Module 1 Overview & Assessment
Welcome to the Design Phase of the 100-Day Challenge. Before a single day of action begins, we must ensure the system is ready to support a breakthrough. This module focuses on the critical weeks — from Week minus 5 to Week minus 3 — where you will secure the leadership commitment and human resources (100-Day Team) necessary to move the needle on service delivery and impact.
Podcast
Click to join (listen) two 100-Day Challenge coaches for a breakdown of this module, packed with practical tips for your team. Note: We’ve used AI to bring these insights to life—thank you for overlooking any weird accents.
The Big Picture
The 100-Day Challenge is not “business as usual.” It is a disciplined, high-speed journey to achieve results that previously seemed impossible. To succeed, your local system needs two things: clarity of purpose and high-level political cover. Over the next three weeks, you will put both in place.
Your Roadmap
Week minus 5:
Anchoring with a Challenge Strategist
Focus: Securing your political champion.
Every successful challenge requires a leader to clarify the purpose, mobilize others, and support them as they move into action. This is your Challenge Strategist.
What you will do: Identify a candidate with the right influence and mindset, define their role, and formalize their involvement in the Challenge.
Key Outcome: A dedicated champion is onboarded and ready to kick-start the process.
Week minus 4:
Building the "Business" Case
Focus: Internal preparation for leadership buy-in.
Before meeting with senior leaders, you must be prepared to speak their language. This week is about “pre-alignment.”
What you will do: Map and categorise your stakeholders, gather baseline data, and prepare a compelling “case for action” that aligns with the National Strategic Plan (NSP).
Key Outcome: Presentation that makes the case for why a 100-Day Challenge is needed and that outlines potential focus areas for the Challenge that are inspired by your local circumstances.
Week minus 3:
Securing Leadership Commitment
Focus: The Leadership Design Session.
This is the moment where senior decision-makers officially “authorise” the work, decide on team membership, and create a safe space for the team to innovate.
What you will do: Facilitate a session with multi-sector leaders to select a specific “Challenge Focus Area” and decide on membership of the 100-Day Team. The specificity of the Focus Area will provide the clarity of purpose that will be essential for success.
Key Outcome: High-level authorisation and a confirmed focus area for your 100-Day Team.
Your Action Checklist
To stay on schedule, please ensure the following steps are completed by the end of this module:
Enlist your Challenge Strategist: Bring them on board and ensure they have access to the learning platform.
Stakeholder Mapping: Complete the list of leaders and champions who need to be at the Leadership Engagement Session.
Draft the Challenge Note: Prepare the initial brief that describes the problem you intend to tackle.
Schedule the Start-up Workshop: Secure the date and venue for the Workshop that kicks off the 100-Day sprint.
What's Next?
Once leadership has given the green light and the Strategist is on board, we move toward the Start-up Workshop, where the frontline team will be formed and set their “unreasonable” 100-day goal.
Ready to start? Begin with the Week -5 to identify your Challenge Strategist.
After 3 weeks come back to the page to complete your module assignment – have a peak at the questions now…
