I "Googled"
the Internet to see if I could find any interesting or humorous
"New Year's Resolutions." I was surprised to find that most of the
resolutions were quite serious. Most were about the human physical
condition -- losing weight, building muscles, even getting plastic
surgery.
Many others
were resolutions about money -- how to make it, keep it, save it,
invest it, love it. There were several about the human psyche --
resolutions on becoming a better person, a better parent, a better
boss.
There was
even one on how to keep your New Year's resolutions:
-
Write them down on paper.
- Develop
a schedule.
- Start
now!
- Find
a role model (in case your role model is gone).
- Record
your progress.
- Tell
everyone about what you are doing (I guess so you can feel bad
if you don't do it).
It sounds
like a strategic plan to me.
Since everyone
is so serious, I will stay in the same vein and mention a few of
AAPG's New Year's resolutions.
-
Our first New Year's resolution is the same each year, and AAPG's
leadership and staff take it very seriously. It is to continue
to improve communications with AAPG membership. In the all-member
survey (February 2003 EXPLORER) you told us that AAPG was generally
very responsive to your needs, but we think there is always room
to improve.
The EXPLORER, of
course, is one of our key communication vehicles, and each month
it is packed with information.
More and more members
are using AAPG's Internet homepage. Last year we counted over
five million "hits" on our Web site (a hit is each page that
is opened).
Both the BULLETIN
and the EXPLORER are available through Internet access -- and
don't forget that AAPG's e-magazine, Search and Discovery, is
available at no extra cost.
-
A second key resolution involves the BULLETIN. Last year, AAPG's
Executive Committee approved the formation of the BULLETIN Re-format
ad hoc Committee, whose mission was to determine the future primary
format of the BULLETIN. The committee recommended that the primary
format of the BULLETIN change to digital as soon as possible,
and the Executive Committee approved. Hardcopy will be the secondary
format, and will remain available as members change to digital.
One of the key factors
in this decision was the cost of postage -- as well as printing
costs. Yearly postage expense for mailing both the BULLETIN
and EXPLORER costs more than $45 per member in some areas of
the globe.
-
AAPG's third resolution is overarching and includes the first
two resolutions described above. It is "to build a comprehensive
business plan from the recently developed strategic plan."
We appreciate
your responses to AAPG's strategic plan, which was published in
the November EXPLORER. Once again, I encourage all members to read
the plan and respond as soon as possible, as we are in the process
of finalizing the plan for this year.
As we reach
consensus on the Association's ultimate strategic destination, with
some road stops, it is time to build the road map -- a tactical
guide that we can develop into a new, comprehensive business plan
for AAPG. It will include resolutions on membership architecture
and marketing, dues structure, revision or deletion of old programs
and development of new, and AAPG's future global development.
AAPG's
Executive Committee will convene a two-day retreat in January to
develop this plan, and you will hear more about it during the year.
I usually
do not make New Year's resolutions, but this year I think I may
just go on one of those "seefood diets" -- you know, the one where
you eat everything you see. I think my psyche will be OK with that.