To remain viable and competitive in an age of rapid change, Macomb Community College's leadership team provides an ongoing source of strategic thinking and transformational leadership. Guided and supported by the Board of Trustees, the team embraces a strategic planning philosophy that is forward looking and responsive to a changing environment. This proactive philosophy is built upon the key fundamental concepts of awareness and agility-awareness of environmental and societal trends and the agility to respond in a timely and meaningful way.

To maximize the College's overall effectiveness, three unique strategies form the basis for the College's approach to strategic planning:

• The Mission Strand Leadership Concept
• A Strategic Guidance Process
• A Leading Edge Strategies Approach

Collectively these three elements combine to form a framework for planning that has effectively guided the College during the past decade. Refreshed regularly, this framework serves as a solid foundation for positioning Macomb Community College for the future. It is widely understood, embraced, and applied throughout the organization by College staff.

Focus on Mission - Mission Leaders

The Mission Strand Leadership Concept, conceived in 1995, is designed to focus the College's leadership team on the core areas cited in the Mission Statement. This concept serves to broaden the College's strategic leadership expertise and provides a means for linking organizational leadership and structure with planning and budgeting processes. Through the Mission Strand Leadership Concept the College seeks to:

• Improve overall mission effectiveness
• Hasten the implementation of concurrent change and advancement initiatives
• Better align staff effort around the basic purposes for which the College exists.

The mission leadership strategy aligns executive leadership with each mission strand. Mission Leaders, by becoming resident experts and visible champions, are expected to create and sustain a dynamic environment by assuming responsibility for formulating and implementing the strategic directions for their particular mission strand.

Ultimately the College's Board of Trustees and the President are responsible for advancing the College's mission. However, within this context, individual Mission Leaders enjoy a unique position of influence in the following areas:

The College's mission strands generally focus on serving external constituencies. However, within the organization there are a number of units whose primary role is to provide services that support the delivery of mission related activities. While these services may be less visible to the public, they are no less essential to the College's success. As a result, a parallel system for deploying strategic leadership within these support areas has been developed with specific executives identified as Service Leaders for the College.

The Strategic Guidance Process

The Strategic Guidance Process, designed to reinforce mission effectiveness, is at the core of Macomb's approach to planning. This process consists of several guiding principles that assure connectivity to the community, provide a foundation for organizational thinking, and attempt to better address conditions impacting higher education. Macomb's Strategic Guidance Process includes an organizational commitment to the following:

• All planning emanates from the College's mission and social purpose.
• Organizational planning and development is built upon an "outside-in" approach.
• Strategic planning at Macomb is a continuous process, not a periodic task.
• Ongoing environmental scanning and organizational assessment shape the strategic directions and initiatives of the College.
• Organizational units are empowered to develop implementation plans.
• Resource availability may influence the pace, but not the direction of change.

At the heart of the Strategic Guidance Process is a design that simultaneously examines the College's current levels of performance and the external factors that may potentially impact the College's mission. From this examination emerges a plan that is designed to advance Macomb's effectiveness.

Leading Edge Strategies

Macomb Community College prides itself on its accomplishments in higher education, as well as its numerous contributions to the community. These actions are a result of a proactive strategy that enables the College to function as a leading edge organization. Leading Edge Strategies-the approach the College takes in shaping strategic direction-help to maintain the uniqueness of Macomb. This proactive approach provides a meaningful focus for staff while promoting high levels of organizational effectiveness. Such strategies include:

Maintaining an Adaptive Policy Environment
The College utilizes a multi-level policy structure that includes the Board of Trustees, administrative leadership, and departmental staff. This supportive environment provides for maximum operating flexibility while maintaining appropriate levels of governance and administrative oversight.

Providing for a Continuum of Learning
The College recognizes the value and importance of all learning and strives to develop a lifelong relationship with all learners. Particular emphasis is placed on facilitating seamless student transitions from one learning experience to another.

Promoting a Culture of Evidence
The College is committed to continuous improvement guided by quality and performance indicators. It continually monitors stakeholder attitudes and opinions and alters strategies accordingly. When setting direction, staff are encouraged to make decisions based upon data.

Placing a Priority on Partnerships
The College strives to engage capable and respected partners to advance ongoing programs and strategic initiatives. It recognizes that value-added synergy develops through such collaboration.

Assuring Long-Term Financial Stability and Strategic Investment Capability
The College is committed to principles of sound financial management. It maintains appropriate reserves in both operating and capital funds while establishing a unique Strategic Initiative Fund to support new venture projects.

Approved by the Board of Trustees
December 20, 2005