GETTING TO KNOW – IAPCO
PCMA Column
MARTIN’S COLUMN Words from Martin Boyle, CEO, IAPCO
A NEW YEAR, A NEW DECADE AND A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN As I reflect on the past year, I think it is
Our goal was to develop IAPCO’s
It is essential to create a succinct and
important to recognise a few significant
strategy and plan for international
detailed strategic plan that provides
occurrences. It will be remembered as
reach through increased engagement
both context and actionable content
the year that the climate crisis came to
and support in key geographical regions
with milestones and key performance
the forefront of all of our minds, spread
such as LATAM and APAC, to open our
indicators, all linked to the vision and
through mass protests and civic
quality education to a more inclusive
mission of the organisation. Input and
movements around the globe and by
international audience whilst
feedback from team members within
one inspired young Swedish woman
committing to our value proposition
all levels of the organisation is vital to
who pulled no punches when
and our environmental and
any strategic plan being accepted and,
challenging industry and global
organisational sustainability. What
perhaps more importantly, to it being
decision-makers to take responsibility
should an organisation such as IAPCO
delivered.
and act. Political issues from Brexit to
consider when drafting a strategic
US Presidential impeachment hearings
business plan and what value
A plan should be divided into key
continued to make the headlines
does it serve?
subject matters or activity-specific
causing more opinion divide on local levels as well as on the global stage.
activities that tie together so that they Kaplan and Beinhocker (2003)
are succinct and easy to follow for all
undertook an in-depth analysis of the
involved within the organisation. It
However, 2019 was also a year of
strategic planning processes of thirty
can actually serve as a support tool to
greatness and celebration.
international organisations. They
improve decision-making as employees,
concluded that the true value of
team members and leaders ask; “does
Indonesia raised the minimum age for
strategic planning was to make sure
xyz fit with our objectives?”.
brides to end child marriage. Taiwan
that key decision makers have a solid
became the first place in Asia to pass a
understanding of the key issues, agree
The only thing certain about the future
same-sex marriage legislation. We saw
on important assumptions and share
is that it is uncertain. Environments,
the first all-female space walk outside
a common understanding of the facts
economic conditions and competitive
the International Space Station and US
surrounding the business.
pressures will inevitably continue to
Congress welcomed the first Muslim
change and evolve over time, all of
woman as well as the youngest woman
The value that a strategic plan
which will impact on any well thought
ever elected. And a tortoise believed to
can bring to an organisation can be
out strategic plan. It is important that
be extinct was found after 100 years –
realised on several levels. The act of
any organisation’s plan has the built-in
that made Ticky extremely happy!
even drafting a strategic plan brings
flexibility enabling it to continually
creative thinking to the table. It provides
adjust and evolve with positive
In September of 2019, IAPCO HQ and
a road map for longer term operational
outcomes through its timeline.
Council met in Singapore to map out
issues and guidance as to where the
their five year strategic business plan.
organisation wants to be and how, ideally, it wants to get there.
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| March 2020
