Risk assessment and management - A key foundation for a robust and successful change programme is a meaningful assessment of main risks and identification of actions that will be needed to mitigate these.

Communicating & Committing Communication - Change creates uncertainty, and often insecurity. Those officers directly involved in management of programme and those who are or are likely to be impacted by change must be kept informed, and at regular intervals. Communication is crucial in managing fears and expectations, and to be effective must be properly planned. It is an essential part of winning commitment to 'new ways of doing things around here'.

Resources - Too often there are inadequate resources put in place. Council officers are often asked to be involved in strategic programmes of change, but as part of their day job. Be clear that dedicated resources will be needed to succeed and this must be factored in to planning.

Relevant skills - Have those leading or engaged in project got right skills for task ahead? In some authorities change management skills now form part of authority's training and development programmes. Desired skills that might typically include project management, process mapping, IT and risk management should be defined, and a match between range of skills and officers to be involved, need to be established.

Implementing Project managing change - Change is a major project and has to be managed in that way, with all associated project management techniques and disciplines.

Benefits capture - A key part of achieving expected objectives set at beginning is to make sure that there are clear accountabilities for capturing benefits and that these are turned into 'real benefits'.

Monitoring and Revising Re-assessment - The change programme needs to be regularly reviewed and updated, with mechanisms for ensuring that lessons are learnt for future.

Essential to supporting these key components is drive and commitment from top - senior management and members. Without this, programme will not succeed. The importance of programme must be evident to everybody within organisation, and must be core to discussions and agendas at all levels in organisation. Lead from front with enthusiasm and energy ensuring that everybody knows how important programme of change is and what it seeks to achieve.

Change in public sector is here to stay and recognition that this requires effective performance and project management to succeed is an important step forward. With growing emphasis being placed in both these areas, councils are well placed to ensure that their programme delivers real improvements.

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Step 3: PLAN… Next, plan what it will take to make this happen. You already have some Key Result Items from your Get Real Exercise. Take those and add to list other ideas of what you know you will need to do to accomplish your goal. What are specific action steps you will need to take? Stop a minute and in your mind focus on your long term goal. See it in full and complete form. What is there? What are you doing? What do you notice about yourself and your actions? Now, in your mind walk backwards what did you do to get there? For example, if part of my long term goal is to have a thriving independent business, I may visualize myself in an office with flexibility to be remote. Part of what I would need to do is establish an office, design portable systems, have a virtual assistant, have tools and resources for office work, etc. This becomes one Key Result Area: A functional Office. Then I walk backwards and plan steps I would have taken to create this functional office. Put dates on each broken-down action step and estimate what it will take to make each step happen (time, cost, etc.). Allocate completion targets accordingly.

Step 4: FOCUS… Now that you have your plan flushed out and in place, who do you need to be to accomplish this? Going back to your vision of your completed goal, what mindset and attitude did you have throughout project? How did you do this? What schedule or strategy kept you focused? What systems of accountability did you have in place? What kept you on track and focused? One of most common errors people make is IF they get their plan complete, they begin work and get caught up in rush of life again and start reacting and forget about their plan. When you created your plan you were looking at big picture. When you are working in trenches of life, you are limited to see what is in front of you, unless you stick to plan. There is nothing wrong with evaluating and refining your plan as you go, but only when you are looking at it in perspective of whole picture and not short term moment. The story is told about caravan crossing Sahara desert. The desert was barren and large. Many parties got lost crossing great plains as they could not see their destination over horizon. A team went in and put in markers for travelers to focus on as they crossed so they would use each marker as a point of reference until they could see city. This allows many parties to cross treacherous desert in most direct and efficient path. This is your plan. Plan it well, establish milestones to focus on, trust them and stay course!

Step 5: Monitor… Step back occasionally and evaluate what you are doing. Go back to step one. How are you doing? What is working what is not? Are you on track or off course? Make adjustments to get on track, re-design what is not working to new solutions and refine plan in area that would increase efficiency or results toward your goal. Keep your long-term goal in mind and check to make sure your short term goals are supporting long term goals. Notice your behavior. Accomplishing big goals is hard work. Plan first and keep your eyes on pre-set short term goal that position you to reach your bigger vision.

Bottom line… None of these strategies are rocket science. The challenge is to maintain discipline, focus and clarity to implement these basic strategies. Evaluate your long term goal, be realistic, plan, set structures for focus and have check points to monitor. Invest your time in your plan and maintain course once it is set. If you are serious about these goals, take action today. Insure your success by developing an accountably system for yourself. Hire a coach as your strategic partner to run with you. Find a buddy in a similar situation. Whatever it is, build environments to support your vision. Take time to plan and design structures for success and you will see a difference! Here's to you and your success! Have fun!