# Presentation: 400525

## DIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLANNING:SETTING OUR COURSE

***DIVERSITY STRATEGIC ******PLANNING:******SETTING ******OUR COURSE***

## “We must recruit, develop, and retain a competent, committed, and diverse workforce to provide high-quality service to veterans and their families...we’re firmly committed to building a workforce that reflects the diversity of those we serve.”		-Secretary Anthony J. Principi

## “Diversity needs to be reflected in staff and leadership. We will never be the world-class organization unless we can do that.”

- 	-Robert Roswell, MD
- 	Under Secretary for Health

## “Effort and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”

- 			-John F Kennedy

## Purpose

- To present key information and tenets  related to strategic planning as well as recommendations to develop diversity strategic initiatives at the Network level.

## Outline

- Discuss the importance of diversity strategic planning
- Examine SMART goals
- Highlight the FAS test
- Introduce the concept of nesting
- Discuss the importance of strategic concepts
- Review suggested format for completing VISN diversity strategic plan

##  Strategic Planning

- Accept the situation
- Create a plan
- Take action

## Diversity Strategic Planning

- Initiate leadership declaration
- Assess current conditions/realities
- Develop organizational strategies and plan

## Diversity Strategic Planning (Continue)

- Implement and monitor diversity initiatives
- Communicate actions and results
- Award, recognize, and celebrate positive outcomes

## STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES

- Develop a clear understanding of the *strategic aim*
- Determine the *end state *required to achieve the strategic aim
- Identify the operational *objective* that will produce the end state (ends)

## Strategic Imperative (Continue)

- Determine the *sequence of actions* most likely to achieve the operational objective (ways)
- Organize and apply the *resources* of the force to accomplish that sequence of actions (means)

## SMART Goals

- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely

## Fas Test

- Feasibility
- Can the goal be accomplished with the means available?
- Acceptability
- Are the costs of the action justified by the importance of the desired goal?
- Does the action violate the fundamental norms, values, and beliefs of the organization?
- Suitability
- Will achieving the goal accomplish the desired effect?

## Nesting

- The ability to integrate a  goal from a higher level unit into the mission of a subordinate level unit for the purpose of achieving synchronization or unity of effort.

## Diversity Advisory Board’s Goals

- Increase awareness and sensitivity to diversity in the workforce
- Serve as a resource to VHA leaders in the promotion of workforce diversity

## Diversity Advisory Board’s Goals

- Identify challenges to advancement of diversity within VHA and develop programs or initiatives to address the challenges to change paradigms
- Establish relationships with internal and community organization/programs that enhance diversity in the VA

## Strategic Concepts

- Focus on operating values and principles
- Justifies/supports strategic objectives
- Communicates purpose and intent

## VHA Diversity Advisory Board’s Strategic Concepts

- Respect
- Education
- Awareness
- Collaboration
- Honesty

## Diversity Strategic Plan Format

- 1.  Targeted goal(s)
- 2.  Action strategies
- 3.	  Resources needed
- 4.  Timeframe
- 5.  Support organization’s business plan
- 6.  Measurement(s) of success
- 7.  Assigned to (workgroup/person)

## Shoot for the moon.  Even if you miss it, you’ll land among the stars.

-                                 -Les Brown

## Success is not perfection; success is slightly above average.

- 				-Anonymous

## Success seems to be connected with action.Successful people keep moving.They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.			-Conrad Hilton

## What we earnestly aspire to be, that is some sense we are.

- 				-Anna Jameson

## SUMMARY

- Diversity strategic planning requires clear direction, focus, and strategies that are tied to the organization’s bottom line; but more importantly, it requires steadfast patience and commitment.

## Diversity Advisory Board’s Website

- http://vaww.va.gov/diversity