To: Governor Brian Schwartz, North Carolina State Department From: Brenda Colbert, Staff Director Subject: Strategic

Plan for Challenges of Early Retirements Incentives Package Date: July 2, 2012 The purpose of this memorandum is to address the organizational challenges foreseen by our department due to the recent implementation of the early retirement incentives package and strategies we plan to implement to overcome them. Of primary concern, and the most applicable challenge for our department will be deciding what cuts to make. While we realize budget cuts and cuts in staff members will be necessary, we want to do so in a manner that will allow for the continued effective operations of the department so that we may remain constant in implementing the aspects of our visions and core values. From a functional standpoint (Harris, n.d.), and with the intent being that we continue to maintain the effectiveness of the department, we propose to consider: What exactly our mission and core values are and how any cuts made will impact how we operate (Thomas; Pierce; & Tomes, n.d.); What our future goals our and how we will need to budget to ensure we meet those goals as well as current ones (Thomas; Pierce; & Tomes, ); Who are stakeholders are and what they expect from us (Thomas; Pierce; & Tomes, n.d.); What would happen to our department if certain cuts were to be detrimental to our mission (Thomas; Pierce; & Tomes, n.d.); and What opportunities does the fiscal environment present to us that we could exploit for the benefit of our department without having to jeopardize our own departmental budget funds (Thomas; Pierce; & Tomes, n.d.).

The second challenge will be in maintaining morale and rotating quality personnel members. In keeping up morale and by rotating staff members, we hope to be able to maintain focus on our mission and stay within budget at the same time. From a divisional (Harris, n.d.) standpoint, we propose to maintain core leadership values that include vital support for both head management and employee personnel. This will require leadership and management strategies that focus upon the fact that it is the people of the organization that make it happen and each individual is vital to its function and should be considered as such and treated in a fair and equal manner. Also of consideration will be rallying the support of our stakeholders as they are the individuals most often affected by our organization and its programs and services. From a matrix (Harris, n.d.) standpoint, and to ensure that our stakeholders continue to support and trust us to fulfill our duties we propose to

involve them in the process as we go along in our transition and to maintain good communications with them so that they know they are an integral part of our team and its mission and that we have their best interests at heart as well as our own. And, last but not least, is the challenge of creating opportunities for future innovation as this is essential to the survival of our organization. From a network (Harris, n.d.). standpoint, we propose to call upon our managers to focus upon our goals, projects, and tasks (Awayre, n.d.) in a manner that will allow for future growth and the maintaining of our organizations ability to not only fulfill its duties at present but in the future as well. In closing, I wish to reiterate on the fact that with the implementation of the early retirement incentives package our department and its mission will without a doubt be faced with challenges, and that overcoming these challenges will take time and above all teamwork. However, I as director am confident that with the strategy proposals lined out in this memorandum that not only can these challenges be overcome but that we as an organization can emerge as an even stronger and effective provider of services to all of our stakeholders at both an organizational and public level. Sincerely yours, Brenda Colbert Staff Director-North Carolina State Department

References: Harris, Cheryl L. (n.d.). Characteristics of Effective Managers. Retrieved July, 01 2012, from: http://pyramidodi.com/papers/managers.pdf Thomas, Edwin C.; Pierce, Jon B.; & Tomes, William E. (n.d.). The Challenges of Cutback Management. Retrieved July 01, 2012, from: http://ipspr.sc.edu/publication/Cutback.pdf Awayre. (n.d.). Leader vs. Manager: Traits, Qualities and Characteristics. Hub Pages. Retrieved July 01, 2012, from: http://awayre.hubpages.com/hub/Leader-vs-Manager