from Sherry Marts, Executive Director, Genetics Society of America:
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there.” Lewis Carroll
The Genetics Society of America (GSA) has strong ties to the beginnings of modern genetics research and a solid history of success as the primary membership society for research geneticists. For GSA to continue to thrive and grow as an organization, it must respond to multiple shifts in its environment – rapidly changing technologies; widespread changes in science publishing; and the challenges of the current economic crisis are some examples.
My appointment in January 2009 as GSA Executive Director provides an ideal opportunity for an in-depth look at where GSA is, where it wants to go, and how it will get there. This requires GSA to embark on a thoughtful strategic analysis and planning process.
A good strategic plan:
- projects out several years into the future
- serves as the basis for the organization’s annual operations plan
- guides a process for evaluating the relevance and usefulness of programs and projects; and
- drives decisions on the allocation of financial and human resources.
There is value inherent in the process of strategic planning, apart from the final documentation of the strategic plan. A good strategic planning process focuses the attention of an organization’s elected leaders and staff on the growth and success of the entire organization, rather than on specific programs, projects, or areas. The process encourages leadership assessment of current programs and activities, gives key leaders and stakeholders a sense ownership of the plan, and builds consensus on the organization’s direction, goals and objectives, and means to achieve its vision.
Strategic planning involves gathering information, opinions, and ideas from all of the organization’s stakeholders. In the case of GSA, this includes GSA members, organizers and attendees of the GSA Conferences, the Editorial Board of GENETICS, subscribers and contributors to GENETICS and GSA staff. This information will be used by Board and staff leadership as they articulate the organization’s vision, mission, and values. It also helps in generating action plans for achieving the vision in accordance with the organization’s stated values.
We are starting this blog as one of several ways we will involve GSA members and prospective members in our strategic planning process. Your comments here become a part of the information that your elected leaders and the GSA staff will use as we develop a vision for the future of GSA, and a plan for how to fulfill that vision.
Please, join the conversation!
Sherry