In politics, communication is complicated. Some people are direct, some people are indirect, some people lie, some people don’t have a clue.
So how do you find out what a person’s intention is? Observe what they do. The phrase "action speaks louder than words" has never been more true. Observation is difficult. If you are not participating in the political spaces or living in the areas decisions are made about, you have to rely on journalism. Stories don't always follow the ethics of unbiased content and there's not enough reporting to cover everything. That's where alternative journalistic practices need to be developed. For those of you following well-documented stories and participating in political spaces doing things like attending public meetings and observing the development of solutions, you can identify intention by considering the following:
What is the goal?
The goal is the idea. Write down the goal. Use the SMART goal method. With the SMART goal method, there are plenty of areas where people may write things that aren’t based in reality. This is where input from locals/lived experience experts are important, as well as using the Reality Model. For the ‘Realistic’ portion of the SMART goal, it is unlikely for the group to solve this issue alone. This is where you identify the locus of control and responsibility pie.
What is the plan?
Write down what the plan is to achieve the goal. This is the idea execution. It’s the most important yet most difficult part. It’s why entrepreneurs often say that ideas are cheap. What matters is if a person is capable of implementing the idea. This is where input from geniuses/solution experts are important.
Is the plan working?
Impact is whether the execution of the idea achieves the goal. Sometimes the most seemingly perfect plans have grave unintended consequences. If the intention is to meet the goal, then changing the idea execution plan won’t matter. Use the reality model to accurately assess impact- don’t change a great plan just because you don’t directly see the change, or because the change isn’t happening immediately.
Goal: ________________________________
Specific: (What is the goal?)
Measurable: (How will you know when it’s completed?)
Attainable: (Is this goal possible?)
Realistic: (Is it possible for this group to achieve the goal?)
Time-Bound: (When will this goal be achieved by?)
Idea Execution: __________________________
Impact:___________________________
Intention: ______________________________
Will the idea execution achieve the goal?
If yes, the intention is to meet the goal.
If no, identify all possible factors to accurately describe intention, such as: -People have intention, but do not have the knowledge or understanding they need to act on it.
-People have intention, but they are not allowed to pursue action because of external circumstances.
-People have intention, but do not have the experience, ability, or competency to make SMART goals or execute action
When filling this out, leave the intention blank until the end.
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