The Council on Region Affairs will significantly revise the Chapter Operations Management Tool (COMT) for the coming chapter year. The changes aim to streamline the planning tool and the recognition component to create a better user experience to help chapters:
- Capture the value they deliver to members as outlined in Society Operating Guideline 8.5
- Maximize current technology
- Receive effective, timely communication
- Align recognition with documented delivery of member value
The revised tool will launch for the 2020-21 chapter year. ASSP will give chapters access to their unique links, updated guidance and planning tools and new resources in July to help them make the most of the tool. In the meantime, you can see a preview with our 2020-21 COMT Questions and Points summary.
To help you know what to expect, let's review a few highlights.
Capturing Chapter Value
Chapter leaders overwhelming told us that they would prefer a simpler tool overall. You also want clearer connections between response options in the tool and chapter charter requirements and activities that provide value to members.
- Response options are now organized to match Society Operating Guideline (SOG) 8.5. This SOG outlines the chapter charter requirements that ensure members are being well-served by their chapters. Matching response options to these requirements will enable you to more clearly see how each activity relates to what you are being asked to do.
- Response options that most strongly support chapters meeting charter requirements are highlighted. Response options are listed in order of how strongly they support you in meeting requirements to help you focus on the activities that will bring the most value to members.
- Response items that do not directly support a chapter’s ability to meet chapter charter requirements have been removed. Reducing the overall number of options creates a simpler tool and clearer guidance on where to focus. If your chapter’s members find value in these activities, you can still earn recognition for that work by reporting them in the appropriate “other” field.
- You’ll see more information about the reasoning behind each response option. Improved communication will focus on what you are being asked to do and why.
Maximizing Current Technology
Navigating to and through the tool are top concerns among chapter leaders, as well as the ability to track progress toward your recognition goals within the tool.
- You’ll be able to access to COMT links through the ASSP website. A link through a new report available on the My Groups tab in your account profile will remove the need to keep track of the link through emails.
- Navigation will be improved. We’ve removed unnecessary pages and other features within the tool will help you more easily access the section you need.
- Points tracking within the tool will be enabled. You’ll now see your points tracked within the tool to support your goal setting.
Effective and Timely Communication
Chapter leaders, particularly those not currently serving as chapter president, would like more information about the tool and personal conversations are the most effective way to share this information.
- Chapter presidents will be provided with tools for talking about the COMT and other chapter requirements with their leadership teams throughout the year. A quarterly slide deck of timely information will help president facilitate more conversations at team meetings about chapter goals, progress toward those goals and how every leader can contribute.
- Area directors and regional vice presidents will have more training and tools for talking about the COMT during chapter visits and through area and region communications. Beginning, mid- and year-end slide decks and talking points, along with a COMT overview during onboarding training, will enable area directors and regional vice presidents to help your leadership teams use the COMT to provide value to members.
Aligning Recognition With Documented Delivery of Member Value
Chapter leaders view the chapter recognition levels as having delivered a certain level of service to members, rather than as outperforming other chapters. You are looking for a better balance in the points system for recognition for specific activities and the ability to achieve higher levels of recognition. More clarity and communication about the structure of the point system is also needed.
- The program now recognizes that chapters have delivered a standard of service to members. Shifting away from the best-of-the-best model for chapter recognition focuses the program on the member experience, reflects chapter leaders’ own perceptions of the value of their efforts and removes the frustration of annual changes to the points system as chapter performance improves.
- The points distribution has been simplified while emphasizing chapter charter requirements. The tool now has only three tiers of points, weighted according to how well they support a chapter’s ability to meet chapter charter requirements. The new structure is clearer rewarding activities bring the most value to members, makes achieving higher levels of recognition attainable and incentivizes stretch goals for chapters.
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Chapter charter requirements
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400 points each
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6,000 total points available
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Activities that strongly support meeting requirements
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90 points each
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1,890 total points available
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Activities that enhance requirements
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40 points each
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2,120 total points available
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- The thresholds for achieving each level of recognition have been simplified and will be maintained. Using clear brackets for each recognition level that remain steady year to year helps with goal setting, recognizes the work involved in meeting charter requirements and removes the frustration associated with annual changes to the recognition program.
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Bronze
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6,000 – 6,999
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Silver
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7,000 – 7,999
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Gold
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8,000 – 8,999
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Platinum
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9,000 and above
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- We’ll continue to explore opportunities to grow and strengthen the recognition program. The Council on Region Affairs will continue to look for ways to deepen the meaning of recognition levels, acknowledge achievements throughout the year, recognize incremental growth in chapter performance and recognize our highest performing chapters in new ways.
How the Changes Came About
The changes came out of a review conducted by the Chapter Operations Committee. Made up of current and past chapter and region leaders, committee members leveraged their own experiences with chapter operational planning, tracking and recognition; the information and tools associated with the current tool; and the following data in their review:
- Chapter Leader Survey Responses
- Regional Vice President and Area Director Input
- Chapter Performance History: 2014-19
- COMT Response History Report
They also conducted a line-by-line analysis of the current tool, assessing the impact of the activities represented by each response option on a chapter’s ability to meet chapter charter requirements.
The committee submitted recommendations for changes based on this review. The Council on Region Affairs, which is responsible for maintaining the tool, adopted the recommendations at its June meeting.