Getting Your Ducks in a Row: From Strategic Planning to Better Employee Performance

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Getting Your Ducks in a RowFrom Strategic
Planning to Better Employee Performance

• Deborah A. Campbell, Ed.S., CFLE, IMH-E
• Nancy L. Cetas, BA, CDA, IMH-E
• Child Care Seminars

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Todays Agenda

• Strategic Planning
• Goals
• Action Plans
• Job Descriptions
• Work Plans
• Performance Appraisals
• What do you want to get out of todays
  presentation?

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The Connection
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The Connection (cont)
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The Concept of Nesting

• There is a concept called nesting . Our
  mission nests within our vision. Our goals nest
  within our mission. Our objectives nest within
  our goals. Each level of the plan provides a
  foundation for the next. Objectives are the
  short-term building blocks whereby we accomplish
  goals.
• --Paul Willging (2007)

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Steps in Strategic Planning

• Identify who is to participate
• Define your mission and your vision
• Evaluate the needs
• Determine your objectives/purpose
• Identify possible barriers to change
• Set goals
• Match goals to NAEYC standards
• Develop an action plan
• Assign activities to individual staff
• Progress reports and reflective supervision

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Things to Consider

• What do you want your program to look like?
• What is your vision for staff responsibilities,
  behavior, and progression?

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Pick the Top Five

• Have staff brainstorm a list of priorities that
  the center needs to accomplish. This can be done
  in small group discussions, then pick the 5
  priorities that are common to each groups list.
• The top 5 usually include Quality care,
  Accreditation, Finances, Full Capacity, and
  Professional Development

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Examples of the Top 5

• Quality Care
• Accreditation
• Financial Stability
• Marketing
• Professional
• Development

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Job Descriptions

• As a group, brainstorm a list of things you would
  like to see included in a job description for a
  child care worker.

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New Version of Blooms Taxonomy
Updated in 1990s by Lorin Anderson and a group
of cognitive psychologists. Anderson was a
student of Benjamin Bloom. See
http//www.odu.edu/educ/roverbau/Bloom/blooms_taxo
nomy.htm
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A Few Words on Goal-Setting

• Write the goal in a positive mannerlike it has
  already happened.
• Write a plan of action for accomplishing the
  goal. These are sometimes referred to as
  objectives, but I prefer the less formal action
  plan.

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Writing Formal Objectives

• What do you want to do?
• List only one task per objective
• How will you accomplish this objective
• How will you know when youve completed it?
• What will be the outcome?
• When is your deadline?

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The Action Plan

• If my goal is to obtain a CDA, my action plan
  might include the following
• Order CDA packet.
• Complete 120 hours of training.
• Complete 480 hours of work experience with the
  specified age group.
• Select an advisor.
• Complete the Resource File.
• Schedule my Observation.
• Have parents complete the parent survey forms.
• Apply for a scholarship.
• Request my validation visit.

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Delegation

• Whos going to do what?
• You cant do it alone.
• What are each staff members talents and
• special interests?
• Make assignments
• Give staff a deadline.
• Have them report back to you.
• Once goals are writtenthat tie back to the
  strategic planmake sure staff work plans include
  those goals. Have staff report back to you
  during monthly supervision 11 meetings the
  progress they have made on accomplishing their
  goals.

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Performance Appraisals

• Ideas for performance appraisals
• Allow staff to write a self-appraisal this could
  be a one-page list or essay about their
  accomplishments the past year, or it could be a
  more formal self-appraisal using a Likert-type
  scale
• Never fail to have annual appraisals!
• The performance appraisal should relate back to
  the staff members work plan be sure to be
  POSITIVEthis isnt a gotcha kind of meeting!

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Follow-Up

• Each year, the strategic plan should be reviewed
  and rewritten if your focus has changed, or if
  circumstances have changed.
• The strategic plan should be a working
  documentit should change and grow with you.
• Every aspect of your business should relate back
  to the strategic plan, your goals, your
  objectives, your staff work plans and performance
  appraisals, and decisions made for the business.

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References

• Aird, L. D. (November 1997). How to develop a
  strategic plan. Child Care Information Exchange,
  pp. 71-72.
• Zeece, P. D. (July 1994). How can I have clear
  vision when my glasses are so cloudy? Child Care
  Information Exchange, pp. 6-9.