Looking Ahead: Developing YOUR State Agenda

Incorporating the NACM National Agenda into Your State Association Agenda

Presentation at BLANK

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“Committed to Excellence”

Approach

Part One: What IS a State Agenda?

Part Two: Where do we start?

What IS a State Agenda?

•A set of priorities developed to be a “touchstone” for your state association’s leadership in its education, training, advocacy

•Developed through feedback and outreach to and input from state association leaders and members like you.

•Intended to drive your association’s priorities for the period of 20XX-20YY.  

Is an Agenda Different than a Strategic Plan?

Strategic Plan

Guide & Steps

Agenda

Visionary Framework

Is an Agenda Different than a Strategic Plan?

Strategic Plan• Guides short or long-term

efforts of an organization• Contains actual deliverables

(goals, objectives and actions items - GOAs)

• Provides a strategy and steps on how to achieve GOAs

• Details benchmarks by which to measure successes

Agenda• Advances the Mission and

Vision of an organization• Contains broad inspiration

aimed of providing guidance to overall activities

• Provides the framework to ensure that GOAs stay within focus

• Details purposes that give direction to efforts

Why is a State Agenda Important?

• Reflect key judicial branch needs and interests

• Can spark discussion and innovation, and support the institutionalization of promising practices

• Can guide courts in identifying and working through challenges, brainstorming solutions, and developing meaningful strategies and partnerships to improve the administration of justice

 

Incorporating an Agenda into Your Strategic Plan

• Can be used as an expanded discussion with regard to Mission and Vision

• Can be used to reality check an existing strategic plan or bring new life to a stagnant or dormant plan

• Can bring a strategic plan back in to focus or alignment

Successful Outcomes of a State Agenda

Unifying theme and vision for activities

Ability to speak with uniform voice on issues

Provides an overarching framework for organization’s activities

Promotes court administration as a profession in your state

Approach

Part One: What IS a State Agenda?

Part Two: Where do we start?

Do You have a Strategic Plan?

Must have a Mission

Must have a Vision

Must have Organizational Readiness

Must have Leadership & Membership Buy-In

Considering a State Agenda

Assessing the Context

Assessing Association Capacity

Assessing Association Effectiveness

Assessing Association Impact

Possible Agenda Priorities Emphasizing Caseflow Management Improvements Sustaining Excellence in Difficult Budget Times Enhancing Public Perceptions of the Courts and Increasing

Community Collaboration Promoting Improved Court Leadership and Governance Preparing for and Responding to Trends Supporting Professional Court Management Education Providing Diversity in Educational Opportunities Collaboration with Other Professional Organizations Focusing on Increased Membership Activity and Participation Participating in legislative and/or rulemaking processes Defining the Role of the Profession in Our State

Emphasizing Caseflow Management Improvements

• Focus on performance measurement and the High Performance Court Framework• Work on developing the fine line between

avoiding legal advice while maintaining efficiencies

Sustaining Excellence in Difficult Budget Times

• Grant writing skills/workshops and what grants are out there. Involve input and recognition of separate branches of government (courts and County).• Provide information regarding technology and

the courts• Improve relationships with funding authorities• Concerns with funding sources• Sustainability

Enhancing Public Perceptions of the Courts and Increasing Community Collaboration

• Cultivate judicial leadership – develop strategies in identifying judicial champions of projects

• Engage public/private partnerships• Emphasize the role of the court administrator.

Focus on educating judges and funding authorities of this role.

• Develop civics lessons or outreach

Promoting Improved Court Leadership and Governance

• Build communication and collaboration with the state administrative office and the Supreme Court

• Provide project management training• Provide training on HR and leadership issues• Create concrete topics upon which to train under

each competency and focus on practical issues• Develop model policies and procedures that an

organization would endorse

Preparing for and Responding to Trends

• Identify trends and best practices nationally• Identify trends and best practices within our

state and classes of courts• Focus on succession/transition planning• Focus on the importance of IT and staying

current

Supporting Professional Court Management Education

• Explore standards and requirements for training

• Develop a variety of learning opportunities– Online, distance, subject-matter training,

conferences, etc.

• Adopt multi-year training/education calendar or curriculum

Providing Diversity in Educational Opportunities

• Include education on leadership topics• Conduct smaller workshops throughout the year outside

of conferences• Explore the idea of conducting webinars• Increase committee work to develop conference material• Offer multiple educational session of diverse topics at

conferences• Attempt to acquire national speakers re: Core

Competencies and other concepts to unify courts• Focus on learning outside of conferences

Collaboration of Other Professional Organizations

• Improve communication, relationships and understanding of our organization by others

• Expand membership through partnerships with other organization (Probation Officers, IT organizations, Clerks associations, etc.)

• Develop the idea of succession planning with partner organizations

• Provide regular outreach to other organizations on our activities

Focusing on Increased Membership Activity and Participation

• Add more structure and accountability• Add more Board oversight and direction to the committees• Focus on highlighting the committees we offer in order to increase

participation• Communication with committees to include more consistent communication,

particularly on items relevant to everyone (i.e., Rules).• Mentor program• Create a “best practices committee” that focuses on publishing mini-guides

and creating literature about current projects• Create subject matter committees (family, civil, criminal, etc.)• Have committees develop ideas for professional development• Conduct regular “county size” or “court type” conference calls/expand

county break-out sessions

Participating in Legislative and/or Rulemaking Processes

• Determine level and type of “voice”– Advocacy, commentary, advisory, etc.

• Create legislative and/or rulemaking committees

• Recommend or place members in similar task forces or committees to give input on behalf of your organization

Defining the Role of the Profession in Our State

• Focus on defining the requirements of a court administrator– Set minimum educational, training or certification

requirements– Tie educational requirements into the core

competencies– Creating databank of job descriptions,

duties/responsibilities or KSAs and work with state/local HR leaders

• Develop professional ethics standards

Need Help?

• As part of its commitment to the agenda process, NACM will provide your state association with a “guide” who will:– Participate in conference calls, – Review draft materials and provide comments,– Refer you to facilitators who can help with local

discussions and brainstorming, and– Provide overall guidance

Thank You!

“Committed to (Your) Excellence”