SportsEvents is edited for those who plan tournaments or other sports events.
Issue link: https://sportsevents.epubxp.com/i/362723
August 2014 12 www.sportseventsmagazine.com tatesman Winston Churchill once said, "If we are together nothing is impossible, if we are divided all will fail." Success in any industry is often derived by those who can unify people, align a group's vision and goals, and, in essence, build positive partnerships. In the sports tourism and events indus- try, there are many stakeholders to consid- er when developing a game plan for your organization. On the host community side there are civic leaders, facility managers, park and recreation department directors, hoteliers, elected officials, board members, and, of course, your boss. The list for a rights holder would include many of those, but also athletes, sponsors, television part- ners, and in most cases, a national sanc- tioning entity like the USOC, US Soccer, USA BMX, etc. As you outline long-range plans for your sport or city, it is imperative to address the assets you will need to achieve your goals. Consider not only capital assets, such as money or venues, but also human assets. You will need the help of other people and organizations to get where you want to go. Thus, your plan- ning should include a list of those whom you need to align with and HOW you plan to achieve collaboration with them. With this in mind, we offer you four ways to build positive partnerships B.R.I.D.G.E.S.—in sports: Bring People Together I recently had the opportunity to moderate a session at a national hotel company's annual sports advi- sory meeting. The attendees who made up this company's advisory board were largely third party housing companies. This meeting was the largest gathering of third party housing groups that I have ever experienced in our industry. Most of these groups compete with one another. However, due to the leadership of this hotel company, these third parties were able to share best practices and help each other with some challenging issues. Some great things will come out of this meeting, but it took a bridge building vision of the hosting hotel company to bring these competitors together. Develop A Culture Of Collaboration The partners in any endeavor have to feel trusting and safe in their ability to work together. This often comes from the top. If the leaders of the collaborating organizations are not on board with the end goal, it will be very difficult to achieve anything meaningful. Get buy-in from the top at the beginning. Generate Buzz Consistent communication is key. Develop a structure by which you regularly communicate the status of the project or event. This could be via weekly e-mail updates, quar- terly conference calls, or (oftentimes over- looked) a monthly letter via snail mail. Whatever medium you choose, be consis- tent, and always include an outline of the end goal so the team is reminded of the desired outcomes you seek. Show Transparency Partnerships are most success- ful where the participants can see and easily understand the task ahead. This can only occur where there is an open sharing of information, which leads to common trust. Be open with the goal, and with the reasons for trying to achieve that goal. This is the only way solid relationship bridges can be built. If there is a hidden agenda, plan on achiev- ing your goals on your own. Where organizations often get stuck is in trying to achieve things on their own. In many of the retreats and master planning processes that we see there is little consideration given to external organizations. Even when there is discussion of those that may be needed for a larger project's success, there is seldom an outreach strategy identified to bring them into the fold. Make a list of those you need to bring to the team, develop a way to collaborate with them, generate a way to regularly communicate, and always show your cards. ■ ▼ IDEA Playbook ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jon Schmieder is the founder of the Huddle Up Group LLC, a sports tourism and events consulting consortium. Schmieder has more than 16 years of experience in leading non-profits and sports tourism organizations through strategic growth and increased community collaboration. Jon can be reached at Jon@HuddleUpGroup.com or 602.369.6955, www.HuddleUpGroup.com. The Power Of Positive Partnerships BY JON SCHMIEDER, CSEE 1 2 3 4 "If we are together nothing is impossible, if we are divided all will fail." —Winston Churchill S Part II BUILDING BRIDGES