Thinking, Acting and Leading Strategically: Political and Policy Dimensions

Education Policy Fellowship Program

Robert H. “Robin” Dorff, Ph.D. Executive Director

Institute of Political Leadershipwww.iopl.org

Copyright © 2010 by Robert H. Dorff

Raleigh, NC30 Nov 2010

• Introduction

• Strategy

• Strategic Leadership

• Strategy and Public Policy

OVERVIEW

• Calculated relationship among:– Ends (Objectives)– Means (Resources)– Ways (Concepts)

• Dynamic– 2 or more players– Process not Outcome

• Art or Science• Framework for systematic analysis

Strategy

STRATEGY

RELATING ENDS, WAYS & MEANS

OBJECTIVES

CONCEPTS

RESOURCES

The Need for Balance

OBJECTIVES

CONCEPTS

RESOURCES

Risk

Risk Assessment

Subordinate/Supporting Strategies

National Strategy

National Policy

Strategic Appraisal

National Interests

The Building Blocksfor Strategy Formulation

National Values

Strategic VisionStrategic Vision

StrategicEnvironment

good

bad

time

Forecast

Desired

StrategyStrategy

Values&

Purpose

Values&

Purpose

Strategic Leadership

•Devising the vision and the strategy

•Articulating them to others

•Inducing/inspiring others to follow

•Aligning organization, people, resources

•Assessing, reassessing, and adjusting

Definition of Leadership

The process of influencing human behavior to achieve organizational goals that serve the public, while

developing individuals, teams and the organization for future service.

Example of an "Imperfect" Assumption

When asked why he had proposed that all funding for foreign language education be removed from the Texas state budget, the governor in 1917 replied, "If English was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for me!"

Example of an “Imperfect” Prescription

Governor Lester Maddox of Georgia once said, "The only way to improve the quality of the Georgia state prison system is to attract a better quality prisoner."

• Congressional: What might change?

– Historic Electoral Change?—Yes

– Change in Governing?--Unlikely

– “Promises, Promises”• Cut taxes, reduce spending, shrink government

• But no pain: WFA!

– Redistricting and Decreasing Competitive Districts

– Polarization continues: Elections about winning not governing

– Less deliberation & debate: Product over Process. Now what?

The Strategic Political Environment:National

Déjà vu all over again? 1994

• Congressional: What might change? (cont)

– Marginalization of “statewide” issues?• Education

• Displaced workers

• Immigration

• Local competition (“cutthroat”) over increasingly less attractive jobs (jobs as numbers not necessarily quality).

– Unwillingness to tackle broad and tough issues?

– Unfunded mandates? Continue

– End of earmarks? An earmark by any other name….

The Strategic Political Environment:National

Déjà vu all over again? 1994

• Presidential– New Priorities?

• Economy, economy, economy

• Health Care

• War on Terror

• Homeland Security

– The Persistent and Expanding Budget Deficits

– Philosophy• Traditional Liberalism?

• A different approach?

• Little room to maneuver

The Strategic Political Environment:National (cont.)

Administration and congressional policies, priorities, and preferences push things like education and economic adjustment to the states, which in turn push them to local levels. And there is no money!

– Revenue growth was slow now “dead”– Tax increases harder to sell to electorate– Same governing and polarization problem as

seen in Congress– Unfunded mandates and policy cost-shifting

increase state and eventually local burdens at a time when resources are harder to generate.

– Pressures mount for “easy” answers, but beware of “lottery solutions”

The Strategic Political Environment:States

– Few economies are local anymore– Natural shift of less-skilled manufacturing jobs

abroad (has always been the case)– Less obvious where “new” higher level jobs will

come from– “False promise” of re-training and re-educating—

45 year old former textile worker is not going to be a Dell employee, and the state and local entities don’t have resources anyway. And Dell has already “moved on”!

– Shifting workforce demographics spill over into all policy areas (education, health care, etc.)

– Shifting demographics create political tensions

Globalization, “Local” Economies, and Education

*LEADERSHIP*

– Progress Board Report: Mixed Results• Governor kills the messenger

– Real Issues are in Trends not Snapshots

– Challenges are not new; but we are at a turning point

– Easier to choose rhetoric over substance. But how long?

– How have we dealt with past challenges in such turning points?

– How will we deal with these challenges NOW?

Confronting the Policy Challenges

– The New North Carolina– New business leaders but shallow roots– The persistent “values” challenge– Next generation leaders needed– Hope is not a method– We must identify, recruit, develop, and equip

tomorrow’s leaders today

Confronting the Leadership Challenges: Where Will We Find the (Right) Leaders?

• How to run for office the right way• How to run the office the right way• Citizenship awareness and understanding• The ultimate extension and engagement

Institute of Political Leadership(IOPL)

• Thinking Strategically• Acting Strategically• Leading Strategically

Some Conclusions

Thinking, Acting and Leading Strategically: Political and Policy Dimensions

Education Policy Fellowship Program

Robert H. “Robin” Dorff, Ph.D. Executive Director

Institute of Political Leadershipwww.iopl.org

Copyright © 2010 by Robert H. Dorff

Raleigh, NC30 Nov 2010