THE STEPS OF ORGANIZING
​How to organize. How to build your mission statement. How to achive results. 

Step 1:  Do you have a SPECIFIC GOAL? If not - you need one. 

The first element to any successful organization is having a goal. You need to focus on One Thing and that One Thing needs an end date. Do your research and learn about the issue and who's currently involved in making changes. Are there other groups out there doing the same or similar thing? Pick up the phone and talk to them. Learning from those already DOing is going to only advance your cause. 

Step 2:  What is your story?

Storytelling: Never forget the story.  What has brought you to the table to change or advocate for your community.  Your narrative is as important as any action. 

Create the Narrative - Every Goal has a STORY

Once you've decided on One Thing it's imperative you create a narrative on why you want to do what you're doing. Why should people care about what you're doing? How does it relate to you and others? When you archive your goal, how will it impact the lives of everyday people? 

Create your MISSION STATEMENT

You've decided on your One Thing. You've discussed and built your narrative with friends, family and new contacts from other organizations - Now - Craft it into your mission statement - it should be clear and focused with a decisive result. 

Build a TEAM

If you don't already have five or more friends involved - it's time to bring them onboard. Hold a meeting, present your mission statement and action plan and get them behind you. Then it's time for them to bring in five more friends to support your next step. Recruit Recruit Recruit. Use your Mission Statement and your Action Plan as your main recruiting elements and have a system in place to make it easy for people to sign up and share their basic information (emails, phone numbers, home zip codes etc). 

Step 3:  Strategy, Strategy, Strategy

This is where the work really begins. How do you plan to archive your goal? What do the results look like and how will you keep tabs on your efforts? Do you need to register more voters? Do you need to create a phone bank campaign? Do you need to demonstrate? Do you need to canvas neighborhoods and hold house meetings? Do you need your Community, Local, State or Federal representatives involved? If so - how are when are you going to do these things? What tools and resources will you need? Write down your step by step process for reaching the Goal never loosing sight of the end date. 

STAY ORGANIZED

You need to be prepared to manage data and communications. Have you set up a presence online? Website? Facebook? Twitter? Instagram? Snapchat? Email Campaign? How are you managing data communications within your team leadership group? (We love Slack.com and it's free!).

Step 4:  EVALUATE 

Take time to Stop. Think. Analyze and React. Are your efforts working? Do you need to make any changes to your action plan? Do you need to organize a team or an event in a different or new way? If the answer to all of these questions is NO - Then keep doing what you're doing! 

Rinse & Repeat 

Did you succeed? Did you achieve your Goal? If you did - pat yourself on the back and get moving onto the next Goal. Repeat the steps from the start... but this time it'll be easier in some ways. If you didn't - lick your wounds, brush yourself off, examine what you could have done better - and get back out there! It will be easier each time you DO!

Useful Resources

The Following is a list of useful resources on learning how to organize and advise from the experts. 
This Document provides some great basic information on Community Organizing as well as some basic rules to follow with some excellent strategy tips. 

Learn from the best - Marshall Ganz's Thoughts on Successful Organizing 

Each button links to a separate document written by Marshall Ganz from his course on Organizing: People, Power & Change. Click HERE for the source website which has additional information and videos to Dr. Ganz's lectures. 

A Theory of Team Coaching by Hackman and Wageman

This is a dense and thoughtful article with relevant approaches to building, monitoring and mentoring a team.

University of Kansas - Developing a Strategic Plan

Really want to geek out? Click the button below to jump to the University of Kansas' website for the Workgroup of Community Health and Development for some AMAZING in-depth information on Organizing, Strategizing and Building a Roadmap to Success.