The Four Pillars
1. Through the medium of barbershop harmony, we maintain and expand supportive services for a global community of artists. 2. Through the medium of barbershop harmony, we elevate artistic and leadership skills through education and best practices. 3. Through the medium of barbershop harmony, we establish lifelong singing as a core community asset. 4. We increase our impact by building diversified revenue streams including earned income, individual philanthropy, and institutional philanthropy.
The strategic plan currently under development looks at how we will accomplish those zpillars through the lens of the Society and the broader choral ecosystem. We have great relationships with numerous other singing and musical groups—NAFME, ACDA, SAI, HI, and CASA. They are all interrelated, and for us to thrive as an art form and advocacy group for our art form, we need a road map for dealing with singers internally and other organizations externally. The strategic plan is designed to do just that. How are we arriving at this strategic plan?
When the Strategic Planning Committee first met, we wanted to develop a means to examine all factors that could be identified. We did not want to create a top-down plan, but a grassroots plan that strengthens the core of who we are collectively and individually. To do so, we needed to gather invaluable input from Barbershoppers, chapters, and districts. A satisfaction survey was sent in early 2016 to all members. We received about 2,900 responses. This survey gave us a baseline understanding of opinion and ratings of existing programs. A follow up “Future Direction” survey was again sent to all members, and garnered 3,051 responses. We were seeking opinions on potential directions the Society could take. All of this data is shaping the plan. We believe the responses were representative of the membership. We also asked for more extensive, open-ended feedback from 76 individuals (irrespective of Society titles) who we believed to be influential and in tune with the needs of particular barbershop constituencies. We received responses from 46 of these “influentials.” Additionally, Society Strategic Planning Committee members attended each 2016 district convention and held listening sessions to hear from attendees regarding our biggest opportunities and threats, and the thorniest issues that must be addressed.
plan will not be a panacea—it cannot please everyone or resolve every issue. A preliminary draft will be shared with the Society Board at Midwinter, 2017. We will finalize the plan and bring it to the Society Board for approval in May 2017, then roll it out during the second half of 2017. The expected result is that we will provide programs and resources so that every singer has opportunities and support for the global community of artists. That’s what we as a Society really are: a global community of artists.
The future of our organization will soon be in the care of our younger Barbershoppers. Do they have a seat at the table for the strategic vision?
They do. Society Board members are primarily baby boomers, and we recognized the plan needed to reflect the needs and desires of all Barbershoppers, present and future. Recently, Millennials were the most recruited age, so a Youth Advisory Council (YAC) comprised of young men has been meeting and giving feedback to the Society Board. Matt Gorman is chairing that council. What can our members and Associates do at this point?
What can you do? Go out and Make the Music that Makes a Difference. Participate in your chapter, district, and the Society. Most importantly, Make the Music that Makes a Difference in your community; that makes a difference in your life and lives in your community. Actively be a part of the call to action to implement the strategic plan through the Pillars to greatly increase both our numbers and our impact in the world. Make the Music that Makes a Difference. n
Can you hint at what the plan will include?
No formal decisions have been made as of December, 2016, but I can say that some bold and exciting ideas are emerging from our research. The combined feedback from these surveys clearly indicates that most members are okay with innovation as long as they can continue to enjoy all the cherished elements of their barbershop experience. As optimistic I am about the ideas that are emerging, I hope that our members recognize that the strategic
12
The HARMONIZER • January/February 2017 • www.barbershop.org
Skipp in his first chorus contest, singing with the Tippecanotes Chorus from Lafayette, Ind., (Tippecanoe County), 1971.