie - the big wave surfer who seems to be the pinnacle of the sport.  Despite all the magazine covers, sponsors, and accolades he has, the guy ends up being shallow, self centered and a cheat.
Lesson - Don't believe the hype

RESPECT IS EARNED, NOT GIVEN
Rick runs into a series of problems with a group of locals - Da Hui.  Locals who don't like haoles (mainlanders) riding their waves, talking to their women, or them in general to be honest.  Until he proves himself, at which point he gains their respect, trust and mostly their acceptance (He's still from Arizona after all).  It wasn't that the Hui was the enemy, it was about respect.
Lesson - Protect your reputation, trust and respect, and don't give any of them away

VICTORIES DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TROPHIES
Chandler - legendary Hawaiian shaper - teaches Rick that winning isn't about money, fame, attention or trophies, but about the experience and what you gain from the experience.  The win is trophy enough.
Lesson - winning is not defined by who stands on a podium

DON'T LOSE TO YOUR OWN EGO
Everyone struggles with this in the movie.  Turtle, Rick, Chandler, The Professor, Kiani, Vince and Da Hui - Everyone.  But in remembering the sage advice of Turtle, all is won -

''Round Here we treat friends mo betta." - Turtle

Lesson - don't disrespect others to advance your own agenda.

The only person who ends up losing in the end is Lance, who loses out because of his ego.

So yeah, I did just make you read about the 1987 movie North Shore, now don't be a kook and go watch it.

5 Quick Ideas - Gathering Data Taking a Temperature

Every issue you undertake requires a background knowledge about a given issue, topic, or idea.  Knowing what to do in response to an issue, requires information to make a correct decision.

This section of 5 Quick Ideas will include information about different types of information to gather, but this post in particular focuses on getting a basic read on an issue - the gut reaction, or the temperature - from given audiences.

How to take this quick temperature is more art than science.  However knowing how to artfully broach a subject that is challenging for many is an important step for getting meaningful reactions.

IDEA 1 - KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO ASK
Before you ask anyone, give some thought as to what you want to ask, ways to ask it, and test it out with a few individuals to get their reaction to how you ask a question.  Spend a little time refining your question so that when you go to get a read it is a true reflection of the audience opinion.

IDEA 2 - KNOW WHO YOU ARE ASKING
The better you can parse the groups you are taking the temperature, the better.  Whether there is a geographical divide, a partisan divide, a business sector divide, etc. on an issue, know that before you go in and figure out how to read the reactions

IDEA 3 - ASK FOR FOLLOW UP
A temperature read isn't something that will give you a clear cut indication of support or position on an issue, but instead a reaction.  It will reveal thoughts, concerns and questions.  Whenever possible, offer ways for people to follow back after further reflection.

IDEA 4 - KNOW WHY YOU'RE ASKING
What is the next step?  A survey, a poll, focus groups, cluster groups, etc.  The purpose of the temperature gauge is to refine further data gathering so you get useful information.  Guide your efforts towards that.

IDEA 5 - LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS NEXT
People don't want to feel like their input is going into a void, but that there will be more follow up, make sure the people you ask know about what to do next, and what to look for next.  They may also prove to be a great resource for the right group to follow up with for additional respondents or participants in your issue research.

The Pew Research Center has a great primer on how to gather survey data - which is often what taking a temperature is - that could help you further understand in greater depth how to move towards useful and valid data.

FOLLOW US:
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

5 Quick Ideas - Engaging Members

In any advocacy effort, your membership is your army - your foot soldiers that can deliver the message you are trying to promote.  As such engaging your membership is key to your success in what you do.

However keeping members engaged is one of the hardest things to do in an organization because advocacy can ebb and flow, and there may not be an immediate perceived threat.  Many organizations rely on communication in the form of a newsletter in order to keep their members engaged.   However that isn't enough.  There is no action there.  The engagement wanes - and you lose your army.

There are however many other ways to keep them engaged.  Little things you can do that can keep your membership engaged in the process.

IDEA 1 - TAKE THEIR PULSE
Ask them for input - and report back.  Ask a simple question in a survey format, and engage them in the process.  This gives you three personalized touches to your membership and sensitizes them to engagement
- You get them to open the email and click on the survey
- You get them to fill out the survey
- You report back to them on the action they took
Three points where you are getting them involved

IDEA 2 - GET THEM TO CONNECT AND ACT
You probably have a social media presence.  And yes, you can say "follow us on..." but is that enough for engagement?  Instead, ask them to do something:
- Post your Instagram pic of your city hall
- Give us a Tweet about your business hang ups
- Post a facebook post connecting their following to your organization
These secondary steps create more interesting engagement with the membership

IDEA 3 - REFER A FRIEND
Make a personalized ask to your membership if there is someone they know who would benefit from the advocacy you are making, and find ways to connect with those individuals.  This extra step brings in a great connection and builds community.

IDEA 4 - RECOGNIZE PEOPLE AND THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Whatever you can think of, recognize.  If you have a member that spoke at city council, post a pic and thank them publicly.  If you have a member that did something unique with an elected official, relay the story.  If someone you know supported a successful candidate outside of your association's efforts, recognize their contribution.  People love to hear about themselves and see themselves recognized in front of their peers.

IDEA 5 - ASK THEM TO SERVE - AND OFFER TO HELP
The only thing better than getting your issue passed on a local level is not needing to advocate for it in the first place because you already had decision makers in place.  Cities, counties, states, and the federal government are always looking for people to serve on commissions, task forces, and committees.  The support of a community organization, business, or association like yours is usually what makes the difference in getting into these positions.  Once you've gotten your members in the positions, you have accomplished two goals:
- They are more engaged and bought in to what the organization provides, and
- They recognize you were the one that made it possible.

Engagement is all about making the right touches in the right places in the right ways to people.  Not everyone will respond to everything, but the little pieces you can implement to make it more common, the more apt they will be to act when you need the army in place.

FOLLOW US -
FACEBOOK
TWITTER

The Devils in the Details

One of the hottest issues hitting local government right now is addressing the issues of short term rental housing.  Or - how cities can regulate VRBO, AirBnB, HomeAway, etc.

The issues are more or less the same in every community.  Too many parties.  Too many cars.  Too loud too late.  Too many on my block.  Or some combination / variation thereof.

There are a number of arguments that we can go through here from Property Rights to Community Integrity.  Not the purpose of this post.

On the October 20, 2015 city council agenda the City of Anaheim decided to address this issue through extending their moratorium on issuing any new permits related to any vacation rental homes.

Sounds innocuous enough right? I mean sure, it's anti-business, but its a measure to take while you are studying the issue and impact and figuring out the best course for the city moving forward.

There is just one small problem with their proposal.  There are plenty of these rentals that already exist.

And if you read in the details of the proposal, they plan to deny any of the permits related to such businesses - INCLUDING the renewal of business licenses, existing conditional use permits, or any permits for planning building or construction.

Let me translate that -

• If your annual business license is up for renewal in the next six months - you just lost your business
• If your conditional use permit is up for renewal - you just lost your conditional use permit and your business
• If your water heater breaks and you need a permit to put a new one in - you just lost your business

You read that right.  In an attempt to stop any NEW businesses while they address this issue, they effectively said all existing ones would be shut down if they come up for any work with the government in the next six months.

The question you have to ask yourself is - what little things like that are being snuck in on you and your business?

5 Quick Ideas - Engaging Leadership

We've already covered that one of the most important things in any organization is having the right leadership team in place.

However more than just having them in place, you have to make sure they are engaged.  This team is the key to your success as an organization.  Making sure they are set for success is essential in keeping them around.

This guide should give you some of the key elements of making sure your Leadership team is empowered to succeed.

IDEA 1 - UNDERSTAND WHY THEY ARE THERE
They believe in you and the organization, that's why they are in the door.  But why they show up, contribute, and stay is the reason they are there.  Understanding their motivations, desires, and expectations will help lead you to guiding their leadership

IDEA 2 - KNOW THEIR NEXT STEP
An extension of understanding why they are there is knowing their next steps.  This takes place in 2 forms:

• Their personal next step - where they are looking to take their career, their interests, their motivations
• Their organizational next step - where do they want to be or what do they want to do in the organization

Both steps are important because if you know where they are going, you can help guide them there, if you know what they want to do next, you can help incorporate that into the organizations strategy .

IDEA 3 - INCORPORATE THEIR SUCCESS
Your leaders are there for a reason - they have demonstrated success.  If they haven't, then you've got the wrong team - Go back to the drawing board and get a good leader.  Use how they have found their success in your organization. 

• If they are great motivators, let them inspire your team and membership.  
• If they are great connectors, allow them to bring in new partners.  
• If they are great managers, empower them to find efficiencies.  
• If they are great advocates, put them in front of decision makers.
• If they are great innovators, give them a chance to shape your future growth.

Doing these allows 3 things - first it allows them to excel at what they excel at in front of their peers.  Second it allows you to get for free what others would pay enormous sums of money to garner.  Third it gets your leaders to buy in greatly in what you are doing.

IDEA 4 - INQUIRE ABOUT THEIR NEEDS
Outside of the obvious element of if you are able to help them, they will in turn feel a need to invest back in you and your organization, understanding their needs helps you bring them the personal, professional, or organizational elements that further their success.  Ask them - maybe they need a new personal assistant, maid service, HR manager, tennis coach, or their kid may need an internship.  Whatever it is, you can most likely help.

IDEA 5 - RECOGNIZE THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS
Yes, it seems like it goes without saying, or at least that its already been said (because it kind of was in the first leadership post), but it is key.  If they know you appreciate them, and hear it, and their peers hear it... you are building their resume and reasons to support your efforts.  Also, it sends a subtle signal to the other leaders that they need to be a part of this process and effort.

Leadership is key.  Good leadership is imperative.  Good engaged leadership is the gold standard.  Make sure yours is worth its weight in gold by succeeding together.

5 Quick Ideas - Project Planning

Just as with Long Term Planning and Short Term Planning, projects demand their own plan.  The thing about project planning is it is the best opportunity you could have to build your involvement base.

As has been mentioned elsewhere, volunteerism is down... everywhere.  And while there have been many theories posed as to why this is, nothing has really been offered as a way to solve this.  Project Planning is your best bet, and here's why -

A project has a specific task, requires people to be involved, gives them defined and accomplish-able tasks, and best of all... it ends.

So being successful with project means you can bring more people in long term to meet the demands of larger more involved aspects of your organization.  If you do it right.

This means -

IDEA 1 - HAVE A CLEAR OBJECTIVE
Every undertaking should have a clear objective.  Spend time knowing exactly what the outcome you want is, and all of the elements of that.  For instance, if you are putting on an educational forum, you want to test:

• How many people should attend
• How much money you should raise from tickets
• How much money you should raise from sponsorships
• What kind of publicity you want to get out of your effort
• What takeaways do you want people to have from your effort
• What objectives you can accomplish in relationship to your overall plan

Knowing your desired outcome not only allows you to figure out your plans of how to get there, but allows you clear understandable expectations for people to accomplish.

IDEA 2 - CREATE CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES
Assuming youve set your clear objective, and all the sub-objectives you can consider, your path to success should be easier because you will know what the metrics for success are, as well as what you can accomplish.

Use this opportunity to break down what needs to be accomplished into pieces that others can take on.  Give them CLEAR directions of what you expect, as well as ideas of how to accomplish those goals, and move them forward from there.

IDEA 3 - CHECK IN REGULARLY
Clear objectives are great, as long as someone follows through.  People are more apt to achieve their goals if:

• You provide them clear expectations
• You provide them the tools to accomplish those expectations
• You make sure you are checking up on them so that they know they need to meet those expectations

No one wants to say "I didnt do it" publicly.  Capitalize on that fact.

IDEA 4 - GIVE UP CONTROL OF EVEN SOME BIG THINGS
Face it, your role is to manage here.  So give up control of things to others.  They will perform if you keep on them.  Give up control of some BIG things too.  The trust you place in others will come back ten fold.  And trust that it will get there.

IDEA 5 - NOTHING IS EVER PERFECT, BUT ONLY YOU WILL NOTICE
We've all heard stories about brides breaking down because of some miniscule detail being overlooked at their wedding.  The cake was too tall, we used the wrong silverware, the flower arrangements werent perfect.

Yeah they happen, and it wasnt what you expected.  But no one else knows that.  And they never will unless you make them.

Project planning is an incredible opportunity to test those involved with your organization.  Dont let these opportunities pass you by.

FOLLOW US:
TWITTER
FACEBOOK

The Threat You’re Missing

--> Washington D.C. is the cornerstone of our democracy, it is where the bulk of broad scale governance and regulation occurs.

Every organization has a federal presence. 

Justice Brandeis famously referred to State government as the “laboratories of democracy” in a way to show that they should have the right to try new things that may be useful to other states, or to the federal government.

Many organizations have a state network of some kind.

However partisan gridlock has left most institutions paralyzed, or at the very least one sided in its governance.  While no organization sees themselves as strictly partisan, the issues you work on appeal more to one side or the other – or if they become a bill, they are sponsored by a members of one side or the other.  So by default, your issues become partisanized (Yes, I did just make that word up).

Despite this lack of ability to govern effectively at either level, governing needs to be done.  Increasingly that responsibility is falling to the local level.

Now I know what you’re thinking – “What jurisdiction do they have on my business/ industry / organization?”

 

The answer is probably none.  But that isn’t stopping them from inserting themselves into regulating it since they can’t get any action out of any other government.

So what can you do about it?

Reach out.  They’ve probably never been contacted by an organization like yours.  That wont be enough to dissuade them, but it can be enough to stall them long enough to pursue a couple of options depending on what it is:

• Organize a local group of partners/ vendors/ members/ etc. to address local policies with local policy makers.
• Organize a community group to push back on local regulation.
• Point out to their city attorney that they really have no role here, and that you are governed by state and federal laws, and that any action they do is likely in violation of the state constitution.
• Push local press and media to investigate the role of local government in broader issues.

Those local elected officials will later be Congressmen

Every issue is dealt with differently.  It may require one or a multiple of these options in pushing back on government over-stepping its bounds.

However these efforts also come with an added benefit – relationships.

Most local elected officials have higher aspirations.  Which means you will soon be dealing with those same individuals on the state or federal level you are accustomed to dealing with.  Developing the relationship with them early makes you a more valuable ally in the long run. 

5 Quick Ideas - Short Term Planning

In any Long Term Plan, you realize the need for some short term plans to achieve goals.  Doing so means bringing in a focused plan to meet a specific need in the short term.  Short term planning as a result is different than long term planning because it focuses on steps toward a destination.
Developing your short term plans becomes easy:

IDEA 1 - KNOW YOUR GOAL
Not just what are you trying to accomplish, but what should it look like, how will it work, what opportunities are likely to arise, how are you going to be able to capitalize on those opportunities, when will you know if you've been successful?

Each of these elements will determine how your short term plan will take shape

IDEA 2 - KNOW YOUR TIMING
Where does this fit in with the overall plan, and are there other activities going on that could conflict with your plans?

IDEA 3 - INCORPORATE OTHER ACTIVITIES
One of the reasons that organizations feel over burdened is because they work in silos too often.  However if you can expand your presence and bring in more departments, activities, efforts, communications, outreaches, etc., then you can start to encourage more success and participation from other areas of the organization.  And they may be doing things that work well with what your goals are in your short term plan.

IDEA 4 - BUILD AND PREP
What was the short term plan just before this?  What is the next one likely to be?  How can you build smart transitions between these efforts?

The idea is that once you are gaining success and support from other efforts, it is only natural to build upon that and bring them in to other works you are doing.  Building your plan on the foundation of what came before, and setting up the efforts that are going to come next is what makes you the most successful.

IDEA 5 - RECOGNIZE YOUR HELP

Often we remember to recognize people at the end of the year.  Start moving your recognition up to projects, events, short term, and other points where people can see that there is a great team on a regular basis making things happen.  This also gives you the opportunity to make sure your volunteers are still engaged.

Short term planning is what makes long term planning successful.  Be sure to incorporate these strategies on the short term to make sure your long term efforts work.

FOLLOW US
TWITTER
FACEBOOK

5 Quick Ideas - Planning for the Long Term

Finding success comes after having a long term plan and figuring out the steps to get there.  The long term plan also helps your organization navigate the sudden immediate distractions.  However planning can be a very esoteric thing.  Here are some quick ideas to keep you grounded in your planning.

IDEA 1 - ALWAYS START WITH A DESTINATION IN MIND
What do you want to be?  The best, the biggest, the most effective, the most talked about, the most exclusive... what?  Setting your sights will help you figure out the best way to get to where you need to go.

IDEA 2 - CLARIFYING YOUR MISSION STATEMENT vs. YOUR DESTINATION
Most organizations get caught in the difference between these two.  Its very easy to know / tell the difference.

Your mission statement is what you do
Your destination is knowing where you want to take what you do

Example:
Mission Statement - "To represent my members and be the voice of the industry."
Destination - To be recognized as the leading authority in our industry with the media, the public, and elected officials.

IDEA 3 - ESTABLISH INTERIM STEPS / GOALS TO GET TO YOUR DESTINATION
Each effort you undertake in your process should have goals that can be measured, and metrics that need to be met.  However these goals / steps should build off of one another and reinforce the ultimate destination.

IDEA 4 - SET REASONABLE TIMELINES
Expecting overnight success is unrealistic.  Setting your priorities on successfully navigating toward your goal will help bring everyone along through the process.  Otherwise you run the risk of disappointment and lost momentum.

IDEA 5 - SET CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Simply put your efforts can not be that of one person, or the entire organization will fail you.  Instead make sure there are clear responsibilities for everyone to accomplish - and make sure those responsibilities are ones that those people are able to accomplish.  Assigning responsibilities needs to be reflective of the different skills and influences that people have.  Doing so ensures that everyone succeeds in these efforts together.

Everyone says volunteerism is way down everywhere.  It is, but one thing that is way up is the most common response given when asked why people didnt do something - "Because No One Ever Asked."
Granted you may have asked, but what this tells you is your ask isn't being heard.  Make the asks as direct as you can so there is no way they can say "I was never asked."

The more you are able to successfully engage more people in a given process, the more they will buy in to its success.  The right plan will bring all of those elements together to make sure your plan has success.

Follow Us:
TWITTER
FACEBOOK

A Charge and a Responsibility

Recently, a spate of incidents have caused us all a little pause. 

• The miscommunication of emissions data at Volkswagen
• The responses to Ahmed Mohammed's clock
• The reactions to the Oregon Shooting

Pause that gives us an opportunity to reflect upon the veracity of our own operations as with others.

Not only that, but ask ourselves if we are living up to the responsibility that the public expects of us.  Each of these incidents, as with others, not only damage the reputation of the organization, but all of the other efforts of the organization.

For example, did you know that the problem with the Volkswagen engines applies to only one engine type, and not all of them (I was told there are 16 different engine types in production)?  However the perception is that Volkswagen lied about them all.

Or in the case of Ahmed Mohammed's clock - lost in the media narrative is the fact that the online community rushed to justice before we knew what was going on.

This rush to judgement also reared itself in the Oregon shooting where the call was for gun control measures when what is coming out is this was more of a hate crime than what has happened in the recent past with mental illness.

So what does this have to do with you and your Charge and Responsibility as an organization?

Everything.

Had Volkswagen been honest about the issue up front, and also explained the extent of their product lines, we wouldn't be seeing their cuts in prices and employees as a result.

Had people waited to see what Ahmed's clock really looked like, comments like Bill Maher's wouldnt have been so disconcerting.


Had gun advocates / manufacturers / owners spent a little time better explaining about guns and their impact, we might have had a better understanding of what occurred.

There is a responsibility that you take on as an organization - to the public at large - to have an understanding of what you do and how.  And even if you've said it once, you need to keep saying it to the public to keep your engagement top of mind.

Imagine if the Mortgage Industry - Lenders, the National Mortgage Bankers Association, and National Association of Mortgage Brokers - had not only taken on the responsibility of explaining the impacts of the different loans to the public, but collectively educated investors as to the depth and nature of securitizing mortgages could do when repackaged.

Would we have experienced that downturn so deeply?

That's not to say that it was their responsibility to do so, but instead that there is a missed opportunity in instances like this to provide resources to the community on the product you offer.

Along the lines of knowing what your priorities are, you should also know why they SHOULD be priorities to others.

Examining that component alone will help you see what your opportunities are to provide education to the community on what you do.

For example, THIS article about the Texas Instruments graphic calculator that we all used to use is still ubiquitous in high school math classes.  Now this article does attack Texas Instruments about the conditions around this calculator, but what is important here is about halfway down.

Texas Instruments has established a great amount of resources for its users surrounding this product:

• A group of teachers trained to teach other teachers how to use it in their classroom
• An annual conference for teachers on using the calculator
• An 800 help line to assist teachers and users with the calculator
• Partnerships with text book publishers on coordinating their use of the calculator

Now the article presents this as a self fulfilling monopoly on these calculators that exists for the purposes of securing their marketshare.

Despite those allegations, what Texas Instruments has done is create a cadre of resources around one of their offerings to ensure that people have a lot of understanding on the offering you make.  

How can you emulate that kind of understanding and resources around what you do?

Follow us:
Facebook
Twitter

5 Quick Ideas - Addressing the Prioirites of Others

One of the interesting things you run into after defining your issues in your efforts and knowing what is most important to your organization is the fact that you've got some great ideas, well narrowed down, and ready to go... but which one do you start with?

Here's where the Government Affairs Program loses control over its success somewhat - because it is subject not just to what is important to you.

So here are some quick questions and ideas to re-harness that control -

WHAT IS THE COMMUNITY PRIORITY? - More importantly, where do your issues coincide with those priorities?  Simply put, finding success through partnership is more valuable than fighting the tide, especially early on in the process.

WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE DECISION MAKERS? - If you are working against your elected officials - or the people who are making the decisions on your issue - you are going to have a difficult path.  Is there an issue you can work on with them, or convince them on, to become more successful in your efforts?

WHAT PRIORITIES DO YOU SHARE WITH OTHERS? - Are there partner organizations, affiliates, or advocates that are also looking to promote ideas similar to yours? Can you work with them on this?  Can you share resources?

WHAT ARE YOUR OPPONENTS PRIORITIES? - Knowing where those on the other side are coming from - and if possible the amount of resources they are ready to commit to this issue - will help you figure out if you are ready for that fight, or if you need to build up success in other areas?

HOW WELL DO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES? - Face it, you are in the mix of this issue.  You know it inside and out.  You've studied it, researched it - you almost feel you've beaten it to death.  Here's the thing... no one else has that level of familiarity with this issue.  Knowing whether or not people even understand your issues is essential in knowing you need to put your issue forward.

These quick thoughts will help you define and promote your issue.

 Previous Posts About Issues and Priorities:
ISSUES THAT DEFINE YOU
SETTING YOUR POLICY PRIORITIES

Follow us:
Facebook
Twitter

5 Quick Ideas - Setting Your Policy Priorities

Now that you know what you are working on, knowing how and when to work on them is even more important.  It is about setting priorities, and knowing how to do it is key.

A great place to start a quick and easy understanding of how to set priorities is the Center for Creative Leadership's guidebook on Setting Priorities.  From there you can look at the issues you have and start your process -

1. Start with what is most important to your members - What is the core issue that matters to them?  if you don't know, do some outreach - surveys, questionnaires, one on one interviews... get feedback.
2. Figure out if one issue depends on another - Finding out if one issue will have better success if something else is in place is an important piece in finding success.  Putting the pieces in order will help you accomplish this goal.
3. Determine if the issue needs to be broken down into pieces - Some issues are too big to be taken all at once.  And without a lot of clout behind your organization - or success in the past - you aren't going to be able to tackle the big initiative with ease.  That isn't to say you can't do it, but maybe its better to break it down into pieces and tackle them one at a time.
4. Is it "Core" to your mission? - Slightly different than what is most important to your members is the relationship your issues have with your mission.  In other words, how central is the issue to what your organization accomplishes?  Is it essential to move that to the front?
5. Flexibility will determine your success - In the next installment we cover some of the things that may change what is possible priority wise.  But for now, think about how flexible you can be on your issues.  Can you reorder them based on what is possible?  Being able to do so may help you find real success.

Move the Ball

Keep in mind, what is important to your organization is still important.  And the mission critical and member demanded items are your first priority publicly.  Remind people what your goal is constantly, even if its not what you are currently working on.

Success doesn't mean that your issue is passed in the manner you expect in a time frame you dictate.

Success is measured by your ability to move the ball.