How to Refresh and Reset Your Strategic Plan

How to Refresh and Reset Your Strategic Plan in a Crisis Period Georgia Chapter Club Management Association of America May 11, 2020

Adapting to Change • Covid not mentioned in Mc. Mahon/NCA’s Outlook 2020 published in Winter 2020 • How things can change! • Black Swans (9/11/Great Recession/Covid) increasingly common • Club leaders must prepare to adjust quickly to changing conditions

The Stakes Are High • Demand on club boards have increased dramatically over past decade • Club leaders were already dealing with complex challenges: • • • Great Recession aftermath Demographic shifts Changing lifestyles Evolving recreational preferences Aging facilities and lack of new amenities • Now we have another crisis to confront • Club viability and sustainability often at risk

Change Afoot “We are in an industry that has seen monumental shifts over the past decade as country club members are looking for a casual, family-friendly, fun and wellness driven experience, in addition to golf. ” William Bone Co-CEO & Founder of Sunrise Company Legendary Developer of Successful Clubs and Communities

Most Clubs Have a Strategic Plan • In times of crisis, they must be refreshed and reset • Many strategic plans are developed to address a specific issue, i. e. , membership or facility issue • Often, they remain in place, but they are no longer relevant • Refresh and Reset is about continually keeping plans relevant • Post-covid threat we now face requires strategic planning for new challenges • Critically important to hold true to the club’s Mission-Vision-Values as you adjust to the new circumstances

Call to Action “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. I mean, it’s an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before. ” Rahm Emanuel President Obama’s Chief of Staff

• Ready – Fire – Aim approach • Tactical membership drives • Reduced initiation fees • Incentives and other monetary enticements to sponsor or prospect Common Mistakes • Reducing programs destroys Community • Scale back food and beverage operations • Reduce family activities • Cutting staff • Loss of member connections • No return on your training investment • Cost to hire new people

Rally Your Leadership Board service is often a missed opportunity Many boards are focused on operations, not strategy Volunteers want to be challenged and use their expertise, but ingrained practices often fail them A strategic focus improves performance and leads to much greater fulfillment for volunteers and professional staff

What Directors Tell Us • Board work trivial and unrelated to the organizational success or failure • Didn’t require meaningful input or expertise • Scripted meetings for detailed committee reports, not strategic issues and outcomes • Lack of training for new Board members • Lack of self assessment Source: Mc. Mahon Group Pulse Survey

What Motivates Club Leaders • Strategic Planning exercises • Capital campaigns • Responding to crisis situations Source: Mc. Mahon Group Pulse Survey

Purpose Driven Boards “How are we doing? ” • Accountable to the mission “What we’re doing” • Not mired in operational minutia “Where We’re Headed” • A vision of the future

Core Values “Its not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. ” Roy Disney

Core Values • Clearly identify special traits and behaviors of your organization, not moral or ethics, but a few special characteristics • How do we behave? • What do we truly value? • What makes us unique?

Refresh & Reset Overview

Refresh & Reset Process • Board, manager and planners identify club’s challenges • Strategic issues survey of leadership to identify and prioritize challenges and solution for strategic planning • Board and manager moderated workshop: • Review strategic survey results • Review existing Mission-Vision-Values • Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats • Identify Key Success Factors • Develop Goals and Action Plans for 3 to 5 most

Refresh & Reset Clarity for Managemen t

Who Benefits from Refresh & Reset? • Crisis is call to action • The 60% of clubs have a strategic plan • Time to dust off the plan sitting on the shelf • The 40% of clubs without a strategic plan • The ones who need it the most • Events can motivate board members to finally embrace planning

Move Quickly Yet Thoughtfully • With immediate challenges facing a club, the planning process must move quickly • • • 3 to 4 weeks Inclusive of advance research Workshop/action plans Refinement Approval

Refresh & Reset Achievements • Generates immediate action, but in sync with long term Vision in the club’s overall plan • R&R builds consensus at board/manager/member level on “what to do” and “how to do it” • Protects each club’s values while innovating to keep the club relevant in today’s society

Balance Near and Longer-Term Issues • Re-launching Issues • • • Safe and secure place Effective Communications Member Marketing Financial Management Solution and Timing of Improvement Projects • Major societal trends • • • Building Community Promoting Health and Wellness Embracing Technology Expanding Role of Women Addressing Time Constraints Providing Safe and Secure Environment

Time for Leadership • Opportunity to rethink offerings and experiences • Increase viability and sustainability • Improve member service and experience • Advance, not retreat

Thank you for listening Questions?