Thinking Strategically

Strategic planning determines where we are going, how we will get there and how we will know when we’ve arrived. It also helps ensure that our present work is part of the bigger future picture.

Imagine sailing across the ocean, heading toward some far-off destination. Now suppose that a new captain takes over the ship each day. Each new captain thinks his/her route is best, so every day, you chart a new course and head the ship in a different direction. Not much chance you’ll ever reach your final destination.
That’s why organizations invest time and resources in strategic planning. Strategic planning determines where an organization is going, how it will get there and how it will know when it arrives. It also helps ensure that present efforts are part of the bigger future picture. The ultimate goal is to find and execute a path to a better future.

ASSE’s vision is to be a global champion of the SH&E professional, a global leader of the profession and a premier resource for those engaged in protecting people, property and the environment. To realize this vision, we must stay focused and remain on our charted course. Certainly, we have to adjust for changing currents and take advantage of shifts in the wind. But overall, the Society’s strategic plan provides for consistency and direction through a frequently changing leadership. It ensures that both staff and volunteer leaders are united around a clear purpose and direction.

More than a year ago, the Board of Directors set out to improve the Society’s strategic planning process. While the process in place provided a good plan, the board wanted to be more involved throughout the process, rather than simply act as an approver of changes. To achieve that, last February, we engaged in a full-day strategic planning session. Before the session, key issues were prioritized, researched and presented to the board. We then engaged in considerable, informed, open dialogue. Ultimately, we developed a plan that allows us to take advantage of key opportunities facing the Society. Our councils, practice specialties and chapters are working on initiatives to achieve these strategic goals.

In these difficult economic times, being strategic is critical to long-term success. It has been shown that organizations which continue spending at a relatively flat rate during a recession are more likely to survive and emerge strong when the economy rebounds than are organizations that cut spending drastically. We must continue to think strategically, invest in the best opportunities, follow our plan and make the best use of our resources.

One way we are doing this is by utilizing available technologies for communication. This area has great potential. By investing time and resources now, we can reduce future costs while improving the benefits you, as members, receive from your professional society.

ASSE is a strong organization. Through and thanks to the efforts of dedicated volunteer leaders, wonderfully committed members and an incredible staff, ASSE will continue to perform well in any economy. Certainly, we will encounter some struggles and difficult decisions will be necessary, but at the end of the day, we are and will continue to be successful.

As we sail through these turbulent waters, we are focused on achieving our vision. We are thinking and acting strategically to ensure that ASSE provides you with the benefits you expect and is well positioned for the future.
“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” asked Alice.
“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.
—From Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Our Future Professionals

Remember when you first decided to become a safety professional, the mix of excitement and uncertainty as you wondered where your chosen path would take you? Once you made that choice, how did you make sure you prepared yourself to succeed?

These are questions that our student members—and we have more than 2,000 of them—are currently facing. As a Society, we are helping them find the answers. ASSE provides student members with many benefits, from working with mentors to networking with chapter members who may be able to connect them with employment opportunities, to gaining leadership experience, and much more. ASSE values the opportunity to help these students launch their careers. They are the future of our profession and our Society. By engaging them early, ASSE helps these students strengthen their knowledge, develop skills they need to thrive in the workplace and get a running start at becoming a valuable corporate contributor.

One way we do this is by providing educational opportunities. For example, our student members have free access to ASSE’s virtual classroom, where they can participate in a variety of webinars. They can also participate in the annual Future Safety Leaders Conference. During this event, students interact with working SH&E professionals to learn what they need to know as they enter the workforce. This year’s conference will be held Nov. 12-13 in Indianapolis, and it will cover career options, effective presentations and establishing workplace credibility, as well as building a resume, job interviews and resources such as our online Nexsteps career center. We’ll also be using social media tools to help students begin to build their professional networks. The level of professionalism these future SH&E professionals display is impressive, and I look forward to meeting all the great up-and-comers who will be there.

The ASSE Foundation supports this annual student conference as part of its overall mission to foster future SH&E professionals. The Foundation’s highly successful scholarship program is another part of this mission. In 2009, the Foundation awarded $124,000 in undergraduate and graduate scholarships to 54 students. In addition, each year, the Foundation, in partnership with Liberty Mutual, awards research fellowships to support individuals pursuing advanced degrees in an SH&E-related field. And in conjunction with BCSP, the Foundation publishes Career Guide to the Safety Profession, which provides an excellent overview of the careers available to safety professionals. This publication is distributed regularly to high schools and colleges throughout the country.

Beyond these efforts, ASSE also presents an annual award to recognize the outstanding student section—we currently have 60—that encourages more students to get involved in the research activities and community projects that these groups sponsor each year. These efforts are also supported by our network of local chapters. All student sections are sponsored by a chapter, and these chapters offer students many opportunities to develop key skills, such as public speaking. The chapters give students additional opportunities to network, work with mentors, job shadow, participate in career days, earn scholarships and much more.
Through ASSE’s support, expanding educational offerings and improving academic programs, students are coming into the workforce more prepared than ever. Raising this bar is healthy for our profession, and ASSE will continue to support the growth of student members.

I encourage you to join this effort. Ask your local chapter what student programs you can help with, donate to a Foundation scholarship or volunteer to help with the Future Safety Leaders Conference. Perhaps your corporation would even be interested in being a conference sponsor.

Today’s student members are tomorrow’s professional members. We have an obligation to help them succeed and develop into highly skilled safety practitioners. Doing so will not only help our students, it will also elevate the profession and the practice of safety.

Be Poised for Success

A man is fly-fishing in a stream. Another man walks across a bridge overhead and asks the fisherman whether he needs anything. “Well, I could use some more tippet,” the fisherman replies. The man on the bridge lowers a large rope. Puzzled, the fisherman says he has no use for this rope and again asks for tippet, explaining that it is the very fine fishing line used to tie the fly on. The man on the bridge disagrees. “No, you need this rope,” he says. Just as the fisherman is about to retort, he is suddenly knocked over by a wall of water.

I share this story because I think it illustrates two important points. First, perspective makes all the difference. Second, it is more important than ever to be a member of ASSE. As a leader in the occupational safety and health profession, ASSE is positioned to see far upstream. We are constantly looking ahead to identify potential future trends and future needs in order to deliver the products and services that will help you succeed. By being part of this forward-thinking organization and taking advantage of the many benefits it provides, you are preparing yourself for the inevitable changes and challenges that lie ahead.

Consider, for example, the continuing education events ASSE offers as part of its strategic goal to “deliver the highest quality professional development opportunities to enhance competence and position practitioners for success.” The Society offers an outstanding annual conference as well as a full range of high-quality seminars, symposia and webinars throughout the year. Many of these offerings are now being delivered in virtual format to help you control costs and reduce impacts to your employer. Through these events, you hone your strengths and build new skills. You also meet many other professionals and extend your network—which we all know can be a critical element in career advancement.

Given the current state of the economy, which finds many of us reevaluating our spending, you may be tempted to put off professional development. I urge you to look at it from a different perspective. Competition for jobs is more fierce than ever. With more applicants available, it is a buyer’s market. What will distinguish you from the many other candidates?

To be the most qualified candidate and to be ready when new opportunities emerge, you must continue to learn and expand your knowledge base. Approach your career strategically. Prioritize your spending for the greatest gains now and ready yourself to be in a strong position when the economy rebounds. Focus on keeping yourself marketable, skilled and poised to take a step forward when the opportunity arises. The professional who continuously advances his/her skills will have the edge in any economy.

Technology and Change

In an era of change, it is exciting to see all the things taking place in the world around us. A self-proclaimed change-agent, I am exhilarated by this and seek ways in which I can lead, drive or participate in new opportunities. Looking within, our Society is facing a multitude of opportunities and challenges. The choices we make today will determine how successful and relevant we are tomorrow.

ASSE is a diverse community. Diversity means different things to different people. For some, it means a wide range of practice specialties for our members. For others, it means geographical differences. And what about changing age demographics and the education level of practitioners? Diversity is no longer just race, sex or religion—and we must find new ways to address the needs of our increasingly diverse membership.

How many of you have teenagers who would rather ask a girl to prom via text message than face-to-face? You may think this will be a disadvantage to them in the future, but think about it this way. As the demand to utilize technology increases, the way in which we all do business will change. If utilized intelligently, some of these changes can bring great efficiencies. For example, when confronted with a challenge at work, you no longer have to flip through your rolodex trying to find the card of that person you met at a conference last year who may have the answer you need. Thanks to tools such as social media, e-mail lists and blogs, you can instantly ask your question to a larger network of people—and get multiple viewpoints and solutions to your issue, often within minutes.

These points highlight the many challenges and opportunities currently facing ASSE. As our membership changes, we must find new ways to address your needs. How will we best serve members both here and around the world? How will we serve members who prefer to utilize new technologies to communicate frequent bits of information?

One way we are meeting these needs is through networking opportunities that aren’t hindered by traditional boundaries. For example, through webinars and similar programs, professional development can be offered without the time and expense of travel. Last month, ASSE offered its first virtual symposium which allowed hundreds of participants to attend high-level education sessions from their desktops. The Society will continue to look for new and different ways to engage you, our members, as well as our business leaders, regulatory and legislative bodies, and other stakeholders in our profession. Through technology, we will also seek to maximize efficiency while reducing costs.

To help advance ASSE’s efforts to provide more and better services to such a diverse and ever-changing community, I will seek to advance the Society in four key areas over the coming year:
1) Utilize technology to add value for our membership.
2) Raise awareness about the value of SH&E professionals.
3) Leverage our influence by partnering with other organizations to achieve outcomes of mutual interest.
4) Execute and refine the new strategic planning process in which the Board of Directors has engaged over the last year.

This is an exciting time. I look forward to my year at the helm and I have great confidence that our volunteer leaders and our staff will continue to produce excellent results. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to contribute to the Society while benefitting personally and professionally. I look forward to collaborating with you. By communicating with you, understanding your needs as an ASSE member and SH&E professional, and understanding the state of our profession, ASSE will continue to be the premier SH&E organization.

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