Last week, I mentioned that it’s likely going to take a small group of folks getting together and hatching a plan to “Reboot the Flathead”.
A well-thought-out plan might eventually look nothing like the plan the group starts with, that being the nature of thinking big.
No, that’s not a flip-floppy excuse, it’s just life. If you aren’t a fireman, a nurse or a fighter pilot, you likely changed your mind at least once since the third grade. Life is not always a straight line.
Accept that a plan coming out of 2010 might not look identical to itself when looking back in 2020. The road to get there might take a turn or three, Deal with it.
What usually happens
Usually these discussions are born of some government or Chamber of Commerce committee. While they’re well-intentioned, they’re seldom effective at this particular task.
First, there’s a motivation issue. These groups gain little if their plan produces results, but more importantly, they *lose* little if the plan fails.
As a result, there’s a lack of really serious motivation to produce quantifiable, big picture goals that transform communities.
Second, the groups are too big and maybe things are just a little too Robert’s Rules of Order-ish to make anything happen.
Seriously massive thinking doesn’t take root that way and large groups of adults in office chairs around a big table is a guarantee only that coffee and donuts will disappear.
Third, the formation of the groups usually comes with boundaries, sacred cows, ground rules and “Don’t go there”s.
Because of these issues, some stuff happens, but it’s exceedingly rare that there’s a big audacious master plan that any normal person would look at and roll their eyes over – which is exactly the nature of the solution needed.
Eventually, things slow down and the folks who came there thinking some action was going to take place get frustrated and bail out.
I’ve seen several of these take place, despite good intentions of the folks involved. This time needs to be different.
A plan like this needs a small group of people who have a burning desire to create a sustainable plan that employs many different kinds of workers, producing an economy that can take a punch, as well as one that’s of interest to your kids.
Why kids?
Do you want your kids to move away because they can’t grow their career without running off to Seattle or some such? Not a great way to get close to the grandkids, is it?
Who do we get?
Maybe a better question is what kind of people are we talking about?
People who get things done, sometimes as if a flippin’ miracle occurred.
If you look back over history, you’ll likely find that these folks have two traits:
First: They don’t how to take “No” for an answer.
I don’t mean that they ignore everyone around them or ignore the opinions of others before making a decision they can stand behind.
Instead, they tend to hear “You can’t possibly accomplish that” and consider that one more motivation.
Second: They don’t wait for permission to start, not from the County, the City, their mom, the State, the Feds, the local business alliance, their industry group or the Sons of the American Revolution (I’m a member, in case you think I’m “dissing” them).
They just make stuff happen.
A fine example
A guy named Barry came home to Columbia Falls a few years back. He started making things happen with a close circle of friends, both old and new.
He doesn’t ask permission, he just takes back his hometown, knocking off fixing this, building that as the effort starts drawing a crowd and gains unstoppable momentum.
Soon grandiose plans appear that require big money, land and immovable objects.
Next thing you know, a dead bank building in the center of town becomes a community center, purchased from Glacier Bank. Events are happening there daily, if not multiple times per day.
And that’s just the start.
Do you know someone like that? I’d like to hear about them.
Want to learn more about Mark or ask him to write about a business, operations or marketing problem? See Mark’s site or contact him via email at mriffey at flatheadbeacon.com.