CHAPTER SESSION: SOAR to Success!

As explained in the Chapter Sustainability Pyramid, strategic planning is the process that determines where a chapter is going over a specified period of time and how it is going to get there. Implementing a strategic plan will determine how your chapter, chapter leaders, and members are going to carry out the mission and values of the organization locally. This plan will also ensure that all leaders understand how the goals help to create the ideal membership experience for their members, and assign responsibility of tasks to specific volunteers. With all the chapter leaders agreeing to the future of the chapter, there is less of a chance for confusion on responsibilities.

This session will use the Strategic Planning Guide, created by the chapter services staff at the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) as a framework for the conversation, which will help attendees understand how to develop a strategic plan for their chapter. The Strategic Planning Guide follows these steps for strategic planning:

• PREPARE
• Gather your TEAM
• Develop your chapter goals
• Understand the Purpose & Make an overall timeline
• Understand who you are

• BRAINSTORM
• Complete your SOAR analysis
• What are our strengths?
• What are our opportunities?
• What is our preferred future? (aspirations?)
• What are the measurable results that will tell us we’ve achieved that vision of the future?
• COMPLETION
• Create the chapter strategic plan
• Approval of Plan
• Implementation (Action planning)
• Review
• Accountability

Samples and resources will be shared, and attendees will have an opportunity to share their own best practices and tools in creating a strategic plan for their chapter or organization.

This session will also remind attendees of the importance of setting goals that are based on member needs, and not the desires or passions of the board members. This will ensure that members are engaged and involved in the chapter, and that the chapter is sustainable beyond the term of the current leaders.