Running head: ARTIFACT 1 1

Artifact 1 Demonstration of ECQ1: Leading Change

Cheryl M. Calaustro
PUA 550 Seminar for Public Administration
McDaniel College
ARTIFACT 1 2
A Presentation and Reflection of Artifact 1
Administrators of environmental programs must have a vision, a plan and utilize
ingenuity to respond to the changing needs of their organization, program, staff and
constituents (Executive Core Qualifications, n.d.). In short, they must be able to create
and influence change. At times these changes are among their constituents but change
can also happen as a cultural shift within their own agency or organization.

Presentation of the Artifact
During my tenure at the Guam Department of Agriculture, I was responsible for
the design and implementation of several social marketing campaigns to garner public
support for the departments conservation initiatives. Social marketing changes peoples
behavior by systematically analyzing the psychological and physical environments of
target audiences and minimizing barriers to change (Andreasen, 1994). Similar to
traditional marketing, the costs and benefits to participants is highlighted to influence
change. Building a successful social marketing campaign will not only inspire change
but enable others to act by touching not only their heads but also their hearts (Kouzes &
Posner, 2009). These are characteristics of good leadership.
The artifact presented is a copy of a strategic action plan to support a social
marketing campaign entitled, Go Native! Guam that I developed to create awareness of
the social, economic and biological threats posed by predatory or invasive species such as
the brown treesnake. Invasive species have detrimentally impacted the biodiversity of
Guam. Additionally, the territorial bird, the Guam rail or koko, was used as a mascot to
illustrate impacts of invasive species on native species. Emphasis was placed on
ARTIFACT 1 3
increasing knowledge of current brown treesnake control methods and everyday use. The
plan called upon the community to report new invasive species, prevent releases of new
or unwanted pet species as well as request for adherence to biosecurity protocols.
The plan I developed helped move target audiences along the behavior change
continuum. This is the movement of stakeholders from stages of inaction toward action
by influencing levels of knowledge, attitude and behavior (Zimbardo & Ebbesen, 1970).
This plan was created through thorough analysis of constituents via an island-wide survey
that measured pre-campaign levels of knowledge, attitude and self-reported practices as
evidenced in Section D: Formative Research, Subsection 7: Establishing a Baseline
(Calaustro, 2008). Within the same section, Subsection 5: Focused Conversations
describes conclusions of initial data, followed by focus group discussions and personal
interviews to verify survey results and aid in the development of the project plan
(Calaustro, 2008). Additionally Section B: Develop a Concept Model, describes the large
stakeholder meeting was conducted to bring stakeholders together and come to consensus
in the identification of threats to the conservation goal and barriers to change (Calaustro,
2008).
Throughout the campaign, I had help and guidance from my agency to align the
goals of the social marketing campaign with the departmental mission. Public
engagement and feedback continued throughout the life of the campaign to help keep the
plan current with respect to the needs or concerns of stakeholders during the
implementation phase. At the end of the campaign, follow up steps were taken to
continue the momentum of the campaign with different target audiences and locations on
Guam.
ARTIFACT 1 4
Although this plan was created in 2008 and the official accompanying social
marketing campaign was completed in 2009, the plan, its associated outcomes and
methodology continues to be utilized and copied as a model to inform current and future
social marketing plans within the Guam Department of Agriculture.

Reflection of the Artifact
Most leaders have a vision and a plan in place but exceptional leaders have plans
that are vetted and endorsed through their constituents to obtain the necessary behavior
change and maintain it beyond the life of the campaign. As the social marketing
campaign manager, I was responsible for the development and implementation of the
social marketing plan. For any project that relies on public support, it is imperative to
involve stakeholders in the planning stages. Therefore, during the initial stages of
development I engaged the community and sought input regarding appropriate
communication techniques, channels and messages. Open communication facilitated
ownership and buy-in from stakeholders.
Additionally, collaboration with intended audiences kept me aware of external
factors that could have affected my project either positively or negatively. Through open
communication and respect for different viewpoints, I was able to create a plan that met
the needs of both my agency and the local community. Moreover, I was able to adapt my
social marketing techniques in response to the changing needs of the community. Being
grounded within the community also allowed me to rebound from implementation delays
easier as with public support there is also assistance from the public when needs arise.
ARTIFACT 1 5
The implementation of this plan allowed me to gain project management
experience and exercise adaptive management techniques. Likewise, my experience as
project leader gave me confidence to deal with conflict within the community.
Transparency in actions as well as constant communication of program accomplishments
and follow-up plans helped quell stakeholder fears and misgivings. As a result of my
experience, the need for a bottom-up project planning and understanding of internal
organizational culture became apparent to me as well as my superiors as a necessity for
future project planning activities (Birkland, 2011). My division now incorporates more
public participation and input through the regular use of public meetings, hearings, public
comment periods as well as informal and formal interviews.
This plan has been instrumental in creating successive plans that ultimately
allowed the return of an endangered species to the wild on Guam. This was not possible
without the help and commitment of the public to accept changes in their behavior that
would safeguard an endangered species in the wild.

ARTIFACT 1 6
References
Andreasen, A. R. (1994). Social marketing: its definition and domain. Journal of public
policy & marketing, 108-114.
Birkland, Thomas A. (2011). An Introduction to the Public Policy Process. Armonck,
NY: M.E. Sharpe.
Calaustro, Cheryl M. (2008). Guahan Rare Pride Project Plan. Unpublished manuscript.
Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic & Wildlife Resources,
Mangilao, Guam.
Executive Core Qualifications. (n.d.). OPM.gov. Retrieved J une 14, 2014, from
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/senior-executive-service/executive-
core-qualifications/
Kouzes, J . M., & Posner, B. Z. (2009). The five practices of exemplary leadership. The
Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership, 63.
Zimbardo, P., & Ebbesen, E. B. (1970). Influencing attitudes and changing behavior: a
basic introduction to relevant methodology, theory, and applications.