Table of Contents             The Board Page

Chapter Planning

Planning is a very important tool in determining any kind of Chapter program. Every Chapter in the Lodge should hold a least one Executive Board Meeting devoted entirely to planning the Chapter's activities for the next 12 to 16 months (16 months gives you a little flexibility in scheduling the next planning meeting).

The process of planning can be divided into three major categories:

  • Goals and Objectives
  • Placing Events on a Calendar
  • Detail Planning

Goals and Objectives

Before the Chapter Executive Board creates a plan it must decide on what it would like the Chapter to accomplish in the coming year. Possible Chapter goals may involve:
  • Promoting Brotherhood attainment
  • Holding an election in every unit in the district
  • Increasing the number of community service projects performed
  • Sending every Chapter officer to Lodge Officer Training Day
  • Increasing attendance at Section Conclave or Pow Wow
  • Having a quality Ordeal
  • Increasing membership retention
  • Having quality Chapter meetings
Once the general goals have been decided upon, the next step is to place all the events on a calendar.

Making a Calendar

With the Chapter goals in mind, the Executive Board should develop a 12 to 16 month calendar of events. Special care should be taken to avoid conflicts - consider school schedules and religious holidays in addition to council and district events. One of the first things to put on your calendar should be Lodge meetings, Section Conclaves, Pow Wow, and the Annual Lodge Recognition Dinner. An example of some of the items you should put on your calendar is on the following page ( Suggested Things To Do Each Month ).

Detailed Planning

Detailed planning for the whole year is nearly impossible. However, the planning meeting should be used to create a plan as detailed as possible for the Chapter's activities for the next three months. In making detailed plans for the Chapter's events, the following should be considered:
  • THE TASK - Make sure you are fully informed as to the magnitude of the effort required.
  • RESOURCES - Before you commit to the task, make sure you have the resources available to do the task.
  • ALTERNATIVES - "If something can go wrong, it probably will." Try to have an alternate plan.
  • EXECUTION - Plans are fine, but if you neglect to consider how to execute the plan, the plan will fail. (i.e. Do we have enough transportation for everybody?)

REMEMBER THE "P's RULE":
PROPER PRIOR PLANNING PREVENTS PITIFULLY POOR PERFORMANCE!

Back                     Next

Table of Contents             The Board Page


Disclaimer