Business Retention and Expansion Task Force Retreat, Community Input

Purpose of the Retreat Expanded Local Task Force reviews research and sets priorities on longer-term projects Sub-committees start action plans on these specific projects Set date for the big Community Commencement Meeting

Action Planning Initiation Potential Local BR&E Projects What is the key issue? What data from the survey shows this? How might the community address these issues? Which local leaders? Which non-local leaders or agencies? Name:____________

Time Required for Retreat FOUR HOURS! (You’re kidding! Four hours?) Four hours plus meal time at one setting or six hours in two meetings.

Equipment & Materials Needed Hardware: One copy of research report for each person Slides of key graphs Post-it Note large charts Software: Researcher who wrote the report Facilitator who will keep the process moving Recorder

Typical Retreat Agenda Introductions Researcher reports on characteristics of firms visited Researcher reports on survey results for each strategy Task Force nominates options Usually requires1¼ to 1½ hours to this point for each strategy. Discuss prioritization Small groups start action plans Planning of future Task Force Activities

Action Planning Process Each person puts their own name on one priority. Groups start detailed planning for implementation. One person agrees to convene small group soon A recorder for each small group takes notes

Action Planning Worksheet 1. What tasks will be carried out? Who on the Task Force is responsible for each task? When will the tasks be completed? 2. Are there others outside the Task Force that need to be involved? 3. Detailed suggestions on how to proceed. 4. What members of the group will be active? 5. Who will convene the next meeting? 6. Date, time, and place of the next meeting What happens if you don’t get down to this kind of detail at the meeting?

Questions?

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