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Planning Is What Planning Does

05.08.2010

Next Friday, May 14, is my last day at CAPCOG. I’ve served as the economic development director there for the past five years and it has been a wonderful opportunity. While five years won’t break any records for government service, I’ve learned a few things about planning, regionalism, and economic development that are worth sharing.

1. Planning is critical, but it needs to evolve. We talk a lot about the value of a plan being in the process, rather than the end product. And then we spend 50 percent of the budget on a 125 page document that very few people will have time to read, much less use in any meaningful way. We need to be more creative in how we engage people with information. Websites with interactive content and social media integration, not long reports. How many economic development organizations out there are exploring iPhone apps as a way to promote their communities?

2. Recruiting is not the enemy – it’s an opportunity. Encouraging people to make good decisions about tax incentives is one thing. But expecting an entire profession filled with smart, competitive salespeople and politicians to stop wooing companies from other places is tilting at windmills. Communities must decide what the appropriate mix of recruiting, retention, and (hopefully) entrepreneurship makes sense based on local conditions and preferences. If recruiting is the politically popular choice, find ways to integrate the other options. Bring small business owners and entrepreneurs along with you on recruiting trips so they can learn from more established companies and make connections. And if you are into a more entrepreneurial approach, keep an eye on what’s going on in Florida.

3. Less planning, more doing. City and county officials are very busy people. So are company executives, university and community college leaders, and just about anybody else you want to call a stakeholder. It’s difficult to get all the people you need to even a single meeting for a planning process. So when you do get them there, don’t spend all your time and energy creating a document filled with great ideas you are going to do. Do things together along the way. Actions and results sustain enthusiasm long after the glossy report goes on the shelf.

Thanks for a great five years, CAPCOG.