Applying the 9 Ps of Effective Sport Development

One framework I use to help community sport organisations towards sustainable growth is the 9 Ps for Effective Sport Development.

Here's a snapshot of each "P" and the initial questions that clubs and peak bodies can use to self-reflect and diagnose how they are performing in each area:

PEOPLE 👥

• Does the organisation have the right people on board? And if we have the wrong people on board, how do we detect and address that?

• Are we tapping into a diverse range of ages, genders, backgrounds, skills

• How does the organisation retain and serve its staff and volunteers?

• What does it feel like to work or play here?

PURPOSE 🎯

• Does the organisation have a clear and compelling vision/mission?

• Why does it exist, beyond sport delivery?

(Note: People and Purpose are a bit like the chicken or the egg - which comes first? 🤔 From my experiences, I'm a strong believer that successful strategy and the accompanying vision/values only emerge with the right people in place at all levels: Board, Executive leadership team, and program leads. As Jim Collins talks about in Good To Great - "First Who, Then What")

PARTNERSHIPS 🤝

• How strong is the organisation's capacity to build and maintain relationships with…

  • Government (local / state / federal)?

  • Schools & teachers?

  • Sponsors (corporate, grants, philanthropic)?

  • Community groups?

PROGRAMS🧩

• Does the organisation have a suitable suite of programs to cater for its community? (The program "mix")

• How effectively are these initiatives 'gift wrapped' to entice members?

PLACES TO BELONG 🏡

• How well do an organisation's physical and digital places instill belonging? Paying attention to the 3 I's, making them:

  • Inclusive

  • Inviting

  • Identifiable

PROFITABILITY 💰

• How strong is the financial engine driving the organisation's capacity to serve experiences?

PARTICIPATION 🤽

• How strongly does the organisation's participation mirror its community?

• How optimally is your membership model structured to welcome waves of new participants, or is it acting as a floodgate and reinforcing the status quo?

PATHWAYS 🛤️

• How does the organisation actively link programs to retain and progress members?

• 3 Worlds: Participation → Development → Elite

• Active transitions into non-playing roles

PERFORMANCE 📊

• We know there is a clear scoreboard on-field, but what about off-field? How does the organisation measure and acknowledge success?

  • Experience quality?

  • On-field results?

  • Number of teams?

  • Retention/churn?

  • Revenue?

Interested in a workshop or presentation for your team surrounding the 9 Ps? Get in touch with us today for a chat.