Brown County Leader Network – proven methods and tools for enabling We the People to work together towards a more perfect Union, County, Community/
Legendary Brown County storyteller Hank Swain once remarked that a good idea in Brown County can take 8 years to be accepted. We have a few more years to improve the BCLN concept and determine if it is a good idea.
“If you always do what you always did, you will usually get what you always got.” Small changes enabled through Transparency, Accountability and Improvements will produce the outcomes that will benefit everyone. This post linked from Facebook
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Among our challenges? We have a monopoly on political power where the few are convinced they should dictate the policy for everyone else.
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Such a system cannot produce long-term results that benefit everyone. Monopolies undermine the needed checks and balances on power, and POWER ALWAYS CORRUPTS.
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Two significant projects over the next few years (2024-2026) may include developing a new County Comprehensive Plan and applying for a Stellar Grant (2026). Both of these initiatives can be hijacked to produce outcomes that benefit the few at the expense of the many.
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In America, “We the People” are “top management.” We can delegate accountability to our elected representatives, but we retain responsibility for the results. The application of better methods and tools can produce a result where everyone benefits.
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I am among the core team members who developed the concept for the Brown County Leader Network (BCLN). The BCLN includes proven methods and tools that can be applied to enable us to work together towards a more perfect county.
Overview of the Concept (PDF)
Support Guide – Examples
SWOT: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (challenges):
- Strengths – What is working? List 2-3 things.
- Weaknesses – what is not working? – List 2-3 Things.
- Opportunities – What are some ideas for improvement? List 2-3 Things
- Note that opportunities indicate solutions. Next step is to define the problem.
- Threats (challenges)– What happens if nothing is done? – List 2-3 things
- Threats help identify Risks.
Problem – Resolution and Decision Making.
- What is the desired or ideal end state?
- What information do you need to determine whether the change results in improvement?
- This information identifies decision criteria.
- What are the facts, assumptions, and constraints?
- What are at least three options?
- What are the pros and cons of each option?
- Compare the options to the decision criteria and rank/rate.
- Select the best option.
Implementation
- Plan – Develop a plan and action and milestones.
- Do – Execute the plan.
- Study – What is working, what is not?
- Act – Take action on what was learned in the study phase.
Stakeholder Community (Network).
- Identify everyone that will be affected by the proposed change in the near, mid, and long term.
- Direct – Who received the service?
- Internal: Who will provide the service?
- Indirect: Who else will be affected by what is done and not done in the near, mind, and long-term?
- What do they need? What product/services will be provided? What do they expect, and what feedback will be needed to determine that change is resulting in the improvement
- Mission Statement. The mission statement should align with what is being provided
- Vision Statement – Vision should describe the outcome from what is being expected
Additional Information
Success Through Quality – includes a PDF copy of the book: Success Through Quality, Support Guide for the Journey to Continuous Improvement by Timothy J, Clark
