Summary:
This YouTube video discusses strategic planning for associations, particularly when facing uncertainty. It provides tips for creating and implementing a realistic strategic plan. Click here to view the webinar.
Key Points:
- Importance of Strategic Planning: Strategic planning is crucial even, and especially, during uncertain times. It provides direction for the board and focus for the staff.
- Scenario Planning: Develop two to three likely future scenarios and create modified strategic plans for each. Focus on identifying risks and opportunities for each scenario.
- Re-examine Existing Plans: Don’t automatically discard existing strategic plans, but re-examine them from the ground up, considering what has changed.
- Risks and Opportunities: Be aware of the risks of losing members, sponsors, and government funding. Focus on opportunities to engage members, attract new sponsors (especially Canadian companies), and explore new funding sources.
- Environmental Scan: Conduct an environmental scan (both internal and external) to understand the current situation and identify risks and opportunities.
- Staff Input: Involve staff before, during, and after the strategic planning process to gather their input and ensure the implementation plan is realistic.
- Government Relations: Align advocacy efforts with government priorities and offer information and market intelligence to government to build relationships.
- Implementation: Successful implementation requires a roadmap (action plan with dates, accountability, and KPIs) and explicit board oversight.
Highlights:
- In uncertain times, associations need to provide timely and relevant information to members.
- Engage members by creating task forces and committees to address issues and concerns.
- Sponsors are critical, especially for smaller associations; understand their changing needs.
- Revisit the vision and mission statements to ensure they are still relevant.
- Strategic plans should be short (less than a page per objective) and include objectives, action steps, dates, accountability, and KPIs.
- Personal conversations are more valuable than surveys for environmental scans.