Results vs. Activity: Council And Staff Talk Past Each Other

Different expectations surface early
During the first of two strategic planning study sessions this year, early discussion revealed a disconnect between the Town Council and staff over how the strategic plan is framed and reported. Council members emphasized a desire for planning focused on clearly defined outcomes, while staff updates emphasize activities completed or in progress. 

Activity reporting vs. outcome reporting
Council cited economic development, referred to in the plan as economic vitality, as a clear example. Council members said their intent is to attract major employers, expand commercial development, and increase revenue in a meaningful way. Council wants to know what progress is being made toward specific, identifiable targets tied to those goals.  Staff updates, however, focus on activities such as supporting startup programs, hosting networking events, and developing collaboration spaces. While these efforts may support broader economic development, council members questioned whether they are directly connected to achieving the stated goals.

Council wants "measurable outcome reporting"
Council members said strategic plan items should be built around specific goals and measurable outcomes, with reporting that clearly shows whether progress is being made toward those outcomes or whether current efforts are realistically on track to achieve them. They said success should be judged by results, not by the volume of activity.

Staff wants to do activity reporting because that is what they track
In response to council thoughts, Town Manager Wilkins directed council members to existing documents, including the strategic plan and internal project charters, for additional detail. He emphasized that staff is taking actions, tracking work through multiple tools, and providing quarterly updates, while noting the challenge of consolidating that information into a single, easily digestible report.  

Wilkins’ missed Council’s central concern: Members were not asking for more detail about activities, but for clearer, bottom-line assurance that those activities are designed to produce the specific results Council expects.

Looking ahead to the next strategy session
Several council members summarized the issue succinctly: sSaff is focused on doing things, while Council wants confidence that the things being done are the right ones and will deliver the intended results. As the Town prepares for its second study session, members indicated that clearer outcome definitions up front would help align expectations and keep strategic planning results-driven rather than activity-driven.

- - -