Geoff, Ian, Emilis and others Interesting posts - thank you.
First of all, I would follow up on suggesting a discussion on specific marketing issues with Ian Grant - but would add that your state representative on the MAD c'tee should also be involved. I have not personally met Ian Grant, but the Qld representatives on the board and MAD c'tee speak very highly of him. More importantly, it would seem that under his direction the MAD c'tee is achieving things.
As most people on this list know, I have significant issues with the lack of any real planning (ie in depth planning with broadly based input) that has occurred in the recent past in our organisation. This has lead us to where we are today - for example a situation where some $50,000 was spent following a one page 'development plan' that is seriously deficient and, on the admission of the GFA president, has no measurable outcomes.
[For those interested in the problems I see with the current plan, you can find my comments on it at http://www.hart.wattle.id.au/roblog/?p=6 and http://www.hart.wattle.id.au/roblog/?p=7]
I would agree that we need to make more imaginative use of the funds (currently just sitting in the bank) our predecessors in this organisation have secured: it is a truism of business (and we are here talking about the business of gliding) that you have to spend money in order to make it. However, until we as an organisation have worked up a well thought through plan of action that is based in current realities, any suggestion of spending part of the consolidated funds runs the sever risk of repeating past mistakes - achieving little (if anything) whilst drawing down our reserves.
It is for this reason that I recommend to everyone that they become more deeply involved in the GFA business planning process. One of the resolutions passed in May from Gliding Qld to the board concerned this. The board chose not to adopt that motion, but it did indicate that it would publish a draft business plan for comment before final adoption of the plan.
I am eagerly awaiting the opportunity to read and comment on the draft plan and I hope that everyone on this list will do the same.
I urge everyone to get involved in the business planning process to the maximum extent permitted to us. Without the input from the membership, there is little chance that the board alone will be able to develop a plan of sufficient imagination, clarity and depth to take our sport forward in a healthy (growing) fashion.
-- Robert Hart [EMAIL PROTECTED] +61 (0)438 385 533 Brisbane, Australia http://www.hart.wattle.id.au _______________________________________________ Aus-soaring mailing list [email protected] To check or change subscription details, visit: http://lists.internode.on.net/mailman/listinfo/aus-soaring
