The Summer Slowdown: When the Staff is Away, How Can EconDev Play?

‘Tis the Season

It’s THAT season. The season of sunshine, of irresistible beaches, lively barbecues, warm weather… and Out-of-Office auto-replies. Summer is upon us, and along with it, lagging tasks, difficult-to-reach stakeholders, and –for many of us– Summeritis brain.

But the summer period doesn’t have to go to waste when it comes to making progress on your Economic Development goals. Fortunately, the slower pace of summer allows for playing catch-up, time for bigger-picture strategic thinking, personal enrichment and preparation for the busier periods of the year. Economic Development professionals can, indeed, make the most of this chilled-out time, while still enjoying the calmer pace of the sunny season with these activities:

Professional Development and Learning

Remember those hundreds of articles, informative email newsletters and industry reports you’ve bookmarked during the year, promising yourself you’ll get to them when you’re caught up to the many projects on your plate? This is your chance. With fewer urgent tasks and a less-cluttered calendar, take the initiative to invest in updating your knowledge and develop new skills. Enroll in online courses or attend webinars on relevant topics, while encouraging your team to do the same.

Strategic Planning and Goal Setting

The quieter summer months are ideal for high-level reflection and strategic thinking. Check in with yourself and with your organization’s broader goals. Are your actions matching them? What can you do to innovate and produce better results? Engage in big-picture-thinking to review and update your organization’s strategic plan. This is the time to set clear and detailed goals and priorities for the coming months and year.

Organizational and External Data Analysis Catch-Up and Research

With the hustle and bustle of the rest of the year, more often than not data analysis gets pushed to the back burner. What do we mean by data analysis? Any analytics available to your organization from its own or external dashboards which can give you some insight into opportunities for your community, the state of your company, recent reports, economic data and trends. Conduct market research to identify new opportunities. Take a moment to reflect on the effectiveness of past projects and draw out learnings to provide valuable insights for improvement and future planning.

Internal Process Improvement

Use the summer slowdown to review and optimize your internal processes. Are there any areas in which your work-processes or pipelines can be optimized? Is available information clear, engaging and easy to access for your stakeholders, community and staff? Where can you facilitate a more streamlined, well-thought-out process to remove extra steps and friction? Implement new technologies or software that can enhance efficiency. Update and organize your documentation and databases. Streamlining your operations now will make your team happier and more effective in the long run.

Marketing and Outreach

Summer is a great time to develop or refresh your marketing materials and outreach strategies. Get creative here. Plan engaging future events, workshops, or conferences for the community. Don’t forget to enhance your organization’s online presence by updating your website and get ahead of the year by scheduling your social media posts with scheduling and analytics platforms.

Networking and Relationship-Building

Attend industry conferences or networking events that take place during the summer. This can be an excellent time to rev up your LinkedIn presence, as you connect with peers and professionals in the field. Sharing succinct, well-researched posts on industry knowledge and best practices posts can provide new perspectives while establishing thought leadership. Within your community, strengthen relationships with local businesses, community leaders, and other partners. Keeping stakeholders informed and engaged during the summer can pave the way for smoother interactions later.

Reflection and Team Building

Organize team-building activities to better understand one another’s roles and communication styles, share ideas and build bonds. Take a moment to reflect and recognize your team’s achievements and challenges over the past months. Make sure to communicate insights to your team and discuss possible improvements. This can foster a sense of accomplishment and provide valuable lessons for moving forward.

Get some vitamin D!

Lastly, don’t forget to enjoy the summer. Take the time to recharge and encourage your team to do the same. A well-rested team is an energized team.

By focusing on these activities, economic development professionals can turn the summer slowdown into a ray of sunshine that will light the rest of the year.