As the first quarter comes to a close, what methods or processes are you using to ensure your team (staff and volunteers) are delivering on your plan of work?
Peter Rumble
CEO
Santa Rosa Metro (CA) Chamber
Critical to accomplishing results is ensuring everyone on the team is bought-in and feels ownership of the organization’s goals, which are spelled out in our strategic plan.
With that, my leadership role is to help overcome challenges, to provide resources and guidance, and to make the right connections for each individual on the team to achieve success.
While we leverage technology to help communication flow and share work products on a daily basis, I rely heavily on regular time with each of my senior team and board leadership to check in on progress, identify what help is needed, and to celebrate accomplishments.
With such a talented team and supportive board, I find this to be the most effective way to stay accountable to each other and our shared success.
Timm Slater
Executive Director
Bay Area (OR) Chamber
COVID had a difficult impact for all of us. We have the chamber focused on its future course, to move from surviving to thriving.
We initiated our work plan to achieve that through the use of SMART goals, with each goal having a champion and monthly review of progress at the board meeting.
Additionally, this quarter, we have been adapting and improving the operations of chamber teams/committees, promoting the use of innovation in all our programs to be more impactful in the community and focused on the recruitment of dedicated directors interested in creating the future not simply letting it happen.
Ailis Vann
Executive Director
Greater Palmer (AK) Chamber
Our chamber has been focusing a lot on processes this year and last. We are currently in a huge revision of our administrative manual, which will help the board and staff fully understand roles and responsibilities.
We have recently implemented a membership retention schedule to help our small team stay on top of connecting with and engaging our new members. It has been a year of growth and change, but with our new retention schedule in place and a newly implemented strategic plan, we are able to divide our energy and focus more evenly.
Angie Anderson, IOM
President/CEO
Glenwood Springs (CO) Chamber Resort Association
To ensure accountability, we share our annual plan of work with members and publish it on our website. Our team uses a version of Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), and the plan correlates with staff’s quarterly goals or “rocks.”
During our weekly staff meetings, we check in on progress of goals, and if something is off track, we address the root cause. Our plan of work is reviewed quarterly with our board.
This process keeps us focused, and it allows us to say no to extra projects and activities that do not fit within the plan of work and the organization’s mission.
John Brewer
President/CEO
Billings (MT) Chamber
Prior to the beginning of each fiscal year, we develop a program of work for the upcoming year that includes specific priorities to reach longer-term strategic objectives.
Those programs, projects and tasks include measurable objectives, timelines and name the staff member who is accountable. Each staff member is clear at the start of the year what their potential bonus pool is if they deliver on their individual benchmarks within the program of work.
At least quarterly during a management team meeting we review progress toward goal for all projects collectively. Management in turn regularly reviews their departmental progress with their team.