Since we formed our little company in 2012, we have had the honor of working alongside hundreds of destinations and sports event organizers. We are humbled to have been tasked to lead some very important work for our partners, work that has the opportunity of changing their trajectory for years to come. Now that we have been doing this for a while, HUG is in a stage of its lifecycle where we are going back to revisit the original strategic plans we did for folks five, six, seven years ago. These “reboots” as we call them are critical to the continued success of the organizations we serve.
If carried out correctly, strategic plans are living breathing documents that serve as an organizational roadmap for future activities. The actions put forth in a strat plan should intentionally lead to success over time. However, as one year comes and another goes, eventually the game plan becomes less relevant, and maybe even obsolete. So it’s important to refer to the plan on a regular basis and at some point in time (usually after five years) revisit it in its entirety.
We believe that solid strategic plans have four main components.
One, they focus on only a few main elements, or “pillars.” Trying to be everything to everyone leads to mission creep. Also, spreading resources too thin is a surefire way to be average at a lot of things and great at none.
Two, they are statistically benchmarked to the best level possible. The plan should outline who is best-in-class in certain areas. It should use specific data points to measure current activity and to define future goals. The old saying applies here, “What doesn’t get measured doesn’t get done.”
Three, the action items in the plan need to be attributed to someone specific. Laying out 3-4 goals without identifying who is responsible for them will lead to miscommunication and failure.
Fourth and final one here…..
Your plan should identify what the “home run” looks like. If the goal is to build up the political will to get a funding source in place to then build a tournament quality facility, that is a long term grand slam. Put it on paper, put it out there, define the big win.
Sure, there are a million elements that go into a strategic plan. Start wide with a look at the market. Add a SWOT analysis. Then narrow it down to specific action items tied to well defined goals.
Analyze everything, boil it down, keep the game plan simple, specifically define what success looks like.
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