Four phases
A federated program grows best in stages. Attempting an organization-wide rollout at once leaves too little capacity to support anyone well.
- Early adopters. Forward-looking units pioneer the approach, help refine the process and tools, and produce the first success stories.
- Amplifying success. Their outcomes and testimonials are documented and shared, which creates interest across the organization.
- Expansion waves. The program grows in planned phases, each sized so the security office can support it and apply what the last one taught.
- Community building. As adoption grows, resource teams form a community of practice, supporting each other and sharing what works.
Planning each wave
Decide which units, locations or areas of risk come next by weighing three things: the resources available to support them, how ready their people are, and the likely effect on their operations.
Give each new group the training and support the earlier ones received, adapted to their needs.
The snowball
Growth tends to accelerate. As more units take part, word spreads about how well the approach works and how easy it is to use, and units begin asking to join.
Case studies, testimonials and demonstrations help that along. So does candor. Be open about the difficulties earlier groups met and how they were handled, because it sets realistic expectations.
Measure and adjust
Track the rollout with clear measures, and review them regularly with leadership and with the teams themselves. They show where the program is working and where it needs attention.
Expect to change the approach as it spreads. Ask participants for feedback, review processes on a regular cadence, recognize successes, and treat setbacks as something to learn from. Improving the program is a responsibility shared by everyone in it.
Where it leads
Full participation is a realistic goal. It has been reached at the scale of 59 units and 178 resource teams, with every team maintaining at least one security plan.
Reaching that point completes the starting phase of a program. The other Practice articles describe the work those teams do.