Do you know what a BHAG is? Well, neither did I until a few months ago.
This widely used acronym stands for “Big Hairy Audacious Goal.” It is defined as a clear and compelling target for an organization to strive for, or a goal that’s just a little bit too far out of reach. The concept was introduced by business researcher and consultant Jim Collins, author of “From Good to Great” and many other great books.
Why am I telling you this? Currently, Black Gold School Division is reviewing its strategic planning process, which includes our core purpose, values, and goal. Our core goal is also known as our BHAG.
Our existing BHAG, “By 2020 BGRD is the leading school division in the province,” was established 10 years ago. Whether we have achieved that goal is a matter for debate, but obviously my opinion is of course we did or are very close.
Nevertheless, it is time to establish a new goal and we want your help. This time, in honour of the 25th Anniversary of Black Gold Schools, we are looking at developing a 25-year BHAG; something compelling and visionary, with a clear finish line that inspires and motivates our staff, students and parents.
How do we accomplish this? Well, the first thing is to ask for help from our key stakeholders to arrive at our new goal. Next, we need to brainstorm and come up with a list of priorities. The power of the BHAG is that it gets you out of thinking small. BHAGs are bigger, bolder and more powerful than regular long and short-term goals. They typically take a longer commitment, but they are exciting, tangible, and something everyone just “gets” without further explanation.
Finally, we need to have some fun with it. This process rallies the energy and passion of everyone involved and serves as motivation for teamwork and collaboration. Once we have narrowed down our list of priorities, we need to ask ourselves a few questions to ensure that we can dedicate the next 25 years to achieving the new BHAG.
Some questions we may want to ask ourselves include:
-Is it long-term?
-Is it something people will understand if we share it?
-Will it require us to stretch ourselves out of our comfort zone?
-Is it specific, measurable, and achievable?
-Is it audacious enough?
-Does it create momentum?
-Does it excite and motivate us?
In the words of the renowned business consultant Sigrun, “You need big, hairy, audacious goals to achieve great success. It doesn’t happen without goals.” If you would like to participate, be a part of our journey and share your ideas for our new BHAG, please email bgsdtrustees@blackgold.ca.We would love to hear from you!
– Trustee Shawna Ofstie, County West