We all understand the importance of having goals as an association, like growing membership, increasing event attendance and being the go-to resource for professionals in our industry, but in order to achieve those goals, it’s important to set individual, tangible rocks (what’s a rock?!)
The perfect time to do this is during one of your bi-annual board meetings or board retreats. It’s a time to regroup, discuss challenges and new opportunities, and set the bar for the months ahead.
Set expectations.
Shortly after calling the meeting to order and reviewing the agenda, let your board know that each of them will need to come up with two to four rocks at the end of the meeting, so they should be thinking of ideas throughout the discussions. As we know from Traction by Gino Wickman, rocks are non-negotiable deliverables—they’re tangible, achievable goals that have a clear end in sight.
What makes a good rock?
Having short-term goals helps lead your organization in the right direction to achieving its overarching objectives and advancing the association. Encourage your board to think strategically on a committee level when brainstorming what their individual rocks will be. Maybe it’s scheduling and hosting two more committee calls before the next board meeting, or it’s finalizing a white paper that has been in draft form for longer than everyone would like to admit. Setting rocks helps your board hold themselves and each other accountable.
Follow Through!
Be sure that each person’s rocks are listed within the minutes and share with the group at the end of the meeting. Review the status of the rocks at the beginning of your next board meeting and if any are incomplete, discuss a new timeline for crossing them off the list.
