In Part 2 of this series, I outlined the basic planning steps condominiums, HOAs, and cooperatives use to create a long range plan. You’ve assembled the team to take on the project (also covered in Part 2) and you are ready to roll. Now what?

There are different approaches to complete each step, considering the group and available resources. Here are a few success tips to think about as you tackle each step.

Step 1: Assess current conditions
• A “SWOT” analysis is a great tool. List the strengths and weaknesses inside the organization, and the opportunities and threats that impact, or may impact, from outside the community. Click here for a helpful guide to SWOT analysis from the Community Tool Box.
• Collect data from as many sources as possible; reserve studies, inspection reports, audits, governing documents, welcome packages, rules & regulations, newsletters, website, committee members, management and staff.
• Listen to your members. Use tools like surveys and town hall meetings to find out what they use, what they like, and what they want.
• See things as they really are with absolute, brutal honesty. No theoreticals, just facts. (Hint: A fact can sometimes be that there are widely differing opinions on a subject. So don’t argue about who’s right, just record the results of the fact-finding). This is where having diversity in the working group is extremely helpful. If your association is professionally managed, listen to the management team. The more perspectives the better.

Step 2: Identify the core purpose of the association
• Value Statements, Vision Statements, and Mission Statements are all great documents. Exactly which is created as a result of this step isn’t crucial. What’s most important is that document or documents, in whatever form they may take, accurately represent what the community is really about and where it wants to go.
• Oh please…don’t do the corporate thing – put pretty words on a plaque on the wall that nobody cares about and think you’ve nailed it. Unless the work product from this step creates a basis for decision making, it’s meaningless. I’ve read way too many mission statements that reek of groupspeak and left me wanting to rip it from the wall and fling it in to the fire. Make it real, even if it’s a little ugly. You can tweak it later.
• Real world tip: Some groups have a tough time enumerating values, vision and mission. Don’t worry. If you get stuck, feel free to skip ahead to Step 3, then come back. If you tell me what you want to do, if I listen carefully enough I can hear the values, vision and mission behind the plans. So can you.

Step 3: Set goals to work towards achieving that purpose
• Intense brainstorming happens here. There are no bad ideas. Disallow brainstorming creativity killers like “We tried that and it didn’t work,” and “That’s a dumb idea.” Culling and prioritization happen after brainstorming.
• Clarify results into “SMART” goals – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. That being said, achievable and realistic does NOT mean easy. Progress is rarely easy. Timely refers to each goal having a target date for completion. This is where prioritization comes into play.
• If a goal does not support the mission, either the goal should be dumped or you have identified an adjustment to the mission.

Step 4: Decide what practical steps, or “objectives,” will be necessary to reach the goals
• Reverse engineer the process. Be clear on each goal and work backwards to identify the deliverables required to achieve the goal.
• Sometimes you will find a goal needs revisiting after this step. Adjust as needed.
• After identifying the work needed to achieve your goals, you might realize you need to adjust the target dates for completion. That will make for “smarter” goals (more achievable, realistic, and timely).

Step 5: Establish the plan to regularly review progress and update the plan as needed
• This is where great plans fail. Unless there is follow through and analysis, your initial efforts are wasted.
• Review the plan each year. Include community feedback in the analysis.
• Identify the objectives to be accomplished each year and plug them into the association’s master annual calendar so they can be tracked.
• Regularly communicate plans and progress. Hold yourself accountable. Don’t be afraid of failure; learn from it. Communicate some more. Support and momentum will increase.

What topics should your association include in the analysis and plan? The answer is…anything and everything.  That’s what I will cover in Part 4.  Stay tuned!