I was moderating a group of Hoosiers last week. At lunch, one of the participants was grazing through the lunch line and wondered out loud, “How many other states are having the same meeting to discuss the same problem (brain drain) right now?” My host, an incredibly bright guy engaged by an equally bright Workforce Commissioner, said, “Yea, but who’s going to IMPLEMENT the ideas?”
And that really IS the difference. Every state’s economic development plan calls for innovation, talent, and entrepreneurship. I swear, there’s some sort of E.D. software with gubernatorial instructions: “Simply insert your state’s name here and click PRINT when finished.” Voila! Out pours a 400-page plan to grow an innovation based economy.
Plans are easy. Implementation is hard. I love playing a role on both teams, but the “implementors” will make or break you.
