1. CREATING A STRATEGY FOCUSED ORGANIZATION
2017 MARYLAND RECREATION AND PARKS ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Barbara Heller, President Heller and Heller Consulting, LLC

2. SESSION AGENDA Overview of strategic planning
Elements of the balanced scorecard approach to strategy formulation
Successfully implementing a strategic plan

3. STRATEGIC PLANNING BENEFITS

4. DEVELOPING STRATEGY Why? Who is involved? Community, stakeholder input
Map out the process; it isn’t done in a day
What is the difference between strategic planning and master planning?

5. CHECKLIST FOR STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT
What are the key process steps?
Who are the key participants?
What are your short and longer term planning time horizons?
How do you ensure the plan addresses: SWOT, major shifts in technology, markets, customers, etc., long term organizational sustainability, your ability to execute the plan?
What are the key objectives and timeline?
How do your strategic objectives address innovation, and balance the needs of all stakeholders

6. KEY STEPS IN STRATEGY DEPLOYMENT
How do you develop and deploy action plans?
How do you ensure resource availability?
How do you account for shifts and changes?
What is your key human resource plan to accomplish objectives?
What are your key performance measures or indicators for tracking performance?
How do you connect employees with the Plan?

7. REVIEW OF ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND RESULTS
 The better the assessment of organizational performance, the better strategic plan
 SWOT
 Key Performance Indicators
 Community Input: people do not know what they do not know

8. STRATEGY PROCESS
Development of strategic themes, objectives and initiatives
Alignment with community need
Mission, Vision, Values
Organizational Performance
Measurement system

9. CONSIDERATION OF DEMOGRAPHICS AND TRENDS
 Aligning strategy with community needs
 Trends process/lifecycle review
 Public engagement; they do not know
what they do not know
 Identifying future requirements of customers

10. STRATEGY PROCESS Strategy as a core competency of senior leaders
Strategy development and deployment
Timing/Timeframes (short, medium, and long, I prefer 3-5 years)
Getting out of the weeds
The detriment of management inspection
Fitting it into workload
Sequencing and timing of needs
assessment, strategy, master planning
Cultural alignment

11. SHORTCOMINGS OF STRATEGIC PLANS
Way too many recommendations
Not simple and too many pages
Tactical rather than strategic
Unsuccessful implementation
Parks+recreation+planning+administration
Not very bold
Several key theme areas; no cause and effect relationships
Attention not given to cultural shift needed
Not measuring
Not engaging employees
Lack of information sharing with partners, residents

12. THE BALANCED SCORECARD APPROACH TO STRATEGY
Addresses the leadership infrastructure
The four perspectives: customer, financial, internal business support, and employee learning and growth
Cause and effect relationships
Themes, Objectives, Measures, and Initiatives
Building a Strategy Map

13. STRATEGY HIERARCHY Strategic Themes Strategic Objectives
Strategic Measures
Strategic Initiatives
Tactics
Cascade to business units

14. CREATING VALUE THROUGH THE BALANCED SCORECARD
Customer Perspective
Product/service attributes (price, programs, quality, availability)
Relationship (customer loyalty)
Service (access mechanisms, standards, requirements, and encounters)
Image Financial Perspective
Productivity, growth, financial results Internal Perspective
Operations Management (maintenance practices, program development, park design)
Customer Management processes (support systems and use of technology)
Innovation processes
Regulatory and Social processes (safety, environmental) Learning and Growth Perspective
Human capital
Information capital (management of organizational knowledge)
Organization capital

15. Expand recreation opportunities, aligned with customer need
STRATEGY MAP
Delight the Customer
Expand recreation opportunities, aligned with customer need
Customer Perspective
Improve customer satisfaction and loyalty
Provide a quality product at a good value
Financial Capability
Financial Perspective
Aligning financial resources
Growing program and facility revenue
Non-tax revenue
Operational Excellence
Internal Perspective
Build image and brand
Streamline critical processes
Build strategic alliances
Drive innovation
Continuous Employee Development
Employee
Learning &
Growth Perspective
Foster a positive work environment
Develop competencies
Develop customer focus

16. BALANCED SCORECARD
Vision: To serve the community by delivering best in class parks and recreation opportunities.
Mission: The Park District is a leader in providing leisure experiences that enhance the quality of life for our community.
Strategic Themes Strategic Objectives Strategic Measures
Expand recreation opportunities, aligned with
Program registration (q)
Customer satisfaction
(q)
Customer referral (q)
Customer retention (q)
Custome r
customer need
Improve customer
Delight the customer
satisfaction and loyalty
Provide a quality product at a good value
Non-tax revenue growth
Aligning financial resources
Growing program and
facility revenue
Financia l
Financial capability
Program and facility revenue (q)
Alternative revenue (q)
Non-tax revenue percentage (q)
Build image and brand
Drive innovation
Streamline critical processes
Build strategic alliances
New programs (q)
Internal customer satisfaction (a)
Partner satisfaction (a)
Efficiency savings (q)
Key process documented (q)
Operational Excellence
Interna l
Foster a positive work environment
Develop competencies
Develop customer focus
Employee satisfaction (a)
Regrettable turnover (q)
Percent competencies achieved (q)
Percent service staff rated high (a)
Continuous employee development
Employe e
Learning &
Growt h

17. REPORTING EXAMPLE
INITIATIVE
Ongoing
Short-Term
Mid-Term
Long-Term
Staff Responsible
2013
2014
2015
Complete a needs assessment survey to identify community needs to ensure services match the needs and are responsive to changing demographics x
Warren Bird
Develop a system wide evaluation process for rentals, program and events
Develop a response to process customer requests
Keith Reagan
Partner with HR to promote health and wellness programs for C2W program
Establish service and program standards to develop consistent customer experiences
o Greet/meet/interview guests/customers
o Staff knowledge – so they can answer more questions
o Establish standards for friendliness
o Daily facility inspections before opening
Develop a benchmark process with competitors/similar providers to determine areas of needed improvement X
Develop and implement a plan for expanding recreation center space.
Ann McGinnes 17

18. 18

19. EFFECTIVELY DEPLOYING STRATEGY
Top leadership commitment
Assigning a champion
Regular reporting system
Annual report
Measurement system (12-20 Key Measures)
Continuous communication with employees
Performance appraisal for senior leaders
Cascading to divisional levels after a year
Governance and staff involvement; alignment with City plan

20. EFFECTIVELY DEPLOYING STRATEGY, CONT’D
Stakeholder sharing…cliff notes version
Just in time adjustments, annually
Tie it into budget process
Institutionalize the process— staff retreat, educate employees
about strategy, visual management, recalibrate measures
Parking lot

21. Summary, Discussion,
For more information, contact Barbara Heller