This resource guide is written for Head Start Directors, Component Coordinators, other staff and parents who share in the task of developing program plans. In the introduction, the concept of participatory management is defined. Advantages and disadvantages of participatory management and required skills for the effective use of participatory management are listed. A major section of the guide focuses on the development of plans through the integration of community needs assessment data with Head Start Performance Standards. A way of organizing the data gathering and synthesizing activities by establishing component work groups is suggested. As Head Start Performance Standards require a written plan for each program component, specific program goals, objectives and action steps must be formulated. The final section of the guide details features of a good component plan and indicates how to progress from the preliminary planning stages to the completion of a detailed component plan. Also included in the guide are two examples of plan format and a leader's guide for workshops designed to increase skill in developing plans. (Author/RH)