Smart goals
 

Just wondering if anyone else had a chance to read the objectives yet.

[url]https://wst.org.uk/wp/?page_id=179[/url]

Had a scan of the Smart Objectives document. My understanding of the SMART goals is that they should be measurable for the most part, but there seems a distinct lack of measures in place. I know not everything can be measured in numbers of course.

Community Group – 12 specific activities, only one of which has a measure which was to achieve more than 1300 ticket take up for Grassroots football day.

Revenue Group – 10 activities, 1 measurable KPI to generate £12k on Xmas raffle. Other KPIs are TBC or vague, for example the Match Day Hosting activity has the KPI of “New Sponsors”

Communication Group – 10 activities, 0 measures

Operational Group – 10 activities. Measure assigned to secure 2 year lease of nineacres field while development of Groves is ongoing. There are obviously goals in here around season ticket sales, paying attendees etc which do not need a KPI because they are binary, i.e. we will either sell more than 2115 tickets or we won’t

Ownership Membership – 10 activities, 0 measures.

I’d encourage people to have a read of the Smart goals. Many of the objectives seem like things we should be doing as business as usual (i.e. sponsorship, membership engagement and growth, better comms). It was indicated that the goals would be fundamental to our success, but whilst certainly achievable I don’t feel like they have been thought out that well.

Additionally, not sure the prioritisation of some of these things is correct. Given our current situation, for me I would de-prioritise the training ground. If relegated, assuming some cost is going to be incurred I’d probably focus budget on first team activities. Additionally, some of the facility upgrades with the exception of the disabled supporters platform (incidentally this seems to have the longest lead time) could be deferred. We have prioritised remodelling the dug outs over improving the food kiosks and the quality of their products and service levels particularly in the tech end. Food and Drinks are probably the second biggest factor in the matchday experience next to the football itself and we are severely lacking.

Feel a bit like the SMART goals weren’t all that smart at this stage. Just expected a bit more. Acknowledge these may be a work in progress, just wondered if anyone else had a view. I had a read of the Strategy House document too and was pretty underwhelmed by that also.

Re: Smart goals
 

[QUOTE=-luke;2321770]Just wondering if anyone else had a chance to read the objectives yet.

[url]https://wst.org.uk/wp/?page_id=179[/url]

Had a scan of the Smart Objectives document. My understanding of the SMART goals is that they should be measurable for the most part, but there seems a distinct lack of measures in place. I know not everything can be measured in numbers of course.

Community Group – 12 specific activities, only one of which has a measure which was to achieve more than 1300 ticket take up for Grassroots football day.

Revenue Group – 10 activities, 1 measurable KPI to generate £12k on Xmas raffle. Other KPIs are TBC or vague, for example the Match Day Hosting activity has the KPI of “New Sponsors”

Communication Group – 10 activities, 0 measures

Operational Group – 10 activities. Measure assigned to secure 2 year lease of nineacres field while development of Groves is ongoing. There are obviously goals in here around season ticket sales, paying attendees etc which do not need a KPI because they are binary, i.e. we will either sell more than 2115 tickets or we won’t

Ownership Membership – 10 activities, 0 measures.

I’d encourage people to have a read of the Smart goals. Many of the objectives seem like things we should be doing as business as usual (i.e. sponsorship, membership engagement and growth, better comms). It was indicated that the goals would be fundamental to our success, but whilst certainly achievable I don’t feel like they have been thought out that well.

Additionally, not sure the prioritisation of some of these things is correct. Given our current situation, for me I would de-prioritise the training ground. If relegated, assuming some cost is going to be incurred I’d probably focus budget on first team activities. Additionally, some of the facility upgrades with the exception of the disabled supporters platform (incidentally this seems to have the longest lead time) could be deferred. We have prioritised remodelling the dug outs over improving the food kiosks and the quality of their products and service levels particularly in the tech end. Food and Drinks are probably the second biggest factor in the matchday experience next to the football itself and we are severely lacking.

Feel a bit like the SMART goals weren’t all that smart at this stage. Just expected a bit more. Acknowledge these may be a work in progress, just wondered if anyone else had a view. I had a read of the Strategy House document too and was pretty underwhelmed by that also.[/QUOTE]

What the hell is this all about? Smart used to be someone who is well dressed. Nowadays it is something which is no more than keeping up with the Jones's and creating a profit for the provider.

Re: Smart goals
 

[QUOTE=fluffysheepsupporter;2321772]What the hell is this all about? Smart used to be someone who is well dressed. Nowadays it is something which is no more than keeping up with the Jones's and creating a profit for the provider.[/QUOTE]

Its a corporate approach to driving performance within an organisation. Done right it can work, in the right environment. Not sure this works here though. The strategy house is a corporate thing too, ive seen it used with every big organisation ive worked in over the last 20 years.

Whats been produced on the whole for me is a POS. Many of the things on here are one off items rather than indicators of performance. Take the membership goals... Perhaps should have said, increase incremental memberships by 1% each quarter. The time boxing on these is mental too... They will have to move the dates out on a fair few.

Fallen short is the term that comes to mind. Intentions are probably good but execution not so much.

Re: Smart goals
 

no disrespect to yourself luke, but what a load of bunkum if i needed any reassurance of my own beliefs of why Wrexham fc have gradually sunk, then that load of rubbish is proof enough of why we are so shit

Re: Smart goals
 

[QUOTE=fluffysheepsupporter;2321772]What the hell is this all about? Smart used to be someone who is well dressed. Nowadays it is something which is no more than keeping up with the Jones's and creating a profit for the provider.[/QUOTE]

Out of interest, do you think we should have a strategy for trying to improve as a club? Or just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks? (Haven’t read the goals yet so Luke may well be right on them, but criticising the board simply for setting them seems weird.)

Re: Smart goals
 

[QUOTE=Jaded;2321788]Out of interest, do you think we should have a strategy for trying to improve as a club? Or just throw stuff at the wall and see what sticks? (Haven’t read the goals yet so Luke may well be right on them, but criticising the board simply for setting them seems weird.)[/QUOTE]


Hi Jaded

I will say that goals are a good thing (i thought it was in my original post buy maybe not, long post and it was late and was wrestling with red passion last night). I am not criticising the board for writing them so can we be very clear about that.

There was a bit of fanfare around these goals. The document clearly took a while to write, I think the creation date on the spreadsheet indicates Spencer started these in August. I am criticising the board for in my opinion (I may be the only one) doing a really poor job on the goals in the time available.

Making a goal out of selling the same or similar number of tickets as last year (in light of performances this may not be so easy next season) or ensuring that sponsorship agreements are in place, or attending supporter group meetings seems a lazy way to approach goal setting. It doesnt stretch anyone, these basically say carry on as you are. We dont need to continue with the status quo, we need to improve.

The most effort has gone into the training ground development goals. To me it feels like this is spencers pet project, his lasting legacy on the club. A better legacy would be promotion. Does anyone else stop and think whether we really need this right now?

Perhaps my criticism is wrong, but from this point I will continue to criticise and make no apology for that. If I am not allowed to criticise for poor football hopefully it is ok to say when I think that operational activities are not up to scratch.

Read the goals. Make your own mind up obviously. I suggest from the page views that not many people have read them.

Re: Smart goals
 

Sorry, Luke, I think I was unclear - having looked at the goals, I pretty much agree with you. Fluffy, in the post I quoted, seemed to be criticising the board for actually using SMART goals which seemed strange.

Re: Smart goals
 

[QUOTE=Jaded;2321808]Sorry, Luke, I think I was unclear - having looked at the goals, I pretty much agree with you. Fluffy, in the post I quoted, seemed to be criticising the board for actually using SMART goals which seemed strange.[/QUOTE]

No you werent unclear i dont think.

I can see why some would look at something like this and be cynical even if done well. I have always worked in environments where these things exist and they resonate with me. I have spent many hours writing these in the past, often writing individual goals tailored to people that work for me in order to combine working to their strengths and giving them something to aim for in order to get the best return out of them...

Just these are badly executed, and I think will be disregarded fairly quickly. Having the goals and not sticking to the timescales within 3 months shows me how serious of an attempt was made here.

Seriously, check the strategy house out when you get a sec. That thing is ludicrous.

Re: Smart goals
 

"Wrexham AFC the club that Represents ‘Half a nation’"

Yet nothing in the objectives that I can see about reaching out across north wales - apart from maybe the grassroots football day.