The following report contains U.S.G.L. Strategic planning activity for FY20 (through February 2021). It contains information pertaining to strategic planning progress made during the indicated time period.
This year will always be remembered as the year that of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has put much of our planning and action plans on hold and has cast a veil of obscurity over the shape of the future needs of our Order. With that in mind, this report serves as an acknowledgement of the significant body of work that it represents and a placeholder for that future time when we can evaluate our priorities in a “post-COVID” Order. Consistent with last year’s report, which was published just as the pandemic took root, we have an additional section outlining goals made specifically for navigating this period.
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Objective: Preserve organizational health, locally and nationally in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Goal: Support O.T.O. bodies in U.S.G.L. to the extent possible
Strategy: engage with Local Masters via current lines of communication, provide resource assistance as able
Responsibility: Electoral College, GTG
Timeframe: Ongoing beginning March 2020
Status: Updates being sent to LMs through e-lists and through direct 1:1 communications
Strategy: Provide online resources to conduct classes and group gathering for local bodies to support Order activity in a social-distancing/shelter-in-place environment.
Responsibility: Electoral College, IT
Timeframe: Ongoing beginning March 2020
Status: Ongoing
GOAL STATUS: Ongoing, TBD
Goal: Support the global endeavor to control the spread of COVID-19 with the secondary effect of preserving the health of our Order.
Strategy: Establish a team to monitor scientific recommendations and to apply these to the creation of and method for managing safe in-person events as needed.
Responsibility: Strategic Planning, Executive
Timeframe: Ongoing beginning June 2020
Status: Updates monthly through U.S.G.L. admin site, Strategic Planning office
Strategy: Communicate restrictions for U.S.G.L. bodies, including local events, based on current instructions of WHO, CDC, and local/national authorities.
Responsibility: Strategic Planning, Executive
Timeframe: Ongoing beginning March 2020
Status: Updates being sent through U.S.G.L. blog, e-lists, and social media
GOAL STATUS: Ongoing, TBD
Goal: Increase U.S.G.L. preparedness for future pandemic emergencies
Strategy: Document the policies and procedures of the U.S.G.L. COVID Response Team into a guide for future teams
Responsibility: Strategic Planning, COVID Response Team, Executive
Timeframe: March 2022
Status: New
U.S.G.L. Strategic Initiatives
We envision OTO USA as a model religious and fraternal order of occult initiates, and a leading proponent of Thelemic thought and culture within the United States.
Objective: Fully implement Liber 194 to the extent possible and practicable
Goal: Maintain both IXth Degree Revolutionary positions (Liber 194: 25-26)
Strategy: Develop nomination/application process
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: 2023 ev
Status: New
GOAL STATUS: Open
Objective: Implement Liber 101 to the extent possible and practicable
Goal: Stress the study of magick, Thelema, Yoga and the Hermetic sciences in local bodies (Duties, Ninth House)
Strategy: Redefine E.C. Local Body Standards to require the teaching of magick classes
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: Summer 2022 e.v.
Status: New
GOAL STATUS: Open
We will maintain a physical presence near every major population center in the country, from which we will offer services in support of our mission to our members and to the public.
Objective: Establish new local bodies in needed areas
Goal: Improve Local Organizer program
Strategy: Make available f.a.q., best practices, guidelines and outreach materials for new organizers
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: June 2022 e.v.
Status: New
Strategy: Query local masters for information on any neighboring cities from which they are serving initiates to provide study group support.
Responsibility: Electoral College Outreach and Organizer Secretaries
Timeframe: Beginning July 2020 e.v.
Status: New
GOAL STATUS: Open
Objective: Support growth of existing local bodies
Goal: Develop EC outreach program to improve quality of local offerings
Strategy: Work with Public Information Officer to design guides and templates for outreach
Responsibility: Electoral College Outreach Secretary
Timeframe: beginning July 2020.
Status: Ongoing
Goal Status: Open
Goal: Review body equipment to improve quality of local offerings
Strategy: Collect and review equipment photographs from local bodies from last five years available in archive, and solicit anew from bodies who have not submitted in the last five years Request S.G.I.G. inspection as needed.
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: December 2020. (S.G.I.G. inspections on hold)
Status: Ongoing
Goal: Increase success rate of masters and organizers
Strategy: Develop and provide resources in central intranets for local masters and organizers.
Responsibility: Electoral College Resource Development Committee
Timeframe: Beginning Summer 2020 e.v., progress to be monitored over three Annual Report seasons
Status: Ongoing
Strategy: Provide a mentor to all local body masters.
Responsibility: Electoral College Mentor Secretary
Timeframe: October 2020 e.v.
December 2021 - Locate qualified members of KRE to serve as mentors.
Status: Ongoing
GOAL STATUS: Open.
Goal: Improve transitions of mastership
Strategy: Redefine Master Selection Process
Responsibility: Electoral College Selection Process Committee
Timeframe: Propose April 2020e.v. Implement by December 2020 e.v.
Status: Completed
Strategy: Develop and provide training materials and resources for local masters
Responsibility: Electoral College Resource Development Committee
Timeframe: Begin roll out in 2020e.v
December 2020 - Virtual Valley with IT
Status: 75% complete
December 2021 - best practices and guidelines for notice
Status: In Process
Summer 2022 - training materials for masters
Status: In Planning
December 2022 - training materials for side officers.
Status: In Planning
GOAL STATUS: Open
Goal: Improve Mentor Program
Strategy: Provide updated training and resources to all mentors
Responsibility: Electoral College Resource Development Committee, EC Mentor Secretary
Timeframe: December 2021 e.v.
Status: In development.
GOAL STATUS: Open.
Goal: Encourage local bodies to develop their own strategic plans
Strategy: Add requirement for local master applications to provide a basic strategic plan for their proposed tenure
Responsibility: Electoral College Secretary
Timeframe: August 2020 e.v.
Status: Completed
Strategy: Develop and draft guide to strategic planning for local masters
Responsibility: E.C. Strategic Planning Committee and U.S.G.L. Strategic Planning Secretary
Timeframe: Beginning December 2020 e.v.
Status: In Planning
Strategy: Provide guide to strategic planning to local masters
Responsibility: Electoral College, EC Resource Development Committee
Timeframe: December 2020 e.v.
Status: Postponed - 2022 e.v.
Strategy: Provide online training in strategic planning to local masters
Responsibility: Electoral College, EC Resource Development Committee and U.S.G.L. Strategic Planning Secretary
Timeframe: January 2022 e.v.
Status: Postponed - 2023 e.v.
Objective: Support development of Mystic Temples
Goal: Establish an additional Mystic Temple facility in the PNW
Responsibility: Grand Master
Timeframe: October 2021 e.v.
Status: In Process, extended 1 year due to COVID-19
Improve Effectiveness of Grand Lodge Programs
We will uphold the highest standards of excellence and effectiveness in the practice and dissemination of our religious, spiritual, magical, and ethical teachings.
Objective: Improve communications between Grand Lodge and the membership
Goal: Facilitate communication between the Electoral College and local body leadership
Strategy: Facilitate quarterly discussion between local body officers and Electoral College members on contemporary issues and frequently asked questions
Responsibility: Electoral College President, Vice President, and Secretary
Timeframe: Begin September 2020 e.v.
Status: Open
GOAL STATUS: Open.
Objective: Improve communications within Grand Lodge government
Goal: Improve Annual Report Form preparation and submission process
Strategy: Design and develop a more user friendly Annual Report Form submission process
Responsibility: Electoral College President, Annual Report Secretary, Assistant Internet Secretary.
Timeframe: January 2022 e.v.
Status: Ongoing
GOAL STATUS: Open.
Goal: Maintain consistency and clarity with Grand Lodge Policies and cross functional documentation
Strategy: Audit current policy documentation for consistency/accuracy
Responsibility: Policy Reconciliation Officer, Topic Stakeholders
Timeframe: Ongoing
Status: Ongoing
Strategy: Compile and distribute Initiation and E.G.C. policies previously communicated via S.G.I.G.
Responsibility: Policy Reconciliation Officer, Topic Stakeholders
Timeframe: December 2021
Status: New
We will espouse and defend the principle of individual liberty while cultivating strong fraternal bonds within our ranks.
Objective: Encourage and strengthen fraternal bonds
Goal: Publish to and discuss with masters the hows and why of notice with how-to template
Responsibility: Electoral College President
Timeframe: Autumn 2021 e.v.
Status: New
Goal: Follow up on previous Notices of Pending Bad Reports to determine or seek resolution.
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: Beginning summer 2020 e.v.
Status: Ongoing
Goal: Improve balance of transparency and protecting privacy in College matters
Strategy: Draft clear E.C. Confidentiality policy
Responsibility: Electoral College Confidentiality Committee
Timeframe: April 2022 e.v.
Status: Ongoing
Strategy: Codify and distribute to masters and mentors the categories of E.C. disciplinary and emergency actions
Responsibility: Electoral College
Timeframe: October 2020 e.v.
Status: Closed
Strategy: Release 2019 e.v. Annual Report Form Summaries
Responsibility: Electoral College Archive Secretary
Timeframe: December 2020 e.v.
Status: New
Strategy: Release backlog Annual Report Form Summaries
Responsibility: Electoral College Archive Secretary
Timeframe: August 2022 e.v.
Status: Open
Strategy: Establish Operational Development Projects Team
Responsibility: Strategic Planning Secretary
Timeframe: January 2022 e.v.
Status: New
GOAL STATUS: Open
Objective: To Promote Diversity & Inclusivity
Goal: To improve our approach to learning from, attracting, and retaining minority membership.
Strategy: Investigating free/low cost resources on diversity training for distribution to local bodies. Developed MoMods Research and Development teams:
Racial Diversity (released 2021)
Consent Culture (target 2021)
LGBTQA+ (target 2022)
Accessibility (target 2022)
TBA
Responsibility: Strategic Planning Secretary
Timeframe: Ongoing
Status: Ongoing
Strategy: To provide a venue to support and develop gender-minority leadership in O.T.O. (“Scarlet Tent”)
Responsibility: Kaaba Committee
Timeframe: March 2019 to September 2023
Status: on hold, reevaluate post COVID
GOAL STATUS: Open
Develop Constructive Outside Relationships
We will foster harmonious and constructive relationships with the academic, business, civil, and greater social communities within which we operate.
Objective: Establish relationships with the broader public in our local valleys.
Goal: Represent O.T.O. positively and foster mutually beneficial relationships
Strategy: Design best practices for establishing connections with friendly groups and organizations
Responsibility: Electoral College Outreach Secretary
Timeframe: On hold
Status: Open
Strategy: Provide local masters with best practices for establishing connections with friendly groups and organizations
Responsibility: Electoral College, EC Resource Development Committee, EC Outreach Secretary
Timeframe: April 2022 e.v.
Status: Open
GOAL STATUS: Open