Nationals are over and school doesn’t start up again until September, but there’s still work to be done on your Enactus team.
Summer is a four-month period that is critical to your team’s success and being able to utilize your summer effectively is something you should be thinking about right now!
Here are a few important tips for enactifying your summer and maximizing your time:
Continue to Run Projects
The most important thing you can do this summer is keep your projects going!
Even if some members of your team are away for the summer, do your best to keep team excitement high and momentum building after #ECNationals by maintaining or even expanding your project initiatives.
TIP: Universities and colleges offer summer courses – so if you are strapped for members, start recruiting people who will be around during the summer months!
Set Team Goals for Year-End 2015
Do a quick review of what was achieved in 2014 and then look forward to see what your team can do this upcoming year. Your team should be holding strategic planning sessions throughout the summer to set goals in key functional and programmatic areas.
TIP: Some teams hold summer retreats that bring in members of their leadership team to set goals for the upcoming year while also encouraging team bonding.
Team Transitions
If members of your current leadership team are brand new, utilize outgoing team members to mentor and guide the new leadership team to success during the summer.
TIP: Make sure that outgoing team members not only transfer knowledge on key areas of the team but also transfer all of their relationships, setting up meetings with outgoing and new team members to transition every single relationship smoothly.
Plan Your Team Finances
Create budgets for attending the Enactus World Cup in Beijing, Enactus Canada Fall Retreats, Regional Exposition and National Exposition as well as project budgets.
TIP: Be ambitious. If you are planning well in advance for expenses, with a little bit of added effort your team can significantly increase your revenue sources.
Use your Program Manager
This year, Enactus Canada has three Program Managers to support the growth and development of Enactus teams across the country. Within the current Programs Department, there is a combined 21 years of experience working or volunteering with Enactus and these same staff have been to a combined 12 Enactus World Cups.
Lean on these individuals for support as much as possible, especially during the summer months!
TIP: These individuals are experts on how to build and grow your Enactus team so call them at least once a week for advice or use them as a sounding board…for pretty much anything Enactus!
Ultimately, the summer is your chance to build on the momentum of what was achieved last year. It is crucial to your team’s success for the upcoming year.
And if your team didn’t have the year you expected, this is your opportunity to wipe the slate clean and get started on the right track.
Best of luck over the summer months and all of the best for a successful 2014-2015 Enactus year!