Power Analysis and Strategic Campaign Planning
To build power, you first have to understand it.
There is nothing more powerful than a community of people who are organized and determined to make change.
But wielding that power effectively requires an understanding of the landscape of decision-makers, allies, opponents and processes.
That understanding informs campaign goals and timelines, including any intermediate steps the team must take.
In working with campaigns to develop a strong power analysis, I rely on my nearly two decades of political and advocacy work to offer a detailed breakdown of who the decision-makers are, what they care about and how community members can either work with them or defeat them.
How will we know when we’ve won?
Too often, organizations launch action plans--or even entire campaigns--without taking the time to answer this question.
Without clear goals in place, “winning” can be defined by activity—number of events held, doors knocked—rather than outcomes.
That definition of success sends teams into auto-pilot, using the same tactics in the same way, year after year, without determining whether those tactics are effective.
I start the strategic planning process at the finish line, working with campaign teams to identify specific, measurable goals that can serve as a north star in moments when tough decisions must be made.
A strong plan will grow, shrink, and/or bend with the campaign.
A useful campaign plan must be detailed enough to inform day-to-day work and flexible enough to adapt when circumstances change.
Finding the right balance between the two requires devoting the time necessary to assess the team’s capacity, carefully consider a range of possible scenarios and, most importantly, question each other’s assumptions.
It also requires a timeline that leaves room for delays and minimizes the number of late night or weekend fire drills.
I have led strategic planning processes and workplan development for teams working in a variety of settings, both virtually and in-person. I’ve learned the hard way that the time teams save by skipping the planning process is more than offset by the time lost to misunderstandings, duplicated efforts, and lack of communication.