Strategic planning: a three-year commitment
By Kathleen Ann Rake
Dear Members:
The RCCAQ is convinced that efficient management practices are the key drivers of business success and peak performance. As a result, we are committed to promoting these practices and implementing them within our own operations.
In this regard, the strategic planning process plays a crucial role. Taking the necessary time to carry out an in-depth review of your business is no longer just an option; it's a must! This process is a key part of ensuring the future viability of your firm insofar as it provides a basis for action and a clear definition of business goals and how to achieve them.
The RCCAQ devoted the week of January 16 to its strategic planning process, which will determine the main areas of focus that will guide our efforts over the next three years. I would like to take this opportunity to take a look back and share with you the main findings of the RCCAQ's previous three-year plan (2014-2017), which served as the basis of our analysis.
Politically engaged
There's no doubt about it: the shift we made three years ago aimed at refocusing on the RCCAQ's political lobbying role has paid dividends. Back in early 2014, our communications, activities and service offer were primarily those of a "non-political" association, so this shift in focus literally reshaped our future! By placing renewed emphasis on our lobbying role alongside key decision makers, we not only boosted the impact of our political initiatives, but also clarified our role within the industry, burnished our reputation in the eyes of insurers and government agencies and enhanced our service offer by making it more consistent with our mission.
We stepped up our lobbying efforts to ensure that brokers' voices would be heard loud and clear. But we also wanted to make sure that brokers' concerns would be attended to and their views solicited. We also clarified our policy positions, forged deeper ties with regulatory bodies and lawmakers and expanded our public initiatives.
A good deal of these efforts occurred "behind the scenes" as part of a long-term strategy. Nevertheless, three years later, the RCCAQ serves as the official voice of insurance brokers and defends its members' socio-economic interests effectively. Does that mean our work is finished? Not at all! But we've come a very long way. Now it's up to us to maintain this momentum and keep building on our solid base.
Financially stable
Ensuring the RCCAQ's financial viability (and thus ensuring our ability to fulfill our mandate in the optimal manner) was our second area of focus. Directly linked to our role as a politically engaged professional organization, our activities now have a fundraising component, while the membership renewal process is akin to an investment that the member firms make in themselves. That doesn't mean we have a blank cheque: the RCCAQ is committed to telling you what's going on, providing you with the numbers you need and reporting on its activities and end results. All of this is done on your behalf!
Ensuring our future viability also means calling into question our business model, which must be just as viable. If it is not, changes have to be made, as seen in the RCCAQ's new membership rates. We also reviewed our service offer and optimized our processes thanks to strict budget discipline. On the latter point, the RCCAQ has definitely taken a step in the right direction.
Calling into question and taking action
The RCCAQ's progress over the past three years is in large part attributable to the determination of the previous chairs and board members. Every single one of them worked to forge the RCCAQ's current role within the industry. Without the dedication of the board and the management team and their desire to keep moving forward, the RCCAQ's future would be much less secure. By establishing management committees and reviewing its bylaws, the RCCAQ has been quick to call certain practices into question and to optimize its member-oriented activities.
Our membership is the final point I'd like to address. Brokers and brokerage firm managers are our central focus. As we look back on the past three years, some key findings emerge. For one thing, the evolution of the broker profession obliges us to keep adapting our communications so we can reach out to you. In light of the issues that have dictated our work and the meetings we've had with you, we're pleased to note that there is a widespread commitment to fulfilling the RCCAQ's mission and an overall sense of belonging that we would do well to build on.
What's next?
The strategic planning process for 2017-2020 was conducted based on those findings. The RCCAQ team must now work to develop a dashboard, including various strategies and initiatives to be carried out over the next three years. Our new strategic plan will be submitted to the board in February and adopted with the appropriate timeframes and budgets in the spring.
The implementation stage will come shortly after that. In this regard, the participation of all stakeholders will be required; everyone will have to make an investment and take on the goals we have set. Working together, the RCCAQ will be stronger and even more solid in the future!
