Guidance for a Successful Year

A Leader’s Measure of Success Articulates Vision Shows Passion Facilitates Decision-Making Recognizes Volunteers Empowers Others Articulates Vision Well – a Destination Shows Passion for Association Helps Facilitate Decision Making Stands Along Side of Members and Not Above/Over Recognizes Work of Volunteers Empowers Others to Achieve

How important is your vision? Does anyone here have a vision for the year ahead? {ask for hands and for brave volunteers to share}

SNA Core Purpose Hankerson Photography When creating your vision, consider the foundation of the organization. SNA’s core purpose is to ensure well-nourished students are prepared for success.

SNA Mission And our mission is to be the national organization of school nutrition professionals committed to advancing the quality of school meal programs through education

When crafting your vision. . . Is your vision tied to a strategic process? Is there a plan of action for your vision? Is your vision achievable? Are others inspired with your vision? Do you have the resources? Can you articulate your vision to others?

Do You Have a Plan of Action? Are others involved with helping you develop your plan of action? Is your plan of action reflected in the budget? Is your plan based on “priority” issues the association is or is about to confront? Are your strategies realistic? Has the Board approved your plan of action?

You Will Be Successful If You…. Build strong partnerships Work hard to make others feel important Provide clarity of purpose and vision Stay focused on strategic issues Achieve consensus by facilitating, not controlling

You Will Be Successful If You… Set the bar high for acceptable behavior Provide public and individual recognition for work well done Communicate often; stay in touch Care about the future of the organization, not just your year

Six Strategic Issues in Associations Today From Exploring the Future: Seven Strategic Conversations that Could Transform your Association

1. Meaning Matters Success will depend on your association’s ability to create meaning in the minds and lives of members and prospects; to build meaningful relationships; to build a sense of community, social purpose and contribution

2. Inclusivity Serving a variety of cultural backgrounds and viewpoints in an association, while challenging, will leverage the organization to capture new markets, expand opportunities and broaden reach

3. Generational Synergy Four distinct generational cohorts under the same organizational roof will challenge us to accommodate and leverage all in effective, meaningful ways

4. A Learning Culture Associations will be competing with an increasingly diverse and crowded marketplace of training providers and, will need to focus on continual member learning rather than traditional workshops, seminars, and books

5. Transparency Greater openness and accessibility is being driven by the Internet, corporate misdeeds, vocal activists and a demand for greater accountability; be prepared to operate “in full sunlight”

6. Living Organizations The era of command and control management is over; rigid systems break; old heavily structured and regimented processes are giving way to more fluid, flexible and adaptive approaches