MDA Undertakes Strategic Planning to Help All Members Succeed
A
s President Eisenhower once said, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything”. The MDA took these
words to heart when on June 13, the Asso- ciation convened a group of volunteers and staff—led by a team from the ADA—to drive forward its mission of Helping All Members Succeed through the creation of a new strate- gic plan.
WHY STRATEGIC PLANNING?
A strategic plan is an essential road map for any organization. It provides a framework and guide for what the organization wants to ac- complish and how it will get there.
Strategic planning has been trying to overcome its not-so-popular reputation of an activity that organizations complete but never apply to their work. In years past, stra- tegic planning consisted of putting together a large document that was printed out, put in a binder and placed on a shelf. Typically, it was never read or referred to again, except once every five years, when it was time to plan again.
Today, strategic plans are thought of as living documents that can be dynamic and adaptive. They can include long and short-range goals which can be adjusted or fine-tuned over time for improved outcomes. A strategic plan high- lights the priorities of the organization to stay on track and reach the agreed upon goals. Derailment, distraction and ineffectiveness easily can occur if priorities are not in place.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MDA HAVING A STRATEGIC PLAN
Did you ever wonder how the MDA continues to grow and continually provides great value to its members? Effective strategic planning!
During the planning session in June, these questions drove much of the discussion and were asked repeatedly of the participants: Where do we want to go as an organization to ensure we support our members? What will im-
22 focus | JUL/AUG 2019 | ISSUE 4
The MDA thanks all of those who participated in the Strategic Planning Session held the day prior to the start of the Connect4Success meeting. Two long-time ADA team members, Jeanine Pekkarinen and Chris Chico led the session. They work in ADA Client Services, the division that assists states and local components, and assist states with a variety of member-related efforts. They started it by giving a “lay of the land in the current profession, citing many reports and statistics available through the ADA Health Policy Institute (HPI). Access a list of all HPI publications by date at
bit.ly/2LMXGMl.
pact dentistry and our members in the coming years and what can we do about it? One of the most challenging parts of strategic planning is thinking ahead into the future and figuring out how to manage the unknowns.
An evaluation of important programs and issues assisted the MDA in determining which initiatives should continue and which should be sunset, all while ensuring there are appropriate resources for member services. While this process may seem like it applies only to board members and highly engaged volunteers, it actually has direct impact on all members.
The outcome of the session was a high-level plan that includes goals and objectives to guide the MDA, ensuring a strong and sus- tainable organization that serves its mem- bers well and continues to strengthen oral health initiatives in Missouri. It’s a plan that is
inclusive of all members with a strong mission behind it to ensure its success.
As the American Dental Association is coming to the end of its Members First 2020 strategic plan and ready to launch its Common Ground 2025 strategic plan, it’s exciting to have the two groups working in tandem to Help All Members Succeed and drive dentistry forward, together. Stay tuned for MDA Strategic Plan updates in future issues. f
Want to improve your dental practice performance? Consider strategic planning! A
DentistryIQ.com article notes that to thrive in the challenging economy, dentists
need to think strategically. Dr. Roger Levin suggests that dentists hold an annual, half-day strategy meeting with their team, preferably off-site, basing the agenda on five easy steps. Read it online at
bit.ly/2XDVIQJ.
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