Presented at the 2014 LNG conference by Eric Alex of Cheam First Nation and Trina Wamboldt and Therese Zulnick of Urban Systems - this presentation aims to help us understand the value and process of stategic planning, facilitate the sharing of ideas and arm attendees with practical tips that can be implemented in their communities.

1. advancing your
community’s
vision through
strategic
planning
CHEAM FIRST NATION
Eric Alex, Cheam First Nation
Trina Wamboldt, Urban Systems Ltd.
Therese Zulinick, Urban Systems Ltd.

2. our goal today
 understand the value and process of
strategic planning
 share ideas and learn from each other
 leave with some practical tips that you can
apply when you return home
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3. three discussion topics
1. Discovering your future: consider where
you are now and where you want to go
2. Weaving the pieces together: build
commitment through engagement and
integrated planning
3. Making it stick: overcome
implementation obstacles and manage
change
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3

4. part 1 - discovering your future
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5. the strategic planning process
ARTICULATE VISION, PURPOSE, VALUES, GUIDING PRINCIPLES
ASSESS STREGTHS/WEAKNESSES/OPPORTUNITIES/THREATS
IDENTIFY STRATEGIC GOALS (critical success factors)
SET OBJECTIVES (desired outcomes)
BRAINSTORM POSSIBLE ACTIONS
DECIDE ON PRIORITY ACTIONS
IMPLEMENT ACTION
PLAN
MEASURE
OUTCOMES
ADAPT
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6. strategic plan
a road map for
getting from point A
to point B in a
planned and
purposeful manner
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7. “the main objective of a strategic
plan is to strengthen the decisionmaking process by addressing key
internal and external opportunities
and challenges.”
Jim Pealow, Strategic Management and Accountability, AFOA
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8. two types of strategic plans
1. community strategic plan (e.g. CCP)
 long term success factors for the community
 based on member’s input and values
 umbrella document for other community plans or
sub-strategies (land use plan, ec. dev plan, etc.)
2. organizational strategic plan
 aligns financial and staff resources and activities
to achieve the community’s strategic priorities
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9. what’s the difference?
are they both useful tools?
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10. COMMUNITY STRATEGY
focuses on what & why
 big picture
 long term
 engages community
 vision/values based
 focused on multiple outcomes
 identifies critical success factors
 Informs major investments
 living document
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ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY
focuses on how and when
 flows from community strategy
 implementation oriented
 focuses on operations
 annual business plans
 defined scope
 project based
 policies and procedures
 identifies specific resources
 performance indicators

11. Insights?
Ideas?
Questions?
Questions to think about:
- If you have a strategic plan, how well have you followed the steps of strategic
planning in preparing it?
- Did you base your plan on a strategic understanding of strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, threats?
- Does your organization base its activities around advancing the community’s vision?
- How do you know
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12. part 2 – weaving the pieces together
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13. an organizational case study
 medium sized community
 multiple departments with competing
priorities and limited resources
 staff needing to perform regular duties
AND deliver additional major projects
 organizational roles and responsibilities
not clearly understood
 no means of deciding on priority actions
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14. 6 things that made their
organizational strategy a success
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
aligned
comprehensive
integrated
objective
actionable
sustainable
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15. #1 – aligned
 organizational strategy was aligned with the
community’s vision, values and desired
outcomes
 alignment achieved through




review of existing plans and strategies
consultation with community members
consultation with council
consultation with administration
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16. #2 - comprehensive
 identified five strategic goals
1. PEOPLE – be a great place to live
2. PLACES – be a regional economic center
3. ASSETS – reinvest in core services and
infrastructure
4. ENVIRONMENT – protect the waterfront
and natural assets
5. ECONOMY – bolster the economy through
strategic partnerships
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17. #3 - integrated
 cross-departmental teams worked
together to identify priorities and discuss
projects
 historical knowledge was shared leading
to greater understanding
 greater clarity of roles and responsibilities
 deliberate linkage to financial plan
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18. #4 - objective
 a project filter was used to objectively
evaluate over 30 projects based on
1. positive strategic impact on community
2. operational feasibility
 projects that ranked higher were given
higher priority within the strategic plan
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19. #5 - actionable
 projects were categorized as short,
medium or long term priorities based on
filter results
 project briefs/work plans were completed
for all short term projects outlining
objectives, context, required resources
(staff, costs), risks, & next steps
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20. #6 - sustainable
 the strategic plan is reviewed and updated
annually during the budget process
 It is easy to see whether progress towards
organizational outcomes is being achieved
 strategic plan revisited after each election
to ensure it reflects the priorities and
commitments of each new Council
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21. insights
ideas
questions
Questions to think about:
- How well aligned are your organizational activities with the community’s vision and
priorities?
- Who should be involved in identifying organizational priorities?
- What process is used to make decisions?
- How realistic is your strategic plan – do you have the people and money to achieve
your goals?
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- Do you have a process for measuring results – individual and organizational?

22. part 3 - making it stick
 how leaders can
overcome barriers and
lead people through
strategic change
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23. “Leadership may have developed
the most ingenious strategy ever,
but it means nothing if it doesn’t get
done.”
Jim Pealow, Strategic Management and Accountability, AFOA
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24. CHEAM FIRST NATION

25. Lets'emó:t (one mind)
• integrity
• humility
• fairness
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26. strategic planning and the
SWOT – story with our truth
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27. cross pollination of traditional
and European influences
Chief Harry Edwards, born 1885
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28. governance principles
The People | The Land | Laws and Jurisdiction |
Institutions | Resources
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29. motivated change
vision
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skills
incentives
resources
action
plan

30. managing complex change
+
skills
+
incentive
+
resources
+
action
plan
=
confusion
+
incentive
+
resources
+
action
plan
=
anxiety
resources
+
=
false starts
vision
+
vision
+
skills
+
incentive
+
vision
+
skills
+
incentive
+
vision
+
skills
+
vision
+
skills
+
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+
action
plan
=
frustration
+
incentive
resources
+
action
plan
=
gradual
change
+
resources
+
action
plan
=
CHANGE

31. principles rooted in tradition
 We seek to enhance our ability to champion these rights
as Sxoxomes (gifts) and onus of responsibilities to them
and our Tomiyeqw (seven generations past and future).
 Xólhemet te mekw'stam S’i:wes te selsila:lh chet “take
care of everything our great grandparents taught
(showed) us” not only the S’ólh Téméxw (land) but the
Sqwélqwel (family history) and the Shweli (life force,
spirit) so closely connect to the S’ólh Téméxw.
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32. GROUP DISCUSSION
what can get in the way of
achieving your strategic plan?
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33. obstacles to taking action
1. Doing something requires… doing
something.
2. Doing means learning. Learning means
mistakes.
3. Have no fear.
4. A decision by itself changes nothing.
5. Why do we do it that way?
6. What do I do? When do I get started?
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34. insights
ideas
questions
Questions to think about:
- what does the community want from leadership?
- what are we trying to accomplish?
- how do we grow our community to create positive lasting change?
- what do we wish to leave in the past as we change or become change agents?
- what changes have to happen?
- what are the pitfalls to avoid along the way?
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- how do we successfully change together?

35. Thank you!
Eric Alex, Cheam First Nation: 604.794.7924 ext.105 eric.alex@cheamband.com
Trina Wamboldt, Urban Systems: 250.374.8311 twamboldt@urbansystems.ca
Therese Zulinick, Urban Systems 250.374.8311 tzulinick@urbansystems.ca
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