Engagement Academy for University Leaders

ACTION PLAN

University/Unit: ______Date Created: ______Strategy Title: ______Last Modified: ______Strategy Owner/Keeper of the Action Plan: ______Description of the Strategy:

Purpose Statement To:

In a Way That:

So That: Action Plan Narrative

Periodically during the Academy, you (as a team if you are here with one) will be asked to reflect on the days’ content and focus, and work on your Action Plan. Below are reflective questions to consider in building the narrative components of your action plan report. As you craft your narrative, be thinking about who you want to read your Action Plan and be sure to integrate what you have learned each day about engagement strategies and principles.

On the “Next Steps” template on the following page you can note specific action steps you need to take to set your larger plan in motion (e.g., form a committee, hold a workshop, survey community partners, convene faculty leaders, present to executives, gather data, invite a consultant, design an incentive program, etc.). You can add as many rows as needed to the Next Steps template.

Wednesday: Purpose and Leadership What is the main purpose or objective of my Action Plan – What do I/we seek to accomplish as a Leader of Engagement when I/we return to our unit? Why is this important to my unit/institution now? What does it build on or support (other strategic objectives)? That is, how will an action plan on this particular focus fit with or inform broader efforts to advance community engagement on my campus? Who will be key allies? Are there policies or planning issues that must be addressed? What individual and institutional capacities do we have, what capacity building is needed, how might that development occur?

Provide narrative here and make notes in your Next Steps page. Thursday: Partnerships—external and internal and Supportive Strategic Operations Who are the primary external partners essential to the objective? What roles must they play in support of the Purpose? What barriers and/or opportunities do you foresee for partnership involvement? What will you do to ensure the partnership processes are reciprocal? How do or can the community partnerships align with your University strategic initiative? What is your communication plan? Using the Bolman and Deal framework and the bell-shaped curve constructs as analysis, what organizational challenges must I address? What change strategies will I/we use to manage resistance and promote change?

Provide narrative here and make notes in your Next Steps page.

Friday: Present your Action Plan.

Framing Change (Bolman and Deal)

In developing and implementing your personal or team action plan and next steps, it is useful to pause and reflect on these questions in shaping and refining your strategies and actions. You need not address these, but use them as lenses to craft and review your overall Action Plan

Structural: Do we have a strategic plan that guides engagement? Are promotion and tenure guidelines or other policies in alignment? What accountability structures are in place? How have roles been re-examined? Do we need to restructure?

HR: Do I have the right people on board to make the changes? Do I need to involve others? Do we have the right incentives and rewards? Do people need training? Do I understand everyone’s needs and fears?

Political: Who is likely to be resistant to the change? What are the priority issues and how does engagement fit with those? Who are allies? Who else is acting as a leader? Can I develop a coalition? Who has the most influence on these issues?

Cultural: What story or narrative can support engagement? What values on campus support engagement? What event or celebrations can be used to reinforce the importance of engagement? Do our promotional materials speak to engagement?

NEXT STEPS LIST

Step / Action Who is involved? Resources Deadline?

R A C I

R = the person(s) group(s) Responsible is the doer A = the person Accountable is the decision-maker C = those who are Consulted are resources I = those who are Informed have a need to know