Strategic Action Planning
We develop and implement strategic action planning to drive measurable results from assessment through training and coaching to reassessment. Strategic action planning details the actions, responsible parties, planned dates, start and end dates, and progress.
We believe that training without commitment to action and application is fruitless. When used in conjunction with coaching, accountability for action is strong.
Our Approaches to This Service
We approach each project with strategic action planning in mind, as we know that action is needed to drive measurable results. Action must be primed through awareness and skill building, then encouraged and measured.
We have a methodology called Coachable Influence that enables us to determine the amount of action against the strategic action plan clients should expect to see in a specific period. It also facilitates prioritization.
We develop and weave strategic action planning into the project as is appropriate for the topic and learner.
No-tech:
For low-tech environments, such as in FCS or developing countries where literacy may be low, and electricity and internet access are unreliable, we develop paper-based action planning templates in which participants capture desired actions in pictures or words.
Low-tech:
Where possible, especially with eLearning, we use options like Excel templates to capture strategic action planning and updates, encouraging sharing the file electronically with the coach.
High-tech:
We create app and cloud platform-based strategic action planning for greater project management and dashboarding insights. We can use these to track what-if scoring based on actions and confirm the action before reassessment. We use Smartsheet and other platforms to encourage close monitoring and action prioritization.
The Team and Technical Expertise Serving You
The Strategic Action Planning Team consists of our M&E experts and instructional designers. This team is a bridge between the two roles and often includes coaching.
Our team of experienced instructional designers keeps action and application at the forefront of all training. When taken into action, the training learning objectives translate far beyond the classroom into tangible and measurable social impact. Training is not just about “What’s in it for me?” It is more about “What should I do, and how should I act, feel, and think based on what I have learned?”
Our strong M&E team advises project teams as each develops a strategic action plan to drive measurable social impact.
Our coaches are equipped to encourage and provide accountability toward taking action.
In the Skillbridge Journey
- Strategic actions can derive from or lead to assessment results, training, or coaching. The typical Skillbridge Journey starts with an assessment that drives training. Participants begin a strategic action plan in the training based on key learning points. In coaching, participants work on the actions with the coach's accountability and expertise.
- The actions and their status can be a data source for measurement and evaluation.
- Our guiding principles help us develop and implement strategic action planning throughout the Skillbridge Journey to enable our clients’ needs in their context.
- Our training methodology supports our strategic action planning link to capacity building, and our quality methodologies support our tool development and help problem-solve any challenges, especially root causes of inaction.
Examples of This Service
Whether brief or in-depth, strategic action planning is part of Skillbridge training, here are a few examples.
- ESG Board of Directors Training: Throughout the 2- to 3-day course, directors documented their key actions at the end of each module.
- Smallholder Keyhole Garden and Nutrition Training: Despite low literacy, this training incorporated strategic action planning at each stage. By facilitating this, the trainer identified which participants understood and helped to commit them to action.