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The vision and foresight of the prior Board of Directors of the American Loggers Council enabled the organization to have 5-year Strategic Plans that provided the guidance to continue moving forward and grow. Most of the Goals, Objectives, and Strategies from the 2019 Strategic Plan have been implemented and accomplished.
A new Strategic Plan is necessary to pave the way for the next five years. The Strategic Planning Committee met in Montana for a couple of days ahead of the Summer Board of Directors Meeting to begin work on the new Strategic Plan.
Nine new goals were identified and ranked by priority. They were:
• Communication
• Coalition Building
• Public Image
• Succession
• Markets / Trade Policy
• Budget and Finance
• Lobbying / Legislation
• Staffing
• Value
Talking Stick – Seek First to Understand, and Then to be Understood.
The Strategic Planning meeting was facilitated by ALC Second Vice President David Cupp who implemented the Talking Stick concept to ensure a collaborative environment where diverse perspectives and inclusive participation are encouraged.
The objectives, strategies and metrics will be developed to accomplish those goals and establish benchmarks to measure the progress and success in achieving each of these goals over the next five years.
The American Loggers Council, like all associations, organizations and businesses must have a blueprint to build, maintain, transition, and adapt in a changing environment. Otherwise, we will be reactionary instead of proactive.
One priority issue of the Strategic Plan is succession, which applies to more than just ALC personnel. The primary goal of succession planning is to allow organizations to be able to avoid the risk of operational disruptions and allow for maintaining growth and progress. The ALC must establish a succession plan for personnel and the Board of Directors. It’s an opportunity to transform and transition into a new image as leaders rotate, move on, or retire. It is inevitable, ignoring the need or pretending it is not going to happen won’t prevent it, so it is better to prepare and encourage the next generation. It’s an opportunity to embrace change and to bring in new and different perspectives and develop a less homogeneous image. It is not a threat to the status quo, but instead the only assurance that what has been built through the investment of time, money, and sacrifice will continue to exist, grow, and prosper.
As I wrote in a prior “As We See It” – Turning Over the Reigns / Reins is a critical and difficult transition. There comes a time when passing on the reign / reins is vital to the future of a company or organization, it is an opportunity to nurture growth, and ensures continued success.
Each of us has invested a lifetime in our businesses, careers, and organizations. We can be proud of what we have built and accomplished and should welcome the opportunity to pass on a strong foundation to the next generation of leaders to build upon further. The future of your business or organization will be a living legacy to you, the leaders that built it and passed it on to the next generation of leaders to maintain and grow.
Strategic Planning, planning for the future, is not possible without a pipeline of successors to be mentored today for the transition into leadership tomorrow. It is the responsibility of true servant leadership. What better testimony to the past and present than to have built a strong foundation to enable others to build upon further?
With a business, organization and/or association, transition is necessary to ensure that it is prepared for the future. The success of that transition is dependent upon current leadership recognizing this responsibility, embracing it, and implementing processes to facilitate succession. The future will be built upon the actions of today.
As the Louisiana Forestry Association / Louisiana Loggers Council Annual Meeting theme “Where Do We Grow From Here” emphasized businesses, organizations, and associations will grow with the next generation of trees and leaders.
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