Knowing you have possibilities is a luxury. This one day (or few days) is your opportunity to look forward. The one day to address the important, the few and the significant.
What do you want to be? A vision for the organization is key to making strategic decisions.
Walk into your planning cycle without any decisions made in advance. The direction might surprise you and will inspire you. Think about your market conditions, what’s inside that needs to change, and consider an honest look at your culture as an organization. What problem is still bothering the association? What is missing that really needs addressing? This is about change. Honest conversations about what the organization should look like. And act like. You, committed leaders are responsible for its outcome. Formal, facilitated, and uninterrupted.
You have competition. Whether you think about it or not. Talk about it. And agree on what is your competitive advantage?
Be forward thinking. Use this time to consider the long term. The significant.
My role is to keep you moving towards the strategic. The considerations that are not easy fixes. And to help you arrive at a few issues that you can impact.
Don’t decide NO before you consider WHAT IF. The big decisions are yours.
Turn your biggest issues into goals that address the most relevant problems. Not the easy fixes, the ones that your board will need to monitor and adjust for the upcoming three years. Across three presidential terms. Which means this is the Board’s plan and not the President’s plan.
The Strategic Plan is a Commitment to Change.
Your role – yes you, board member is to lead the organization in thinking about its future. Don’t stay quiet because you are new to the board; don’t stay quiet because you think differently than someone else. Don’t take a seat here just to observe. You don’t have to comment on everything, but comment on something. Say something because it is contrary. Because the more you make decisions based on the input form all board members, the more valuable (and motivating) the plan will be in the end.
Knowing you have endless possibilities is a luxury. Use your time well.
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