As The S A P Rises

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As The S A P Rises

• Strategic Action Planning For Chapters

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Developed/ Presented by

• Dr. Beverly Helms
• P O Box 728
• Bonifay, Fl 32425
• Email bevhelms_at_embarqmail.com
• Phone [phone]
• Contact me if I may be of assistance.

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STRATEGIC ACTION PLANNINGThe Delta Kappa Gamma
Society International

• Planning is bringing the future into the present
  so that you can do something about it now.
• 
  Alan Lakein

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AS THE SAP RISES

• Sap is sometimes called the blood of a tree
  because it circulates inside, carrying nutrients
  and water throughout the tree. A tree would die
  if sap didnt circulate inside it. Tree sap also
  has a great deal of potential for future uses.

Strategic Action Planning (SAP) is critical to
the life of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society
International.
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As the gardener, by severe pruning, forces the
sap of the tree into one or two vigorous limbs,
so should you stop off your miscellaneous
activity and concentrate your force on one or a
few points.

• Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Our consciousness rarely registers the beginning
of a growth within us any more than without us
there have been many circulation of the sap
before we detect the smallest sign of the bud.

• Thomas Hardy

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WHY PLAN?

• To Keep The End in Sight.

To Live/Move Intentionally.
To Act With Purpose.
To be Proactive, Not Reactive.
To Design Your Future
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What is the Process for Planning?

• Developing A Plan
• is laying out the sequence
• of events/activities
• that have to occur
• for you to achieve your goal(s).

OR
Laying out a path to help you get from where you
are to where you want to be.
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Example

• (where we are)
• We have 25 of our members in attendance.
• (where we want to be)
• We want 60 of our members in attendance.
• So what can we do to help us get to where we want
  to be?
• What path could we follow to help us get there?
• Recognize/Reward/Honor members at meetings?
• Involve all members in a project?
• Assign each member a responsibility?
• Assign seasoned members to mentor others?
• Develop an accountability model for chapter?
• (phone, email, visit, write)

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Its Your Chapters Future

• You cant leave it to chance.

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What Can Chapters Do?

• 1. Look at International Strategic Action Plan.

2. Review the State Strategic Action Plan
3. Decide what is most important.
4. Put First Things First. Cant Do Everything.
A good plan today is better than a perfect plan
tomorrow.
George S. Patton
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Sample State Areas of Focus (9)

• Membership

Leadership Development
Finance
Expansion
Marketing
Communications
Organizational Effectiveness
Society Impact on Education
Review/Update of Action Plan
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Your Chapter. What are First Things?

• Membership
• Member Participation
• Leadership for Chapter
• Programs/Projects

• What One or Two Things Would Make the Most
  Difference in Your Chapter?
• In What Areas Does Your Chapter Need to Focus?
• Remember Keep it Simple to begin with.

• Communications

• Finance

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Needs Assessment

• What are our Areas of Focus/Concern?
• Involve Members in Determining Important Areas in
  Which Your Chapter Needs/Wants to Focus.

• Where do we want to be as a chapter in relation
  to our Area of Focus?
• Where are we now in relation to the Area of Focus?

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Membership?
Need to Retain Members? Need to Gain or Initiate more Members? Need to Diversify your Membership? Need to Attract more Members
Need more Members to attend meetings? Need Members to be more active? Need more committed Members? ?
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Membership

• Chapter Objective
• If a chapter of 50, is losing 10 members each
  biennium, thats 20.
• What would you like to retain? 85? 90?
• How can you accomplish this? What can You do?

• Mu State Objective
• Increase retention of
• members 5 each
• biennium.
• They list 5 activities directed toward doing
  this.

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Members attending meetings

• Chapter A has 65 members. No more than 25 attend
  a meeting. (38)
• Chapter B has always had 50 member attendance.
  It now has 30.

• Does Chapter A or B have a problem?
• Would you feel a need to address member
  attendance if you were in either chapter?
• Why?
• Why Not?

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Initiating New Members

• Chapter C initiates 2 members each year.

Chapter D initiates 5-6 members each year.
Chapter C has difficulty finding two educators to
initiate. Sometimes more are recommended but few
accept. Is the problem one of attraction of
members or of recruitment?
Chapter D loses at least 50 of its initiates
within the first three years of membership. Is
there a problem? If so, What?
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Leadership Development

• Chapter E has Difficulty Getting Members to
  Assume Leadership Roles.
• Last biennium 10 were asked before one accepted
  the presidency.

• Is that a problem or a situation you would like
  to change if you were in this chapter?
• What would you like to see? What would be your
  goal? What activities might you use to try to
  meet your goal?

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The Chapter SAP

• YOU (Chapter Members) decide what is
  important. What may need to be addressed,
  improved, maintained, deleted.)

Identify your own Areas of Focus. You are not
required to copy, follow or adopt the Areas of
Focus at International or Mu State.
Correlating to your state objectives may be
desirable.
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Strategic Action Planning
When you decide on an Area(s) of Focus, you must
Identify where you want to be (future your
objective(s)
in relation to
where you are (status present).
Then decide how you can best get there
(activities).
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Review/Update Chapter SAP

• Everybodys business often becomes nobodys
  business.
• Assign Responsibility for Strategic Action
  Planning.
• The Plan is not the critical thing the Planning
  Process is the Key.

• Involve Members in Reviewing and Updating the
  Objectives as well as the Activities.
• Once an objective is accomplished, celebrate and
  focus on another area, but maintain your success.

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Strategic Action Planning is not studying the
stars or copying other chapters.
Strategic Action Planning is looking at your own
chapter through a microscope. What are you doing
well? What do you need to work on? Where do you
see your chapter in 10-20 years? How can you get
there?
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Design Your Chapter SAP
Areas of Focus Objectives for each Area of Focus Activities for each Objective
(Example only) A. Membership A.1.To increase retention of members A.1.1Assign Mentors A.1.2.Improve Communication
A.2 To initiate 5 more members. A.2.1 Members recommend a new member.
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Resources Available

• 1. International SAP on Web site at www.dkg.org

2. Many state organization plans are on state
Web sites.
3. Contact your state organization president,
your state organization chair of Strategic Action
Planning, or 4. The International Chair for the
International Administrative Boards Strategic
Planning, Dr. Beverly Helms or Jeannette Zuniga,
Costa Rica.