Ask the ‘TASC is a PBIS advice column from the RSE-TASC Specialists

Question: How do teams actually find time to sit down and plan?

I have found that the main reason teams cannot find time to sit down and plan has less to do with finding time and more to do with what they are actually planning. Ask yourself these three questions…

1. Are your current team goal (s) compelling and ambitious enough?
2. Do team members have exciting individual responsibilities to complete in-between team planning time that relate to the compelling team goal?
3. Have you set deadlines to accomplish your compelling team goal?

If you have a plan that has important and compelling goals that inspire members to complete individual tasks, I believe you will have a much easier time finding the time to plan.

The key is to make your meetings efficient. Think about dividing up the team into workgroups with specific purposes. Tier 1 workgroups could include a Data Workgroup, Acknowledgement Workgroup, Teaching Workgroup, and Family/Community Engagement Workgroup. This way, the larger team only needs to meet for a short period of time to discuss agenda items relevant to everyone. The workgroups can meet (or email) on their own time and report back to the larger group about their completed tasks the next time the larger group meets.

If you have a question you would like us to answer, please email your question to: dlangley@pnwboces.org with the subject line “Ask the ‘TASC”