Real-world tips for strategic plan implementation success

At the CalCities City Managers’ Conference in Napa, we sat down with Keith Metzler (City Manager, Victorville), Michelle Poche Flaherty (Assistant City Manager, Redwood City), and Sean Bigley (Environmental Utilities Director, Roseville) to discuss how to bridge the gap between adoption and execution. 

Implementation barriers 

To kick off the session, we asked attendees to identify the biggest barriers they face when trying to turn a plan into action. The responses were raw and consistent. The most frequent “implementation killers” identified by city leaders included: 

• The resource gap: A constant struggle with funding, staffing levels, and the “bandwidth” to handle strategic goals on top of day-to-day operations. 
• The “shiny object” syndrome: City councils shifting gears after adoption, getting “into the weeds” of operational decisions, or introducing new, unprioritized requests. 
• Cultural resistance: A lack of departmental ownership or buy-in where the plan is viewed as just another study sitting on a shelf. 
• Vague objectives: Confusing goals and key performance indicators that are either too difficult to achieve or disconnected from actual staff work plans. 

Recognizing these barriers is the first step toward overcoming them. Here are tips from our panelists on how to move from a static document to a dynamic roadmap: 

1. Build the right team first 

“Before launching your strategic plan, it’s important to have a good team in place to help you successfully execute the plan.” 

– Keith Metzler 

Implementation requires organizational readiness. If your departments are siloed or your leadership team isn’t aligned, your odds of successful implementation are diminished. Success requires ownership at the highest level—starting with the city manager and department heads—and ensuring they have the authority to move projects forward. 

2. Listen before you write 

A plan only works if people believe in it. Sean Bigley emphasized the need to invest time in listening to stakeholders, elected officials, and staff. “Doing this will increase ownership, gain a clear and aligned organizational direction, and allow for a more successful implementation.” When staff see their own perspectives reflected in the goals, the plan stops being a “management mandate” and starts being a shared mission.

3. Integrate the plan into your management system  

To keep a plan from going stale, it must be woven into the city’s existing “rhythm of business.” The panelists suggested several anchors: 

• Tie it to the budget: Don’t let the strategic plan and the budget live in separate worlds. Ensure every major budget request or council staff report explicitly links back to a strategic goal. 
• Performance evaluations: Incorporate strategic goals into the annual performance reviews for the city manager and department heads. If it’s not measured, it won’t be prioritized. 
• The annual validation: Redwood City and Victorville each use annual retreats to validate the plan and recognize progress. This isn’t about a total rewrite, but a check-in: What have we accomplished? What remains to be done? Do our guiding principles still hold up? 

4. Manage the council shift 

Council turnover, or the tendency for elected leaders to lose focus on long-term goals, was identified as a hurdle akin to the “shiny object.”  

• Onboarding is critical: When a new council member is elected, or a new city manager is hired, the strategic plan should be the centerpiece of their orientation. It sets the guardrails for what the organization is currently tasked with doing and enables effective stewardship of the work that is underway. 
• Course correction: A strategic plan is a living document. It is okay to adjust goals when conditions or political climates change. However, these changes should be intentional and discussed at the council level, rather than through informal priority shifts. 

5. Use the right tools (keep it simple) 

Don’t get bogged down in overly complex software. Use tools that drive decisions: 

• Dashboards and success metrics: Be transparent with the community and the council about progress. Whether it’s specific, as with the Redwood City economic mobility plan, or reflects city success indicators more generally, visibility creates accountability. 
• Ad hoc committees: Use ad hoc staff committees to dive deep into specific, time-bound objectives. This keeps a smaller group focused on execution without bogging down the entire Council. 

6. Distinguish “foundational” from “aspirational” 

Not every goal is a “moonshot.” The panelists noted the importance of separating foundational goals (core services that must be maintained) from aspirational strategies (new, high-impact projects). This helps staff prioritize when time and funding get tight.  

Getting started  

If a prior plan failed, start small. Build quick wins to restore staff and council confidence. Focus on alignment, listen to your stakeholders, and—most importantly—ensure your leadership team is ready to own the work. 

Implementation isn’t about the document you produce; it’s about the culture of accountability you build around it. 

For more information on how to implement your strategic plan, contact Nancy Hetrick at nhetrick@raftelis.com or Catherine Carter at ccarter@raftelis.com.