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

In This Moment

Building upon the strong Democratic candidate base who met the filing deadline this week, coupled with Doug Jones' win in Alabama as well as other recent special election wins, we have to now look beyond this moment and into the next. Because a desire for change - whether as a concerned citizen, voter, advocate, volunteer, candidate, or elected official - without a strategic plan and a vision, will only take us so far.

This is a key point in many areas of the country, including Texas. It's certainly a significant factor in Collin County where Democrats have not won a partisan seat in decades and the Collin County Democratic Party have only very recently shown their acceptance of the need to be prepared. So what are some takeaways from these monumental occurrences, and how do we leverage this information for more progressive wins in 2018?

Ides of March

Trump's Presidential win in November 2016 was a tipping point in American history. So many of us woke up on November 9th with doubt - doubt in ourselves, doubt in others, doubt in our future. But just as the death of Julius Caesar proved to be a turning point in Roman history, changing a Republic to an Empire, we would find comfort in each other.

Running on Empty

With the new year, we found strength in numbers with women's marches drawing crowds in by the hundreds and thousands across the U.S. and around the globe. Activist groups found new hope and resistance movements were being born everywhere. Municipal elections in May 2017 proved equally exhilarating with hundreds of new candidates in Texas alone, each as ready as the next to make change. 

I know, because I was there. I was in Austin with tens of thousands of people feeling energized. I know because I ran as the only openly progressive, unapologetic Democratic candidate in a race for a non-partisan seat in Plano, Texas. What I (and many candidates and activists alike) discovered though, in Texas and definitely in Collin County, was that for all of this glorious momentum, we were dependent on a Democratic Party, struggling financially in communities that heard little from them and expected nothing. Because that's all they had seen for decades.


Progress Takes Change

We have so many people in Collin County looking to be the change they wish to see in the world. We have people wanting to volunteer and even run for office. But in order for those people, especially those new to politics, to be successful, they need training & education, they need tools & resources, and they need money. They need to know that the party who's flag they wave, is going to be there for them and all Collin County citizens, before, during, and after every election cycle.

With a new year, March is the month to watch. Because on March 6th, 2018, Collin County voters will not only decide on primary winning Democrats to run against well-established, tenured, and extremely well-funded Republicans in the November 2018 midterms. Collin County Democrats will also be given a choice to vote for a new leader, with a new vision, and a new plan for our future. 

Stirling Morris for Collin County Democratic Party Chair.

www.stirlingmorris.com/donate

Turning Theory Into Practice, Politically Speaking

Since the beginning of this year, I've spoken with hundreds of people in Collin County who have had no interactions with the Democratic Party or have made attempts to with little to no reply. I've interviewed dozens of progressive leaders who have expressed similar sentiment.

With hundreds of people saying this candidly, I have to wonder how many of the tens of thousands of registered Democrats in Collin County feel similarly? And, in light of Democrats not winning offices in decades, I wonder how many of the (over) half a million registered voters in Collin County expect much from Democratic Party at all?

A few months ago, I recommended a brief overview of a plan that embraced this fundamental need for change to local party leadership. One of the core components of the recommendation is the creation and implementation of a written Strategic Development Plan.

To ensure its functionality for short and long term initiatives, the plan is phased. The phasing also allows for adequate input from an Executive Steering Committee, the County Executive Committee, and, most importantly, input from the community at large. This infrastructure re-development initiative will then transition into the written Strategic Development Plan.

The written plan will be a living document, serving as a template for future county party leaders and volunteers to fall back on as needed. Nearing one million people, Collin County grows and changes daily. And this plan will allow the party the opportunity to continuously redevelop the role the Democratic Party, the party of the people.

Over the next few weeks and into the new year, I'll release more of plan specifics. Here are some highlights for now:

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Infrastructure Redevelopment Initiative:

Redeveloping the party's infrastructure will assist in providing a vision to guide the party, help find better ways to unify activities with the community-at-large, and, ultimately, help the party win offices. Some key components of this phase of development include creating:

• Strategic Development Plan
• Vision Statement
• Revamped Mission Statement
• Revamped Leadership Model
• Executive Steering Committee
• New and Revamped Action Committees
• Committee Guides
• Operations Management Initiatives
• Administrative Guidelines
• Training Guides
• Volunteer Guides

---

Strategic Development Plan:

Once an effective infrastructure is established, a comprehensive written Strategic Development Plan for continuous improvement will be set in motion. This 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

Are you ready for progress? Progress takes change.

#ProgressTakesChange #Vision #Unity #Empowerment #CollinCountyDemocraticPartyChair

Empowering Community

HOW CAN WE BETTER EMPOWER THE COLLIN COUNTY COMMUNITY to get involved and stay involved?

Continuing a series of interviews called Building A Better Collin County with the goal to reach out to our county and North Texas community and create a sustainable path to our future:

Among similar interviews with other organizations I've worked on, this interview is with Terri T. Thomas, President / Founding Member, Collin County Black Chamber of Commerce. As I note in all these videos, this not an endorsement of me or the Democratic Party.

Until equality is realized for all citizens, organizations like this are vital to our future locally, nationally, and globally. #ProgressTakesChange#Vision #Unity #Community #Empowerment

Stirling Morris for Collin County Democratic Party Chair

www.stirlingmorris.com

Good Citizen

Continuing a series of interviews called Building A Better Collin County with the goal to reach out to our county and North Texas community and create a sustainable path to our future:

Among similar interviews with other organizations I've worked on, this interview is with Saif Islam representing both Good Citizens DFW and DFW for Beto. As I note in all these videos, this not an endorsement of me or the Democratic Party directly.

That said, I fully support both of these groups and am honored to get to know Saif better. His support of DFW and humanity represents the best of our ability to provide positive, proactive efforts in Collin County and across the metroplex.

#ProgressTakesChange #Vision #Unity #Community #Empowerment

Building a Better Community

I've created a series of interviews called Building A Better Collin County. The goal is to reach out to our community and create a sustainable path to our future in Collin County, one that reflects a sensible path of Vision, Unity, and Empowerment.

Among many similar interviews with multiple community organizations in weeks to come, this first interview is with Jeanne Rubin representing GALA, Gay and Lesbian Alliance of North Texas. As I note in the videos, this not an endorsement of me, my campaign or the Democratic Party.

That said, I support the efforts of GALA 100%, and I am proud to know Jeanne. She supports our shared Collin County community in so many positive ways, and I look forward to growing that relationship. Please consider donating to GALA here, www.galanorthtexas.org/donations.



#LoveIsLove #ProgressTakesChange #Vision #Unity #Community

Stirling Morris for Collin County Democratic Party Chair

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