Happy National Implementation Month!!

This year’s National Implementation Month is the 6th annual celebration of getting things done! I’m still waiting on that Presidential Declaration. Maybe someday Rural Resurrection will get that call.

Implementation month was conceived from one of my earlier articles entitled, “Implementation, the Lost Step in Comprehensive Planning”. The article looked into how few comprehensive plans are utilized to their fullest extent. Why go through the all of the work and expense to develop a comprehensive plan if your community is going to use it on a regular basis?

That’s where National Implementation Month steps in. It dedicates a full month each year to review your community’s plans. It’s time to set aside time to develop a work schedule toward the implementation of action items to the goals set forth within it.

Why January?

But why January? One step outside during this frigid month does not conjur thoughts of getting things done. Yet so many of us start with new year’s resolutions because this time of year is full of energy and a renewed desire to get things done. So should your community.

This first month of the year is also ideal as many of us in the upper Midwest are holed up inside trying to take off the chill while dreaming of warmer days. Why not use those daydreams to figure a plan to move forward with implementation activities? Set up those dominos now so that when warmer weather returns you can knock them all down.

Build Consensus

One of the most important parts of a successful Implementation Month is “getting everyone on the bus”. You need to build a consensus of stakeholders who agree on the need to concentrate on implementing your plans. This can start with your city council or village board. Provided in the link below is the first-ever Implementation Month proclamation template! Just download it and customize the template to your community.

National Implementation Month Proclamation

Start Now

Yes, I do not have the power to declare an entire month as National Implementation Month. I don’t even have the power to declare such for the community that I work for. Maybe someday, national recognition will happen. But for now, make Implementation Month an event in your community. Gather others, pick out a goal from your planning documents, and make it happen!