October 19, 2009: Blowing it up and starting over
Category: Planning
Posted by: David M Patt
Association CEOs usually don't like to do that. They have a tendency to conduct triage while thinking and planning.
Ideas that appear politically or financially unfeasible often get jettisoned by the time strategic plans take shape. Few people want to waste time thinking up things that can't be done.
If you are the person who jumpstarts the association's planning process, get out of the office to do your thinking. You may acquire a much better perspective.
Find a spot to roost in a library, restaurant, or park bench, where you are not surrounded by association people or objects. Don't bring your cell phone, laptop, or documents of any kind. Just sit and think about this:
If you could create your association from scratch, what would it look like?
It may not look anything like the association does today. If you think the "new" association looks better, then start plotting a strategy to move it in that direction.
Begin with a political strategy to persuade your leaders to support the new, improved association. Construct supporting arguments - financial, logistical, marketing, etc. - to establish the rationale for the "new" look.
Don't worry about what has been approved in the past, what contracts have been signed, or how the association has traditionally conducted its business. That will prevent you from moving forward.
Use the "new" look as the starting point and cast off older portions as soon as you can (more about this, soon).
If the "new" organization better meets members' needs than did the old one, the re-creation should be well-received.
(Apologies to ASAE's Joe Rominiecki for pretty much copying the title of his Acronym posting.)
Ideas that appear politically or financially unfeasible often get jettisoned by the time strategic plans take shape. Few people want to waste time thinking up things that can't be done.
If you are the person who jumpstarts the association's planning process, get out of the office to do your thinking. You may acquire a much better perspective.
Find a spot to roost in a library, restaurant, or park bench, where you are not surrounded by association people or objects. Don't bring your cell phone, laptop, or documents of any kind. Just sit and think about this:
If you could create your association from scratch, what would it look like?
It may not look anything like the association does today. If you think the "new" association looks better, then start plotting a strategy to move it in that direction.
Begin with a political strategy to persuade your leaders to support the new, improved association. Construct supporting arguments - financial, logistical, marketing, etc. - to establish the rationale for the "new" look.
Don't worry about what has been approved in the past, what contracts have been signed, or how the association has traditionally conducted its business. That will prevent you from moving forward.
Use the "new" look as the starting point and cast off older portions as soon as you can (more about this, soon).
If the "new" organization better meets members' needs than did the old one, the re-creation should be well-received.
(Apologies to ASAE's Joe Rominiecki for pretty much copying the title of his Acronym posting.)
