A STRATEGIC plan outlines the direction, goals, and impact of your club.
Your strategic plan should communicate your club’s values and goals and provide clarity to make decisions for the club that align with the values and goals of the club.
STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
The strategic planning flowchart is a quick guide on the planning process. (You can find the flowchart at the Queensland Government websiteby searching “Planning for club development and growth”.
It shows the process flow through:
- purpose – Your “why” statement
- goals
- strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT)
- actions
- implementation and review.
To improve strategic planning, involve club members and stakeholders to foster commitment and ownership. You can involve incoming members and include strategic planning as part of your club’s onboarding process.
The planning process is valuable, offering a chance to plan for the club’s future beyond daily tasks.
During planning, stay open to new ideas and consider both internal and external factors like technology and societal trends. Be ready to adapt the plan as needed for resilience and preparedness.
STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHEETS
The strategic planning process will help you define your club’s purpose and goals, and develop a plan to achieve your needs.
You can organise workshops with your committee and involve members to complete the worksheets.
Once completed, consolidate the information into your own strategic planning document to share with your members.
PURPOSE WORKSHEET
Understanding your club’s purpose – the reason it exists – is the first step in the strategic planning process. A strong “why” statement helps:
- guide decision-making
- drive member engagement
- focus planning efforts.
A “why” statement goes beyond the objectives outlined in your club’s constitution.
While these objectives may describe the activities of the club, your “why” statement should speak from the heart.
It should capture the essence of your club, tapping into the emotions and passions that draw people to your club and keep them coming back.
GOALS WORKSHEET
Having ambitious goals inspires and motivates your members, as well as laying the groundwork for achieving incredible results.
The worksheet will help you categorise goals into:
- doable (immediately achievable)
- stretch (requiring some additional resources or effort)
- possible (long-term and ambitious).
This approach will help your club stay focused and motivated as you work towards achieving your goals.
SWOT
A SWOT analysis examines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and is a common tool in strategic planning.
Use the SWOT analysis worksheet (see the government website) to outline the steps to build on your strengths, address your weaknesses, capitalise on opportunities, and mitigate threats.
ACTION PLAN
In action planning, you list what you will do to achieve goals, seize opportunities, build on strengths, and address weaknesses and threats.
It’s crucial to consider funding and other resources during this process.
