Sussex Rotary Strategic Planning Session
On Friday, January 10th, 2020, Sussex Rotary attended an organization strategic planning session hosted by Tanya Chapman of The Chapman Group, the four-hour session designed to help Sussex Rotary build out a plan to help and serve both our local and global community.
 
Tanya Chapman is the founder of The Chapman Group. Tanya holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education degree from St. Thomas University, along with a certificate in Human Resource Management and an MBA from the University of New Brunswick.  She is a designated Certified Human Resource Professional and has completed the ICD Directors Education Program from the Rotman School of Business. Her management consulting firm specializes in, among a host of things, helping organizations build strategic plans for growth and effectiveness. 

Tanya proceeded to walk the Club through reviewing its vision and mission and identifying its strategic priorities.

She touched briefly on the need for tactical action plans and the importance of measuring success against those action plans along the way...
 
To sharpen focus, Tanya had the Club first brainstorm "Where We Have Been?" listing all of the accomplishments of the Club we could recall in the last three years. The detailed historical notes from JC Lockhart came in very handy!
 
Some of the scope covered included, but were not limited to:
 
  • 40 years Perseverance
  • Community Groups Support
  • Diversity Increased
  • Division of Work Increased
  • Elderly Support
  • Environment
  • Fun and Service
  • International Project Support
  • Leader Recognition
  • Membership Changes
  • School Lunch Program
  • Town Improvements
  • Youth Programs
  • ... and so on
Sussex Rotary Strategic Planning Session
 
Sussex Strategic Planning Session
Tanya then had the Club pool their thinking on "What Do We Stand For?". While Rotary International provides overarching values in The Four-Way Test that encompass what Sussex Rotary does and its value system, there were additional elements discussed:
 
  • Community Leadership
  • Community Pulse
  • Community Service
  • Disaster Relief
  • High Ethical Standard
  • Kindness
  • Memorable
  • Networking 
  • People of Action
  • Personal Development
  • Positive Influences
  • Service Above Self
  • ... and so on
With this context now set, Tanya guided the group to thinking outwardly to the communities that we are serving and to hone in on attributes like workforce trends, demographic changes, societal changes in technology and culture, and
social and political climates. Knowing how to serve the community requires a clear understanding of its needs and Tanya had the team pool our thinking on Sussex and surrounding areas. What is happening in those communities, and where are the needs that Sussex Rotary can proactively plan to address or improve? 
Sussex Rotary Strategic Planning Session

Lastly, Tanya discussed the importance of developing action plans, measuring all Club activities against those action plans and priorities, and revisiting that plan regularly.

The Chapman Group will provide a session readout for the Club in the upcoming weeks that captures the day's progress and can serve the Club to start the work of carrying out our plans! 

Tanya and The Chapman Group believe in giving back- and provided their consulting services at no cost to the Sussex Rotary Club. As a token of the Club's deep appreciation, President-Elect Angie Cummings presented Tanya with a gift of a variety of local products (even some maple syrup!). She thanked her for her time, care and investment in our team.

Thank you, Tanya!