MGMT201

Transformational Leadership for Achieving the

SDGs in Developing States
MODULE 5
 MMODULE
5
Developing Detailed
Implementation Plans Using
Labs (BFR Step 2)

Overview

In the previous Module, we took you through the stages of designing and conducting
a strategic direction workshop in order to ascertain the strategic direction required.
In this Module 5, and keeping in mind the strategic direction identified previously,
we will examine how detailed implementation plans can be developed to achieve a
country’s strategic goals. For every country,
even a cursory search online for ‘national
strategy’ or ‘national blueprint’ brings up a
torrent of past and existing commitments for
the nation and its peoples. However, almost
always lacking are practical proposals on
how these grand strategies can be translated
into implementable projects.

With the True North in mind, we now

set out to translate these grand strategies
(or as we like to call it, 30,000 feet plans)
into implementable 3-feet plans. This is
undertaken through the Labs process. During
Labs, relevant stakeholders from all levels
of government, industry and civil society
are gathered to brainstorm and problem-
solve on means to achieve this True North.
Importantly, involving all stakeholders in the
Labs process ensures stakeholder buy-in and
fosters a sense of ownership of the outcome
that is crucial to guarantee the successful implementation of any project.

© 2017 University of the West Indies Open Campus  1

 The name ‘labs’ comes from ‘laboratories’, i.e. it is a space which functions as a controlled
environment for experimenting with new ways of working or doing business. It does
need a dedicated physical (and/or virtual) space with supporting tools.

The lab approach could be used when a country and/or organization is seeking:

1. Big Fast Results, or where a big business impact is required.

2. Fast delivery of results to prove the need for change or generate excitement
that catalyses the country or the organisation into change.

3. A radical redesign or fundamental rethinking that demands innovation,

creativity and the testing of the limits of risk.

4. To intensify cross-functional interaction, remove silo mentalities or when the

stakes are high around an organisations turf or politics.

5. To resolve significant “rackets” (unwanted conditions that persist).

In this Module, therefore, you will be shown, using a standard guide, how labs are
conducted and how an implementation plan is developed.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this Module, you will be able to:

1. Articulate the relationship between Labs and the True North.

2. Discuss the importance of designing and running Labs.

3. Assess the role of a Lab’s facilitation team.

4. Summarise the Lab process.

5. Critically analyse the concept of a 3ft implementation plan and how it is

developed in the Labs.

6. Justify the importance of designing and compiling a Lab report.

7. Develop an implementation plan.

8. Raise limits of ambition.

This Module is divided into two sessions as follows:

Session 5.1: Developing Detailed Implementation Plans Using Labs

Session 5.2: Practical Lab Exercise

MGMT201: Transformational Leadership for Achieving the SDGs in Developing States – MODULE 5  2
 Recommended Readings and Viewing Resources

The Role of the Facilitator/ Retrieved from http://www.virginia.edu/

processsimplification/resources/Facilitator.pdf

The Role of a Facilitator. Retrieved from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/

article/RoleofAFacilitator.htm

Facilitated Workshop. Retrieved from https://www.agilebusiness.org/content/

facilitated-workshops

What are facilitation skills? Retrieved from http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-

contents/leadership/group-facilitation/facilitation-skills/main

“Water for All” Labs in Maharashtra, India.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQLh9G7lLyg

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXdOY3ye-RY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAGr1mjpS8M

You are also advised to locate and read: Additional papers relevant to the topics
covered.

Now go to your course page to view the presentation to find out more about Labs
or click on the link http://media.open.uwi.edu/MGMT201_UNSDG/media/m5.
The content is divided into two sessions and includes:

Session 5.1: Developing Detailed Implementation Plans Using Labs

• Today’s Reality: A Failure to Deliver Plans

• Key Dimensions of Labs

• Linking the Lab to the True North

• Why Use Labs?

• Lab Stakeholders

• Labs: The Process – Pre-Lab; Lab; Post-Lab

• Outputs of Labs – The Lab Report and the 3 feet Implementation Plan

Session 5.2: Practical Lab Exercise

• Practical Lab Exercise

MGMT201: Transformational Leadership for Achieving the SDGs in Developing States – MODULE 5  3
 LEARNING ACTIVITY
Practical Lab Exercise (Graded)
Your course facilitator will schedule a live Blackboard Collaborate
session where you will be given the opportunity to apply a few of the
lab techniques learnt in Module 5. Based on a selected issue – e.g.
reducing crime, you will be guided through a prioritization exercise,
prioritising issues and solutions. The intent is to take you from identifying
issues to developing detailed solutions that are easy to implement and
that will produce high impact results. This will lay the groundwork for
the development of detailed 3 feet implementation plans. For this lab
exercise, you will be required to work in groups to identify a priority issue
for your selected country and develop corresponding sub-issues and high
impact solutions that are easy to implement. For the issue identified, you
will need to answer the following questions:

a) What is the solution?

b) What are the desired outcomes?
c) Who needs to be engaged to execute the initiative?
d) What are the key steps needed to execute the initiative?

In this lab, you will also begin to conceptualise and frame your
implementation plan.

Module 5 Summary

Frequently, governments develop 30, 000 feet plans that are too lofty and difficult to
implement and so they often fail to deliver. In this Module, you were exposed to the
novel strategy of using a Lab environment to prioritise national issues and to break
down these issues into smaller more manageable ones so that workable and detailed 3
feet plans with solutions can be produced. By prioritizing issues and coming up with
practical solutions, the module demonstrated how detailed implementation plans that
are much simpler to execute can be developed. Apart from the practical lab exercise,
you were provided with foundational concepts and key aspects of Labs as follows:

1. Key Dimensions of Labs

2. Linking the Lab to the True North

3. Why Use Labs?

4. Lab Stakeholders

MGMT201: Transformational Leadership for Achieving the SDGs in Developing States – MODULE 5  4
 5. Labs: The Process – Pre-Lab; Lab; Post-Lab

6. Outputs of Labs – The Lab Report and the 3 feet Implementation Plan

In the next module, Module 6, you will be guided though the BFR Steps 3 - 5.

MGMT201: Transformational Leadership for Achieving the SDGs in Developing States – MODULE 5  5