By Bruce Ross, Executive Director – (262) 224-4949 or bruceross@wi.rr.com
This article originally appeared in a March 19, 2020 Special Edition Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Newsletter to our chapter leaders.
It seems there are a lot of leaders hoping – and saying – that their organizations will come out of this period stronger. I’m certainly one of them.
But, “hope is not a method”, as General Gordon Sullivan, former Army Chief of Staff reminds us, meaning, hope is okay, but it doesn’t win the battle. Winning the battle (that is, emerging stronger) requires being clear about objectives, and thoughtfully implementing steps to achieve them.
This period of forced isolation provides an opportunity to focus on what needs getting done for WWA to be a stronger organization…. and then getting about the business of making it happen.
To be a stronger organization, WWA must, at the state-level:
- Implement programs to grow our membership and chapter base around the state;
- Successfully implement the Board of Directors’ Committee structure to be more impactful in our missions across the state;
- Diversify our funding streams to reduce our near-total dependence event fundraising;
- Make it easier for chapters to be successful in all of our WWA missions.
To be a stronger organization at the Chapter level, WWA must:
- Implement programs (fundraising, habitat, education, advocacy) that engage new volunteers and renew the passion of our veterans;
- Develop successional leadership opportunities to ensure continuity of the chapters.
Each of these objectives, if we can achieve them, will make WWA stronger after the novel Coronavirus is a moment in our global history. But, they are only the objectives, not the actual implementation. So this is an opportunity for WWA leaders to step forward and get about the business of making them a reality. I think there will be more of this in the next few special edition newsletters.