Viking Magazine - November 2022 - 30

EXECUTIVE IDEAS
By Christopher Pinkerton, Chief Executive Officer
MAKING TOUGH DECISIONS
A
s we near the mid-fourth
quarter of 2022, I have been
reflecting on the past three years and
the many decisions we have had to
make for the health and well-being
of the organization. Decisionmaking
is challenging, especially
when it impacts many people or
communities. As the CEO, my job
is to help guide the International
Board on making business decisions
that will impact the future of Sons
of Norway. While some of these
decisions are easy and accepted
widely, others are not popular and
can cause controversy.
While controversy can be painful,
and often as humans we will work to
avoid it, it can also be healthy for the
economic growth of an organization.
Rather than avoid difficult decisions,
I strive to work through the conflict
for the best possible outcome for
everyone.
Amidst one of the most
challenging times in our history,
COVID-19, we were faced with
decisions about staffing, in-person vs.
virtual conventions and technology
investments. When we are evaluating
these important but tough decisions
it is important to consider:
* Future impact of this
decision
* Are we making the decision
with our head or only our
heart?
30
November 2022
* What are the consequences
of being wrong?
* What data supports this
decision?
The hardest decisions are full
of possibilities, uncertainties and
obscurities. Given this, we need to
do our best to make good decisions
with the information and resources
we have. We do this by:
* Analyzing the data
* Being mindful of our goals
* Consulting trusted advisors
* Taking action
It is with this same spirit that
alongside the Board, we have
thoroughly evaluated the economic
and financial impact of our current
interest rate environment and the
implications on our business and
fraternal strategy moving forward.
This analysis helped identify areas
in both our insurance and fraternal
businesses in which we can save
money and operate more efficiently
from a reduction in operating
expenses.
With our current contract
running out for Viking magazine,
our fraternal team negotiated an
agreement with a new vendor for
our award-winning and mostloved
member benefit. Given
the macroeconomic situation,
the increased costs of goods and
services, and advancements in
technology, it was in our best
interest to renegotiate for more
favorable terms and a revitalized
look and offering for our magazine.
Looking into 2023 and beyond,
Viking will be published six times
per year, and we are happy to
" I would not
waste my life
in friction
when it could
be turned into
momentum. "
-Frances Willard
share that we will be using internal
resources to develop and deliver
additional digital content for our
members; thus, reducing paper and
delivery costs while making Viking
available in both print and digital
format.
While this was a very difficult
decision, I want to ensure you it
was made by evaluating what is
best for the longevity of Sons of
Norway. ▼
sonsofnorway.com
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - November 2022

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