2014 ACLS Community Planning Training Summary
Based on the Indicators of Effective Community Planning for Community Adult
Learning Centers
Summary of Key Elements Covered
Introduction
In Facing the Future: Massachusetts Strategic Framework for Adult Basic Education, the adult
basic education system identified three major goals:
1. Ensure that adults needing basic education have access to services
2. Increase system effectiveness and quality
3. Prepare students for success in their next steps in college and further training, at work and in
the community.
Massachusetts Indicators of Effective Community Planning for CALCs
Effective community planning has the potential to play a critical role in achieving the goals noted above.
To that end, research based Indicators of Effective Community Planning for CALCs were developed
to help strengthen and build the capacity of ABE community planning partnerships in their
community planning efforts. The Indicators document is comprised of six indicators that can
affect coalition functioning and effectiveness: Leadership, Membership, Structure, Operations &
Processes, Vision & Mission, and Contextual Factors. The Indicators include a self-assessment and
planning tool (beginning on page 11 of the Indicators document) to help community planning
partnerships identify their strengths and areas that require focus; shape goals and intended
outcomes; inform action steps and planning for continuous improvement; and help track
progress along a continuum of proficiency.
Indicators Self-Assessment
The expectation is that community planning partnerships will use the results of the selfassessment as a catalyst for discussion to determine direction and focus for their community
planning. Where multiple areas that require focus are identified, it is expected they will be
prioritized and addressed over time with community planning integrated in a CALC’s continuous
improvement process.
Planning Tool
The planning tool is focused on identifying goals and intended outcomes that community
planning partnerships plan to achieve, and the steps needed to achieve them. These should align
with the strategic framework and support and benefit adult learners.
A series of community planning trainings based on the Indicators of Effective Community
Planning for CALCs was conducted in 2014. This document is a summary of the key
elements covered in the trainings.
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Strong leadership has been identified in research and practice as the most important
indicator of effective coalitions. There are many characteristics associated with strong
leadership:
 Coalition leaders have connections to and visibility in the community (through
participation with other coalitions, committees, etc.), and advocate for ABE and its
priorities.
 Strong leaders are well versed in ABE and the challenges that may face the coalition and
are committed to an action-oriented focus.
 The coalition leadership is able to foster relationships with key partners, either coalition
members or community members, such as businesses/employers, post- secondary
education institutions, job training providers, policy makers, and health and social service
providers.
 The coalition leadership makes a conscious effort to develop new leaders and foster depth
of leadership, (e.g., leading sub committees, work groups).
 The coalition leadership represents the diversity of the community (e.g., culturally,
economically, educationally, or through diverse experiences, perspectives, skills sets)
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What is Leadership?
Leadership is about
. . . accepting responsibility
. . . to enable & engage others
. . . in achieving a shared purpose
. . . in the face of uncertainty
– Marshall Ganz, Harvard Kennedy School of Government
Leadership is not a solo sport. Effective leaders work with and through others. Leadership is
distributed, not just at the top of a hierarchy. Most organizations or coalitions have formal and
informal leaders who step up into this role as the project, focus, or goals change.
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At the core of leadership development and research at Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Sloan School of Management is a pragmatic, research-based model of how successful
leaders at every level actually work.
The Four Capabilities Leadership Framework (FCF) was developed over a four-year period by
Professors Deborah Ancona, Tom Malone, and Wanda Orlikowski, with Senior Lecturer Peter
Senge at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Tested in diverse real world settings, the FCF is a
powerful tool for understanding and integrating the four critical components of leadership
(Visioning, Relating, Inventing, Sensemaking). The FCF provides a framework for teaching
leadership and for leadership practice in general. These capabilities are not something one is
born with; they can be developed. See the article on these four capabilities: Leadership in the
Age of Uncertainty.
“No leader is perfect. The best ones don’t try to be—they concentrate on honing their
strengths and find others who can make up for their limitations.” (“In Praise of the Incomplete
Leader”)
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Leadership Spans Across All Indicators
Visioning
Vision & mission
Leadership
Membership
Sensemaking
Relating
Contextual factors
Operations & processes
Structure
Inventing
Source: MIT Leadership Center
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across all six of
the Massachusetts Indicators of Effective Community Planning for CALCs.
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Leadership Spans Stages of Development
Visioning
Formation
Sensemaking
Relating
Maintenance
Sustainability
Inventing
Source: MIT Leadership Center
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across the three
Stages of Coalition Development (Formation, Maintenance, Sustainability) described on page 2 of
the Indicators of Effective Community Planning for CALCs .
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Sensemaking
 Makes sense of the world around you
 Answers the question: What is going on here?
 Who’s with you? Who’s not with you?
 Who are you serving? What do they need?
 What resources are needed? Where do you get
them?
 What are obstacles? What are opportunities?
Sensemaking can be seen as the “GPS” to navigate the world around you.
In order to develop the most informed goals for the coalition, sensemaking needs to occur.
Sensemaking relates to the Contextual Factors Indicator and can be thought of as integrating
context into the work of the coalition, through mechanisms such as assets and needs
assessments (sometimes called environmental scans).
Keeping abreast of current trends, issues, resources, community demographics, and other
environmental factors that affect adult learners can be done through a review of secondary data
(e.g., census, school data, attendance and other program performance indicators, community
reviews) and by gathering primary data (i.e., student and community surveys, stakeholder
interviews, focus groups).
See the “Contextual Factors” section of this training summary for additional information and
resources for sensemaking.
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Tips for Effective Sensemaking
 Start with a question(s) to focus (what do you need to
know?)
 Collect & interpret as many types of
information/data as you can
 Connect & talk with others who are part of your
greater system (What makes them tick?
What’s their agenda?)
 Vicarious learning – look at best practices (Learn from
others that are doing it well instead of re-inventing the wheel.)
 Sense-giving helps sensemaking
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Relating
 Developing key relationships within & across
organization(s)
 Inquiry
 Advocacy
(can’t advocate without inquiry)
 Connecting
(It’s not what you know, but who you know)
Relating is all about communicating. Good communication is highly important to strong
leadership.
Relating most closely spans and aligns with Indicator 4, Operations and Processes, which focuses
on communication, decision making, and conflict resolution.
Communication has been identified as one of the most important characteristics for the success
of any organization, including CALC community planning coalitions. For a coalition to operate
effectively, messages must be accurately communicated within and outside of the coalition.
Defined decision-making processes help coalitions to relate better. Conflict resolution processes
foster strong partnerships among members, and assist in communications and relating.
See the Operations and Processes section of this training summary for further resources.
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Tips for Effective Relating
 Inquiry: Seek first to understand others’ positions
(Listen & suspend judgment).
 Advocacy: Advocate your views; explain your
reasoning (and how you reached your conclusion; then it will help
you figure out how to get it done).
 Connecting: Cultivate networks of individual &
group support
(Can’t be a lone ranger – harness talents of
others).
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Visioning
 Creates a compelling picture of the future
 Dynamic & collaborative: Articulates what you want
to achieve together
 Gives meaning &
provides focus
The leadership capability of Visioning aligns with Indicator 5, Mission and Vision.
A vision is the overarching reference for the coalition’s goals and activities. Vision helps coalition
members to envision the impact of the partnership on adult learners and the community over a certain
period of time.
A clear vision helps the coalition to raise awareness of its activities within the community, identify
partners and resources, and form its mission. The CALC community planning coalition’s mission
operationalizes the vision.
See the Vision and Mission section of this training summary for additional tools and resources.
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Tips for Effective Visioning
 Start with a challenge (that everyone cares about): Frame it
in a positive way
 Define what success looks like (“what would the headlines
say”)
 Be specific to stay focused
 Share the vision & report on progress
(What you don’t do is more important that what you do do.)
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Inventing
 Designing new ways of working together. Creative
execution: Transforming your vision into reality
 Inventing on a grand scale
or small scale
Inventing is about change, and embracing change is a characteristic of strong leadership.
Inventing (or re-inventing) means creating new ways of approaching tasks to overcome
seemingly insurmountable problems.
Scanning the environment (Indicator 6), creating a vision and mission (Indicator 2), and setting
goals/developing action plans (Indicator 5) are all “inventing” methods that will help the
coalition to invent new and better ways to support ABE programs and learners.
“If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”
(Anthony Robbins)
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Tips for Effective Inventing
 Break down the challenge; center it with questions
 Ask: “In what ways might I/we . . .”
 Ask: “What other options are possible?”
 Engage people in planning & inventing
 Hold a spark session: Create opportunity for
out-of-the-box ideas (Spend 5 minutes at the beginning of a
meeting: “here’s a challenge today” and have people brainstorm
creative solutions – give people space to be creative.)
 Rapid prototyping: Try something!
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The Incomplete Leader
 Capabilities are interdependent
 No one leader can do it all
 Know yourself
 Surround yourself
with people who have
different strengths
The Harvard Business Review article entitled In Praise of the Incomplete Leader states that:
“Sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inventing are interdependent. Without sensemaking,
there’s no common view of reality from which to start. Without relating, people work
in isolation or, worse, strive toward different aims. Without visioning, there’s no shared direction.
And without inventing, a vision remains illusory. No one leader, however, will excel at all four
capabilities in equal measure.”
Leadership Self-assessment
The Four Capabilities Leadership Assessment helps leaders develop themselves by comparing
their current behaviors to the capabilities of effective leaders. Developed by Deborah Ancona
and Michele Williams from MIT, the assessment draws directly from the four capabilities of the
MIT Four Capabilities Leadership Model: sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inventing. A
shortened version of the self-assessment was adapted by Mary Schaefer and Patricia Pelletier for
the ACLS community planning training series: LEADERSHIP SELF-ASSESSMENT
Leadership in the Age of Uncertainty
In the MIT article entitled Leadership in an Age of Uncertainty, Deborah Ancona states that
“Leadership is not solely the responsibility of the CEO, but can and should permeate all levels of the
organization. Every leader has his or her distinct way of using these capabilities
to make change happen. This unique pattern is called a “change signature”.”
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Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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FY 14-17 ACLS COMMUNITY PLANNING MODELS
Given that communities have different needs and circumstances, ACLS has identified four options
to choose from as a primary focus for community planning. There is flexibility in adopting and
implementing these models. Changes can be made from year to year and coalitions should
not feel bound to the specifications within each model. What is important, however, is to
keep in mind the goals of the strategic framework, the characteristics of the community, the
needs of the learners, and key elements of the Indicators of Effective Community Planning for
Community Adult Learning Centers as you work to increase access, quality, and next steps for
adult learners. Listed below are the models:

Single Focus Community Planning: These partnerships, supported since the initiation of
ABE community planning, involve convening a variety of stakeholders with a single focus on
ABE. They may be convened by one or more ABE programs in a community or region.

Multi-Focus Community Planning: These partnerships, developed as partnerships between
programs and community stakeholders, involve the participation of ABE programs in a
community-wide partnership not exclusively focused on ABE.

Family and Community Engagement: To promote the effective involvement of parents and
the community in supporting the success of children and schools, these partnerships include
a local school or district and other stakeholders, such as early education and care providers,
in the development of specific goals and outcomes related to children’s academic
achievement.

College and Career Readiness: Strong partnerships can play a significant role in the
successful transition of ABE students to college, further training, and career. Community
planning allows programs to work in partnership with college, training, and workforce
partners for the purpose of helping students achieve their college and career related goals.
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Indicator 2 - Membership
 Include a variety of organizations and individuals
 Diversity of professional and grassroots organizations







with a variety of perspectives
Cultural and demographic diversity
Formal and informal leaders
Include adult learners (or mechanism for their input)
Relevant experience and expertise
Members who represent students’ “next steps”
Members who represent support services that learners
need
Commitment
The number of coalition members is not as important as the skills, knowledge, community
connections and influence one brings to the partnership.
It is important that the membership includes a variety of organizations and individuals in the community.
The composition of the coalition’s membership depends on the focus and type of community planning
model, demographic make-up of the adult learners served and other environmental factors that affect
adult learners in the community.
The ABE Community Planning Partnership Categories list provides a suggested list of representatives to
be considered as partnership members: Community Planning Partnership Categories
Coalition effectiveness is also facilitated by the commitment of the membership.
Research shows that member satisfaction is associated with coalition effectiveness, as satisfied members
are more invested in the coalition and its activities. Coalition members stay active when they contribute
to making an impact in the community, improve services, and address a critical need.
There are a variety of ways to include adult learner participation in the coalition such as: active and
ongoing participation in the partnership through representation from one or more ABE program’s
student leadership team; learner participation in surveys, focus groups, or interviews as part of the
partnership’s environmental scan; and reports and input to the partnership from learner groups, such as
academic advisory groups, health leadership groups, and others.
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What Leadership Capabilities are Involved in
Indicator 2 - Membership?
Membership
 Variety of organizations
and individuals
 Cultural, professional
and demographic
diversity and
perspectives
 Relevant experience and
expertise, including “next
steps” and support
services
 Commitment
Leadership Capability
 Inventing (Express
diverse opinions)
 Relating (Looking at
things from other
perspectives)
 Other?
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across all of the Indicators
of Effective Community Planning For CALCs. The leadership capabilities that align with Indicator 2,
Membership, are “Inventing” and “Relating”.
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Recruiting Members to Your Coalition
The Elevator Speech
 Short, persuasive speech about a person,
organization, group, or an idea about a product,
service or project
 Often part of a marketing communications brand, or
public relations initiative
 Succinct and compelling to their target audience
 Can be delivered in the time it takes on an elevator
ride (30 seconds to 2 minutes)
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Elements of an Elevator Speech
 Who am I?
 What is the problem that needs solving?
 What is your solution to the problem?
 What are your motivations?
 What do you want?
An elevator speech (pitch) can be used for a variety of purposes, not just for recruiting membership. Be
sure to have background information on the people you want to approach including what’s important to
them. See: ELEMENTS FOR AN ELEVATOR SPEECH
Keep in mind: “What’s in it for them?” “What will resonate with them?” Identifying a common goal of both
the coalition and the potential member will help.
If you are recruiting a member who may be a source of funding, do not ask for monetary support the first
time you approach him/her, but rather gain one’s support and interest in the mission of the coalition and
becoming a member. As one learns about the coalition and the work of the ABE program(s) one may be
more apt to provide resources.
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IDENTIFYING GAPS IN COALITION MEMBERSHIP
Root Cause Analysis
www.thinkreliability.com
Conducting a simple root cause analysis with your coalition’s steering committee or other sub-group can
help identify the cause(s) of gaps in membership.
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The “Five Why” process is a simple and effective tool used to get to the root cause of a problem and is one
method of conducting a root cause analysis. It is a problem-solving method made popular in the 1970’s.
This procedure was developed by Sakichi Toyoda and was used within the Toyota Motor Corporation
during the evolution of its manufacturing methodologies.
Additional information on the 5 Why process can be found here.
“If you don’t ask the right questions, you don’t get the right answers. A question asked in the right way often
points to its own answer. Asking questions is the ABC of diagnosis. Only the inquiring mind solves problems.”
(Edward Hodnett)
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My car won’t start (the problem)
1. Why? - The battery is dead. (first why)
2. Why? - The alternator is not functioning. (second
3.
4.
5.
6.
why)
Why? - The alternator belt has broken. (third why)
Why? - The alternator belt was well beyond its useful
service life and not replaced. (fourth why)
Why? - The vehicle was not maintained according to
the recommended service schedule. (fifth why, a root
cause)
Why? - Replacement parts are not available because of
the extreme age of the vehicle. (sixth why, optional
footnote)
The “Five Why” method of determining the root cause of a problem starts with stating the problem, and
then asking the question “why?” five or six times. The answer to the final “Why” gets to the root cause, as
outlined in the above example. While this method doesn’t provide the solution to the problem, it provides
the cause, so that the solution can be developed.
Root Cause Analysis: The 5 Whys
A sample worksheet for partnerships to match coalition tasks with skills needed in coalition members to
accomplish the tasks can be found here: Sample Work Sheet Root Cause Diagram
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Structural characteristics refer to the administrative processes that facilitate the management of the
community coalition.
Research indicates that coalitions with specific and identified structures are more likely to
achieve collaborative synergy in the partnership.
The development of structure, rules, and responsibilities (based on size, characteristics, and needs in the
community) early in a coalition’s development enables coalitions to operate effectively.
Matching Coalition Tasks with Members provides a sample of coalition tasks and a sample worksheet.
The structure of the coalition should be informed by the community planning model the coalition has
identified.
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Indicator 4
Operations and Processes
 Communication
 Process to replace members who become inactive
 Central locations, convenient times
 Meeting agendas, notes/minutes
 Decision-making
 Open discussions
 Action plan with clear measures of success
Effective internal functioning is essential to successful coalitions. Effective partnerships
institute operations and processes that allow them to function, such as processes for
communication, decision making, and conflict resolution.
Communication has been identified as one of the most important characteristics for the success
of any organization, including CALC community planning coalitions. Having well defined
Operations and Processes will make communication more effective and efficient within the
coalition, as well as in the community. In addition to communicating meeting agendas and
notes/minutes, members can be regularly updated and informed using listservs, emails, conference
calls, or on-line sessions using tools such as JoinMe where groups can meet remotely and view materials
live during the online meeting.
See useful tools for planning and conducting effective meetings at: http://www.effectivemeetings.com/
An obvious, but very important part of effective operations and processes of a coalition is to prepare and
communicate an agenda: HOW TO CREATE AN AGENDA STEP BY STEP
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What Leadership Capabilities are Involved in
Indicator 4 – Operations and Processes?
Operations and Processes
Leadership Capability
 Communications
 Process to replace members
 Relating (Developing key






who become inactive
Central locations, convenient
times
Meeting agendas,
notes/minutes
Decision-making
Open discussions
Action plan
Clear measures of success
relationships; making
connections/ongoing
communications)
 Inventing (Designing
new ways of working
together to realize vision;
look at how you’re
organized)
 Other?
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across all of the
Indicators of Effective Community Planning for CALCs. The leadership capabilities that align with
Indicator 4, Operations and Processes, are “Inventing” and “Relating”.
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Indicator 5
Vision and Mission
 Vision is overarching reference for coalition’s goals.
 Vision helps to raise awareness of the coalition in the
community, identify partners and resources, and
form its mission.
 Mission operationalizes the vision and should
include a statement of purpose (what), it’s business
(how), and it’s values (beliefs).
 Vision and mission should align with the ACLS
strategic framework (access, quality, next steps).
The coalition’s vision helps members to envision the impact of the partnership on adult learners and the
community over a certain period of time. A clear vision helps the coalition to raise awareness of its
activities within the community, identify partners and resources, and form its mission.
The mission includes a statement of the coalition’s purpose (what), it’s business (how) and its values
(beliefs). The coalition develops a plan of action that is based on its shared mission.
Helpful documents on creating vision and mission statements are below:
Creating a Vision Statement
Vision-Mission-Values
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What Leadership Capabilities are Involved in
Indicator 5 – Vision and Mission?
Indicator 5-Vision and
Mission
 Shared vision
 Vision raises awareness
in community
 Mission statement
clearly defined
 Vision and mission help
to further other
community goals
 Assess progress toward
the vision and mission
Leadership Capability
Visioning
 Provides a sense of
meaning for coalition’s
work; asks “why am I
doing this?”
 Visioning incorporates
key value dimensions
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across all of the Indicators
of Effective Community Planning for CALCs. The leadership capability that aligns with Indicator 5, Vision
and Mission, is “Visioning”.
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What is a vision statement?
“A vision is a description in words that
conjures up a similar picture for each
member of the group of the destination
of the group’s work together.”
•
Sharon Deich, A Guide to Successful Public-Private Partnerships for Out-of-School Time and
Community School Initiatives (Washington, D.C.: The Finance Project, January 2001)
“I have a dream”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King’s vision changed a nation. That famous speech is a dramatic example of the
power that can be generated by a person who communicates a compelling vision for the future.
“By the end of the decade, we will put a man on the moon.”
- John F. Kennedy
When the moon came out that night, we could all look out the window and imagine….
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What is a Vision Statement?
 You will never be greater than the vision that guides
you.
 Your vision must stretch your expectations,
aspirations and performance.
 The vision statement will answer the question “What
will success look like?”
 A vision statement should be realistic and credible,
well articulated and easily understood, appropriate,
ambitious and responsive to change. It should be
consistent with the organizations values.
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Ask your coalition….
 In five years, how do you want your community to be
different as a result of your work?
 In five years, what role do you want to play in your
community?
 In five years, what will “success” look like?
Develop your vision statement first, before your mission statement.
Consider conducting a visioning session to develop the coalition’s vision statement with the executive or
steering committee, or relevant sub-group of the coalition. Then present the vision statement to the full
coalition.
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SAMPLE VISION STATEMENTS
As a premier professional association for educational advancement, CASE aspires to
be the leading resource for professional development and information, the leading
proponent of professional ethics and standards, and the leading advocate for
diversity.
-Council for Advancement and Support of Education
_________________________________________
Energetic, purposeful, creative, Central Florida Community College promotes
learning in an open, caring, inclusive environment which encourages individual and
community development inspired by shared values of integrity, service,
responsibility and dignity.
- Central Florida Community College
_________________________________________
To become the first place people with disabilities turn when seeking employment and
a top resource for employers in need of qualified employees.
- Florida Division of Vocational Rehabilitation
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ELEMENTS OF A MISSION STATEMENT
 Purpose Statement
 Business Statement
 Values Statement
The mission includes a statement of the coalition’s purpose (what), it’s business (how), and its values
(beliefs). An effective strategy to developing the mission statement is for a sub-group of the coalition (e.g.,
executive or steering committee, strategic planning committee) to develop a draft mission statement.
Many coalitions or committees get bogged down with wordsmithing the statement too soon, before the
concepts are developed. Start with a discussion about what the mission of the coalition is, then review it
to ensure that the three elements are present and clear.
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Purpose
Clearly states what your organization seeks to
accomplish – why does your organization exist? What
is the ultimate result of your work? Purpose
statements usually include two phrases:


An identification of the problem or condition to be changed.
An infinitive that indicates a change in status, such as to
increase, to decrease, to prevent, to eliminate.
Business
 Outlines the “business(es)” (i.e., activities or
programs) your organization chooses in order to
pursue the purpose. You must answer, “What activity
are we going to do to accomplish our purpose?
Business statements often include the verb “to
provide” or link a purpose statement with the words
“by” or “through.”
 Example: “To eliminate homelessness by providing
job training to homeless individuals.”
Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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Values
 Values are beliefs which your organization’s
members hold in common and endeavor to put into
practice. The values guide your organizations’
members in performing their work. Specifically, you
should ask “What are the basic beliefs we share as an
organization?”
 Examples of values include: a commitment to
excellent services; innovation; diversity; creativity;
honesty; integrity, and so on.
It is important for the coalition to refer to its vision and mission statement regularly when developing
goals and activities to ensure they align with one another. There are many other uses for a clear vision
and mission statement including for marketing and membership recruitment (e.g., in an “elevator
speech), community education and awareness, and for inclusion in grant applications).
Sample Mission Statements with Critiques
Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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Indicator 6 - Contextual Factors
 Continually scan the environment
 Change as demographics and other conditions
change
 Contextualize functions of the coalition to align with
ACLS strategic framework goals (access, quality, next
steps)
 Focused process to develop specific, measurable,
achievable, realistic and time-bound goals
Key to successful community planning coalitions is the ability to continually scan the community
for changes in demographics and other conditions that would enhance or inhibit the ability to best
serve students.



Contextual factors are internal and external conditions that either exist or are lacking in the
environment and which can benefit or impede the effectiveness of the coalition and the programs
it represents.
Knowledge of the community’s and/or region’s internal and external environment which could
affect the work of ABE programs and coalitions is important to coalition effectiveness.
An “environmental scan” (also called assets and needs assessment) helps to identify the changing
environment that affects adult learners, as well as resources to support the adult learning
programs and the community planning coalition.
Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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What Leadership Capabilities are Involved in
Indicator 6 – Contextual Factors?
Contextual Factors
 Continually scan the
environment
 Change as needed
 Contextualize functions
of the coalition to gain
focus
 Focused process to
develop specific,
measurable, achievable,
realistic and time-bound
goals
Leadership Capability
 Sensemaking (use
disparate sources of
information;
consolidate bits and
pieces of information
to make a coherent
whole; try new things)
The MIT-Sloan School of Management FCF model closely aligns with and spans across all of the Indicators
of Effective Community Planning for CALCs. The leadership capability that aligns with Indicator 6,
Contextual Factors, is “Sensemaking”.
Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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CONTEXTUAL FACTORS
ENVIRNOMENTAL SCAN RESOURCES
Helpful Websites
Community Partnerships for Adult Learning (C-PAL)
Building and sustaining effective partnerships including businesses and workforce development agencies.
Community Tool Box
A global online resource to help assess community needs, resources to plan for action, and guidance to
sustain one’s efforts.
Massachusetts Labor & Workforce Development Short Term and Long Term Projections by Occupation &
Industry
See: Tools, Tips and Techniques: An Easy to Use Data Toolkit to Identify Community Needs & Assets
at http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/cp/ under “Resources”.
Helpful Documents
Basic Strategic Planning Elements and Process: A framework for conducting an environmental scan.
Lawrence ABE Assets-Needs Profile
Sample Summary of Environmental Scan
Visit the ACLS Community Planning Website Page for additional information on ABE
Community Planning: http://www.doe.mass.edu/acls/cp/
Compiled for DESE/ACLS by Patricia Pelletier, www.pelletier-consulting.com 2014
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