By Sadie Hess, Founder and CEO
Strategic Planning
Compass operates on seven-year cycles to chart our strategic focus and goals. We are wrapping up our last process and preparing for the exciting new journey with our strategic planning teams. We couldn’t be more elated about the individuals we have chosen to be part of this process.
We are making changes this year and instead of a one-week retreat, we are doing two three-day retreats. Our groups are comprised of people from various parts of our organization with diverse job titles; we want to hear different people’s perspectives and ideas from all distinctive facets of our organization. We have thoughtfully and purposefully chosen individuals for two visionary groups. ‘Protecting the Present’ and ‘Painting the Future’.
Protecting the Present
Protecting the present is as important as our future! We have chosen three key attentions to evaluate. Team 1 is Recruiting & Onboarding. This group will focus on strengthening our recruiting and onboarding systems. We need to continue to concentrate our hiring needs on hiring enough individuals, but we also need to make sure we hire for the characteristics which are most important in outstanding caregivers. We are excited to bring fresh ideas and passion to our great need and desire to hire reliable and quality staff.
Team 2 will focus on our field training energies. This group will center on efforts to make sure every member of our teams is adequately trained to walk into their shifts set up to succeed. This team will bring new ideas and support to our already existing training and offer feedback and viewpoints on how to make our training and systems better for the longevity of our services.
Team 3 is Community Building. It is no secret that we love our community at Compass. We love parties and gatherings and celebrating with each other regularly. We do that quite well, if you ask me. But we need to ask ourselves, are we seen and known? Are we contributing to our larger community? This group will focus on impacting our larger community beyond the confines of our organization.
Painting the Future
Painting the future is comprised of three areas of interest, as well. We are exploring many questions and ideas. What other services are out there? What would complement what we currently do? What services could we step into and be successful but also stay true to our mission, vision, and values?
It is no surprise that Compass has big dreams and an even bigger vision to serve our community. We need to plan now for expansion which could take years. We are building a ceiling which will become a floor for those who will come after us. Compass is being built to last in a world where people are often looking for the next best thing.
I certainly hope our name will become synonymous with excellence and integrity throughout the nation. We have a mandate to be an organization of influence and exceptionality. We will influence and break the mold of comfort and grow in new areas.
Buckle up & eyes on the vision!
We are in for a ride in the next 7 years and it may come with some twists and turns. But it will also come with joy and the excitement of new things ahead, with boundless hope and possibilities. We are thankful to those of you who have chosen to join us with dedication to the jobs you do every day. Compass will continue to fulfill our mission for generations to come because we have teams who are dedicated to our vision.
We firmly believe in helping individuals with disabilities live independent lives pursuing their dreams and destiny. We will continue to do so with excellence, innovation, and integrity. Here’s to the next seven years of growth and celebration together. I am certain it will be infinitely greater than the last seven.