The Pitch Pipe - October 2008 - (Page 6) Long-Range Strategic Direction Strategic Focus Relies on a Firm Foundation The new iteration of Sweet Adelines’ strategic plan combines the contemporary with the historic. The plan’s strategic focus is on seven priorities, which receive the support of those timeless elements retained from the organization’s strategic plan of 1994. The plan was created by the International Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team who met in five individual planning sessions over a period of two years beginning in June 2006. Consensus was reached early in the process that Sweet Adelines’ existing mission statement and goals best describe the Board’s long-range vision for the organization and set the direction in which resources should be allocated. Mission: Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization of women singers committed to advancing the musical art form of barbershop harmony through education and performance. Goals: A) Sweet Adelines International is the premier provider and resource for training and coaching in women’s four-part harmony, barbershop style, including quality vocal education for all singers. B) Sweet Adelines International is financially stable and secure. C) Sweet Adelines International is recognized throughout the world as the leading performing and educational organization for women’s a cappella music. D) Sweet Adelines International provides a positive climate that promotes creativity, leadership and personal development. In an early session, the planning team identified four critical issues facing the organization: • Declining membership • Education • Financial security • Personal Development – to provide members of Sweet Adelines International with opportunities to be creative, enhance self-esteem, and build self-confidence within a community of harmony. After a year of intense work, including surveying, tabulating, and assessing responses gathered in three separate rounds of surveying, the Delphi Study reported that opinion leaders identified six areas of concern: • Money • Membership • Education • Competition • Governance • Organizational image In its third face-to-face meeting, the planning team, moderated by Betty Clipman, divided itself into four work groups, each assigned to focus on the areas of education, finance, and membership. Work at this session was further refined in the fourth meeting where Betty Clipman said, “The way to determine the future is to create it..” Also at this meeting the Board agreed on seven priority areas for which strategies would be adopted. Those were (in no particular order): the Young Women in Harmony Program, rookie programming, joyful atmosphere at rehearsal, membership programs, member retention, education, director education, and finance. By March 2008 the planning team was prepared to review its work and assign further development of individual strategies to various committees, individuals, and staff. • Identifying and developing volunteer leadership. Instead of launching into uninformed discussions or decisions about those issues, the Board chose to invite two of its members, Sharon Babb and Kathy Carmody, both from Region 8, to ask for information from opinion leaders within the organization via the Delphi Study process. Kathy Carmody had conducted a similar study, which was helpful to the original strategic planning process of the early 1990s. At a session in October 2006, while the Delphi Study was underway, the planning team reached agreement about the core values and beliefs of Sweet Adelines International. These are identified as: • Musical Excellence – to continually provide education to achieve musical excellence. • Organizational Stability – to sustain Sweet Adelines International through financial security, strong leadership, public awareness, and a growing membership. 6 October 2008
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