Pictured above: Mark Modena

The country Football Associations around England are about to embark on a major business planning process to produce strategic plans for 2012 and 2015. Adrian Davies and Mark Modena from Winning Moves were delighted to be invited to help kick off the process with the Shropshire and Staffordshire Football Association senior management teams.

Up to now, much of county FA focus has been centred around on field performance. This of course remains absolutely essential, but to get the most from the financial and other resources available and achieve everything expected, there is a need for greater focus on the off field business performance. This includes business drivers such as quality, marketing communications and workforce development. 

Winning Moves role has been to facilitate sessions with the aim of establishing collective vision for the future to 2015 and look at the measures needed to get where they aspire to be.  Our approach to this type of activity is generally considered to be unique and we used a series of creative activities to help develop new perspectives.

Both county Football Associations have a raft of great opportunities alongside some key challenges to overcome. The overarching aim of our involvement was to act as a catalyst to encourage fresh thinking, creativity and foster togetherness for the rest of the planning cycle and beyond.  

Our strategic planning model incorporates vision, goals, strategies and actions, which helping bring simplicity and structure to the planning process. Lively contributions and ideas emerged, including two clear and compelling visions for the future and a set of measures with 'stretching goals' agreed to understand clearly what needs to be achieved.  

Roy Waterfield of Shropshire FA commented "it has given us the platform we need to formulate the focus of our activity over the next 4 years. I found your company's approach original and refreshing and am glad John Ackerley recommended you to our Association".