{"id":7180,"date":"2017-07-05T10:00:16","date_gmt":"2017-07-05T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/?p=7180"},"modified":"2018-06-11T20:13:32","modified_gmt":"2018-06-11T20:13:32","slug":"association-hunger-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.naylor.com\/associationadviser\/association-hunger-games\/","title":{"rendered":"Association Hunger Games: Victory or Defeat?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

A 2013 Harvard Business Review<\/em> blog post suggests that, \u201cExecution is a minefield \u2026 Agendas compete. Priorities clash. Decisions stall. Communication breaks down. Timelines get blown. It\u2019s never a question if these problems will happen; it\u2019s a question of when and to what degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

Can you and your organization relate?<\/p>\n

In \u201cThe Hunger Games\u201d franchise, when Katniss and Peeta\u00a0enter the arena, they\u2019re often unsure of what extreme terrors they will face as tributes. Most horrifying is in \u201cCatching Fire,\u201d\u00a0when the geography of the arena is based on a clock dial. In first the book and then the movie, fans are treated to 12 terrifying zones where unimaginable obstacles include paralyzing fog, monkey mutations, giant tidal waves, blood rain and lightening storms.<\/p>\n

And while association professionals don\u2019t routinely find themselves navigating these extraordinary circumstances, the Association Hunger Games offer challenges that are no less potent than those faced by Katniss and Peeta. Consider the most common pitfalls associations face implementing strategy. They include lack of detailed planning and accountability, unclear expectations and prioritization, and poor communication and coordination.<\/p>\n

According to a 2005 Harvard Business Review article, \u201cCompanies typically realize only about 60 percent of their strategy\u2019s potential value because of defects and breakdowns in planning and execution.\u201d<\/p>\n

(And, yes, you can easily replace the word \u201ccompanies\u201d with any functional area or department within your organization. As a supplier, you might also think in terms of \u201csales\u201d or \u201cservices.\u201d)<\/p>\n

This execution gap suggests that what we plan to do usually doesn\u2019t align with what actually gets done. The resulting gap represents lost opportunities and revenue. For most organizations, that might include a loss of conference attendees, a decline in membership or a slip in non-dues revenue \u2013 some or all of which could severely devastate an organization\u2019s bottom line.<\/p>\n

So, how does this translate to your organization? Consider, for a moment, what you have to lose. Every situation will be different; however, following are just a handful of the outcomes at risk:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Operational<\/strong><\/td>\nOrganizational<\/strong><\/td>\nPersonal<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Production<\/p>\n

Finances<\/td>\n

Efficiency<\/p>\n

Culture<\/p>\n

Reputation<\/td>\n

Credibility<\/p>\n

Supporters<\/p>\n

Job<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

In fact, a 2011 Forbes magazine article supports this claim: \u201c82 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs feel their organization did an effective job of strategic planning. Only 14 percent of the same CEOs indicated their organization did an effective job of implementing the strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

To close this gap and to conquer the challenges they face, organizations should simply SPICE up their approach to focused implementation. Specifically, SPICE stands for scan, plan, implement, communicate and evaluate. This simple, non-linear framework for implementation planning and execution is most effective once key organization stakeholders develop and deploy an intentional strategic plan.<\/p>\n

First, SCAN<\/strong> the terrain. Assess the strategic plan based upon recent performance. Then conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis, assessing the competitive strengths, identifying organizational weaknesses, and exploring both opportunities and threats of external origin. Finally, determine the issues that need to be addressed based upon findings. In many ways, scanning is the key to superior execution. After all, it\u2019s difficult to correct implementation issues if they\u2019ve not initially been identified.<\/p>\n

Then it\u2019s time to PLAN<\/strong>. In the planning phase, be inquisitive and ask lots of questions. Select a tool to collect, organize and maintain the responses to these questions. It could be a simple Excel spreadsheet or something more sophisticated like Basecamp<\/a><\/strong>, a popular project management platform. Questions may include, but are not limited to:<\/p>\n