By: Will Nelson, Digital Content Strategist, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
When I looked around the table on April 4th, I saw representation from all of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden: horticulture, education, marketing, guest services, operations, administration, and even the board of directors. Our reason for meeting that day was to discuss strategic planning. Canopy Strategic Partners, our planning partner, had assembled a “Blue Ribbon Panel” to connect members of the Garden’s team to community leaders focused on four previously identified interest areas: 1) organizational sustainability; 2) environmental resiliency; 3) collaboration and gathering; and 4) social responsibility that would inform the Garden’s strategic plan.
Blue Ribbon Panel Composition
We began the meeting hearing from three dynamic presenters: Monica Smith-Callahan, Deputy County Manager of Community Affairs, Henrico County; Chris Frelke, Director of Parks and Recreation and Community Facilities, Richmond City; and Rob Rose, Director of William & Mary Institute for Integrative Technology.
As a relatively new Garden team member, I was curious about the panelists. I quickly realized the reason for their selection: each was a subject matter expert in their field who shared unique perspectives within the identified interest areas. Because I’m passionate about horticulture and community-building, I was especially interested in Chris Frelke’s comments about meeting people “where they are.”
Identifying Community Champions
Chris challenged us to identify our community champions. He encouraged us to think about potential partnerships with organizations already active in the communities they serve, because when you work with established organizations, there’s true collaboration. Plus, community members are more welcoming of the new partner since they already have established relationships with these existing organizations.
Some of the most exciting discussions of the day revolved around ways to inspire new and young faces to become involved in the horticulture field. All three presenters offered examples of how their organizations accomplish that, with specific tie-in opportunities for the Garden.
Challenging the Status Quo
We heard from national presenters via Zoom in the afternoon session. This group discussed trends in relevant fields to spark new ideas. Panelists included Judy Braus, Executive Director, North American Association of Environmental Educators; Angie Renner, Environmental Integration Director, Walt Disney World Resort; and Lori Perkins, Vice President, Canopy Strategic Partners.
The interactive conversations provided a new view of the Garden’s work, challenged the status quo, and fostered creative thinking. Topics included environmental sustainability, equity and inclusion, and organizational culture. Angie Renner challenged us with these thoughts: “What do you want to change? What’s bothering you? How will you know when it’s changed?“
It’s All About Engagement
This approach of thoughtfully incorporating as many voices as possible has guided the strategic planning process and was one of the main reasons the Garden selected Canopy Strategic Partners in the fall of 2022 as we embarked on strategic planning. As the Garden’s President and CEO Brian Trader says, “We want to share our Garden with everyone and make it accessible for our community.”
The Blue Ribbon Panel meeting was one of many carefully planned opportunities to engage as many voices as possible, and I’ve been excited to be one of those voices. Additional engagement opportunities by Canopy included:
- Inviting all staff and volunteers to complete a 14-question survey
- Providing a series of listening sessions, including an all-staff session
- Leading workshops
Canopy has engaged in listening sessions with volunteers, members, the board of associates, and the board of directors. An advisory council comprised of community leaders also offered invaluable input including representatives from Sheltering Arms, Richmond City Public Schools, Thrive Virginia, Virginia Department of Educational Science, Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Virginia State University, and CultureWorks.
Key Takeaways
The day after the Blue Ribbon Panel, the Garden team debriefed and identified insights gathered throughout this process. My key takeaways included:
- A “diagonal cross-section” team allowed us to hear the full range of views and perspectives from all departments within the Garden—sometimes people had excellent ideas for other departments.
- The Blue Ribbon Panel’s greatest value is to comprise the perspectives of people internally and externally, leading to a strategy that not only represents stakeholders but the community as a whole.
- Seeing how passionate and invested people are in what the Garden does and can do in the future was incredibly energizing.
There’s still much work to do, but the road map is emerging, thanks to the input of all. One specific comment from the day keeps replaying in my head and underscores the value of input from a Blue Ribbon Panel: “Be brave,” challenged Henrico County’s Monica Smith-Callahan, “Be bold.”
Author Will Nelson provided all photography during the Blue Ribbon Panel, including the photos in this article.
Canopy Strategic Partners can assist your organization with your strategic planning needs. To learn more, read about our services and contact us.
