Strategic Development Planning for CCDP

In previous blogs, I addressed the need for creating and implementing a written, living Strategic Development Plan to advance our party into the turbulent flow of Texas political waters. Collin County Democratic Party current elected leadership not having a written plan is a major reason why we've continue to lose every election for decades. A key to making change happen is a much needed Infrastructure Redevelopment Initiative.

Once an Infrastructure Redevelopment Initiative is determined and implemented, a Strategic Development Plan for continuous improvement must be put into play in order for Collin County Democratic Party to be successful, both as an extension of the Democratic Party at the state and national level as well as for the Community-At-Large.

Where the advancement of humanity is concerned, our work is never finished. As CCDP Chair, I'll work with the new Executive Leadership team, the County Executive Committee, and the Collin County community, to address more specific ideas relative to continuous improvement programming to ensure the new Strategic Development Plan's efficacy. Below is an overview of what that plan might look like as a living document:

Strategic Development Plan: An effective Strategic Development Plan for continuous improvement involves redirecting our operations management and practicing continuous improvement exercises all while still honoring the Democratic Party agenda. Some key components of this phase of development include implementing:

• Regular Strategic Planning Reviews
• Leadership Retreats
• Volunteer Appreciation Programs
• Train-The-Trainer Programs
• Educational Program Outreach
• Community Outreach Initiatives
• Legislative Affairs Management
• Political Activism Coordination
• Public Relations Initiatives

An Outline of the Plan:

Defining Leadership:

• CCDP Chair 
• Self-motivated
• Organized
• Engaging
• Executive Director (Paid position - long range plan)
• Operations Management
• Non-profit experience
• Precinct Chair (as Individuals)
• Refocus (not a volunteer position)
• Training
• Mentoring Replacements
• Precinct
• Involvement
• Meetings
• Conventions
• CEC
• Public Awareness Initiatives
• Short and Long Range Organization Planning
• Monthly, Quarterly, and YOY Assessment & Evaluation
• Proactive Continuous Improvement Exercises
• County Convention
• Committees
• Establish or Restructure Existing
• Standing
• Strategic

Volunteers:

• Planning
• Strategic Exercises
• Leadership (Administration / ED)
• Review Process
• Training
• Train-the-Trainer
• VAN, Administrative, and Operations Training
• Review Process
• Operations & Administration
• Office Operations & Management Restructuring
• Public Engagement Training

Events:

• CCDP Specific
• County Parties (Regional, State, and National)
• Like-Minded Democratic Clubs
• Elected Offices (Precincts, County, State)
• TDP
• Senate Districts
• State Convention
• DNC
• Public Engagement
• Inter-Organizational (Like-Minded)
• Resistance
• Political Action & Advocacy Groups
• Activism
• Municipalities
• City / Township
• County
• State & National Focal Improvements
• Educational Outreach
• Public and Private, Primary and Secondary
• Post Secondary
• Understanding Politics:  Local / State / National Road Show
• Global Footprints

Candidate Support Management:

• Candidate Support Plan
• Partnering for:
• Events
• Forums
• Debates
• Educational Sessions
• Campaign Training
• How To Run
• VAN Training
• Best Practices
• Candidate Pipeline Action Plan
• Short Term
• Existing
• Upcoming Elections
• Strategic Long Term Goals

Political Action Planning:

• Political Activism Plan
• Local / State / National distinguishments
• Global awareness
• Legislative Affairs Plan
• Forums (for Education primarily)
• Events
• Municipal (City & County)
• State
• National
• Strategic Action Planning

Public Relations:

• Marketing Plan (Enhancements)
• Website
• Communications Management
• Social Media
• Newsletter
• Strategic
• Donor Relations Planning
• Media Relations Plan
• Existing
• New
• Community Outreach
• Like-Minded Groups & Organization Relations Building
• Surveying & Polling
• Charitable Volunteering / Donations (Financial / In Kind)
• Strategic Action Planning

There is so much not included herein that we need to work on together. Some is already in play but needs revamping, and some, current CCDP Leadership has incorporated since I first addressed the need last year. However, all of this will give us a head start once I'm elected Collin County Democratic Party Chair.

#ProgressTakesChange #CollinCountyDemocraticParty #CollinCountyDemocraticPartyChair

Teamwork Makes The Dream Work

I am proud to introduce the new and wonderful 2018 - 2020 Collin County Democratic Party Executive Leadership Board who will accompany me when I am elected CCDP Chair, March 6th, 2018.

Trish Patterson: Vice Chair
Marta Jones: Secretary
Simon To: Treasurer
Kristi Lara: Field Director
Scott Coleman: Public Relations Director
Dwight Briggs: Strategic Development Director

We have a shared Vision for CCDP and continue to tune a Strategic Development Plan to bring us together as Democrats and unite us with the work of our community and the world around us. It will be an honor to work with this richly diverse Executive Leadership team to move us forward into the future.

#CollinCountyDemocrats
#CollinCountyDemocraticParty
#CollinCountyDemocraticPartyChair

Being Better Stewards of Our Community

In my last blog, I addressed the need to create a vision for Collin County. Once we've attained a sustainable vision, we must do everything we can to actively pursue as many acts and organized methods of unity as possible. Only by bringing together individuals, organizations, and one cohesive community-at-large in Collin County, can we achieve a true sense of unity.

Months before announcing my candidacy to be the next Collin County Democratic Party Chair, I analyzed the current CCDP infrastructure. With a focus on candidate awareness, leadership training, and public outreach, along with conversations with multiple people and like-minded organizations, not all of which were affiliated with the Democratic Party, I came up with the following assessment and action plan:

As the assessment reflects, Collin County Democratic Party needs to create a Vision of our future with Unity at the core to drive an Empowerment message of hope for candidates and all citizens of Collin County. 

After attending a seminar a couple of weeks ago, in which the topic was systemic privilege and oppression, I was further reminded that Unity starts with empathy. All too often in Collin County, Democrats, who are not elected leaders or regular volunteers, are told that they are not members of the CCDP and occasionally made to feel bad for offering an opinion about making the party better. 

If this is true for registered Democrats reaching out to their local party that they feel doesn't represent all we could be, what must the general community of Collin County think of the Collin County Democratic Party?

Within the CCDP itself, we have to better coordinate moderation and organization so that each individual understands the importance of interpersonal communications, respecting the needs of the group, and embracing how this will have larger implications for us as a whole. 

Externally, are we reaching out, in a sustainable manner, to the Collin County community as a whole? We have so many like-minded individuals and organizations in our county, working towards common progressive goals, who the CCDP doesn't actively maintain positive relationships with. At the very least, this list includes:

• (remarkably) Democratic Party affiliated groups
• Resistance groups
• Political activist organizations
• Advocacy groups and organizations
• Municipal groups
• Religious organizations
• Schools

How many more can you think of? 

None of this is implying that the CCDP hasn't tried reaching out to other groups or hasn't maintained some relations with a few. But in my conversations and interactions with our community, we haven't scratched the surface. This is particularly worrisome, for a non-profit organization like the Collin County Democratic Party, that presumably represents all of our nation's people. 

At the end of the day, there's never one right answer, but there's always a better answer. Let's work together with our community, our nation, and our shared world, to create a sustainable path to our future in Collin County, one that reflects a sensible path of Vision, Unity, and Empowerment. From there, the Collin County Democratic Party, will simply grow organically.

Building A Better Vision for Our Community

It all starts with vision. A vision of who we are. Who we want to be. Who we can be.

To build a better Collin County Democratic Party, we have to look at Collin County both as a whole and as individual citizens working toward a common cause. To change our county, and inspire others to want to change with us, we have to reassess our place in it.

"I've always been more interested in the future than in the past." Grace Hopper

A good first step is working together to create a Vision Statement that exemplifies the diversity of Collin County while growing future Democratic leaders along the way. The design and implementation of that Vision Statement is intended to complement our Mission in getting Democrats elected as well as being a constant reminder to always look forward.

We need to be less concerned with how much better the party is today compared with the problems of yesterday. This disrespects our attention to the present, and undermines our need to focus on the future. Whether we actively participate in the Collin County Democratic Party or not, citizens of Collin County must unite as one to make any difference at all, for all.

Visualizing unity applies to our internal interactions as well as our public outreach with the community at large. We need to do a better job aligning ourselves with like-minded community organizations working on common causes. This is paramount to the public having confidence us. First impressions make all the difference. 

Maintaining a consistent vision of empowering candidates to have the tools and resources to run and win is vital to Collin County Democratic Party. When the public appreciates the voter education and public outreach efforts we employ, and sees that we can consistently win partisan offices, financial and volunteer support will grow organically. 

If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. Train-the-trainer programs are critical to our elected leaders having innovative decision making abilities. We need to be grooming the next generation of future leaders as soon as we step foot into office with the goal being for them to take over when our term is over. 

Ultimately, our vision is like our humanity, doing the most we can as a collective whole for the good of all while always being focused on the future. We need to embrace regular continuous improvement and strategic development programs that encapsulate visions of change. Otherwise, we're doing ourselves the greatest disservice of all - accepting that there is only one vision of our future.

What's your vision of the future? And what does it hold for Collin County?

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing a series of blogs that focus on my vision as a Candidate for Collin County Democratic Party Chair. #ProgressTakesChange 

Volunteer: Build A Better Collin County

Suggestion for Vision, Unity, and Empowerment in the Democratic Party