ACS strategic planning: Making it real, making an impact

Abstract

The invitation to chair the ACS Board of Directors’ Strategic Planning Committee read, “Since you are so passionate about planning …” My immediate response was, “Just to be clear, I’m not passionate about planning, but I am passionate about getting results and making an impact!” Getting results and having an impact are what count. Impact comes from turning planning into focused action—by making it real and making a difference. At ACS, action can be widely distributed among nearly 160,000 members and more than 750 grassroots units, which include local sections, technical divisions, international and student chapters, national committees, and regional boards. Focused action by individual members and our many groups creates a powerful multiplier effect that can make a real difference. The Strategic Planning Committee helps the society, its members, and its grassroots units achieve this multiplier effect by understanding the opportunities, creating a blueprint for action, attracting and activating