Main Spotlight: How to Successfully Navigate the Transformation Strategy Process

Embarking on a transformation strategy for your organization can be an exciting yet daunting process. It requires the right blend of vision, community engagement, and practical execution to achieve sustainable success. In 2024, Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance began this journey by partnering with Washington Main Street and Main Street America to develop our new transformation strategy: an active waterfront for all.

We went through a comprehensive process of surveys, focus groups, and demographic analysis to determine the new direction for our district. After ten months of hard work, we implemented this strategy, overcame challenges, and restructured our organization for success. In this blog, I’ll explain the steps we took, the hurdles we faced, and the lessons we learned, which I hope will help make this process easier and less daunting for other communities.

Step 1: Ensure Board and Committee Buy-In

The first step in any transformation process is ensuring you have complete buy-in from your board and committees. During the strategy identification phase, we actively involved these stakeholders by including them in surveys, focus groups, and strategy discussions. Despite this early involvement, we discovered that some members were still hesitant when it came time to implement the plan.

To overcome this challenge, we initiated one-on-one meetings with these outliers to address their concerns and bring them on board. During these discussions, it was essential to listen, engage, and communicate the potential benefits of the transformation. We framed the conversation around the bigger picture — how this strategy would benefit the organization and the community. These tailored conversations allowed us to align everyone’s vision and secure the necessary buy-in.

Actionable Tip: Take the time to understand the concerns of those who may not be fully on board. Engaging with them individually can go a long way in ensuring unified support for the transformation strategy.

Step 2: Create and Share an Executive Summary

Once we had secured internal buy-in, we needed to extend that to external stakeholders. We developed an executive summary that outlined our new transformation strategy. This document served as a concise overview of the research, the strategic priorities, and the expected outcomes.

We shared this summary with key stakeholders, including the city council, local businesses, sponsors, donors, and community partners. This step was vital for building awareness and garnering additional support. The transformation process is not just about the internal team — it’s about uplifting the entire community.

Actionable Tip: Developing an executive summary helps clarify your strategy and ensures that key stakeholders understand your goals and can offer support. Make sure this document is shared widely.

Step 3: Create a Timeline with Implementation Goals

One of the biggest lessons we learned was the importance of having a clear timeline with specific goals. After identifying our new strategy, we broke it down into actionable steps, including updating work plans, restructuring our budget, and rebranding existing programs.

We developed a detailed timeline with implementation goals and shared it with our board. At every monthly meeting, we referenced this timeline to track progress and ensure accountability. Keeping everyone engaged was key to maintaining momentum throughout the 10-month implementation process.

Actionable Tip: A timeline isn’t just for internal use — it’s a powerful tool for maintaining transparency and ensuring your stakeholders know that progress is being made.

Step 4: Update Work Plans (The Hardest Part)

Updating our work plans was the most difficult part of the transformation strategy implementation process. Based on the data and feedback we had received from Main Street America, we knew that some of our existing programs didn’t align with our new strategy. To address this, we created a program evaluation survey that scored each of our existing events and initiatives against our new strategic priorities.

After reviewing the survey results with our board, we made tough decisions. Some beloved programs had to be cut, while others were restructured or handed off to other organizations. While these changes were necessary, they were not easy. We encountered pushback, especially from those who had emotional or financial investments in certain events.
To overcome this resistance, we focused on transparent communication and shared the data that led to our decisions. Clear, data-driven communication helped mitigate the backlash and kept us focused on the larger goal: implementing a strategy that would serve the entire community.

Actionable Tip: Be prepared for resistance but remain firm in your data-driven decisions. Make sure to communicate clearly and involve stakeholders in the evaluation process to increase acceptance of changes.

Step 5: Align Your Budget with Your New Strategy

Implementing a transformation strategy is not just about updating work plans — it also requires rethinking your financial approach. Once we had our new work plan in place, we faced the challenge of aligning our budget to support it. This was especially difficult because some of the programs we cut had been significant revenue generators for our organization.

We worked creatively to find alternative funding sources and rebranded certain events to fit within our new strategic goals while maintaining their financial viability. For example, some events were reshaped to better align with our mission, and we sought new sponsorship opportunities for those that remained. This reworking of both our budget and events was essential for ensuring that our new strategy was both actionable and financially sustainable.

Actionable Tip: When updating your work plans, make sure your budget aligns with your new strategy. Be prepared to cut or rebrand revenue-generating events if they no longer fit your goals — but also be proactive in identifying new funding sources to fill any gaps.

The Road Ahead

Successfully navigating the transformation strategy process requires a mix of careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and financial creativity. At Gig Harbor Waterfront Alliance, we learned that the key to success lies in clear communication, securing buy-in from both internal and external stakeholders, and staying focused on the larger goal of benefiting the community.

By following these steps, your community can develop and implement a transformation strategy that aligns with its mission and vision while overcoming inevitable challenges along the way. Remember: change is hard, but it’s also necessary for growth. As you embark on your own transformation journey, keep your eyes on the prize, and don’t be afraid to make the tough decisions needed to secure a sustainable future.