By the GBC Community Relations Office of the Strategic Planning Network
Bhaktivijnana Swami, a GBC leader and preacher in Russia and Israel, also serves on the SPN’s Succession Committee. Maharaja expresses his appreciation of the strategic planning process, personally witnessing how the culture of strategic planning has dramatically changed the work of the GBC, allowing it to put energy into addressing important issues relevant for the whole Society and its direction for the future, particularly in the area of succession.
Romapada Swami, GBC member of over twenty-two years leading ISKCON in New York, New Jersey and the Midwest of the USA, and also a member of the SPN’s Organizational Development Committee, speaks on how strategic planning has helped him in his GBC service and how it can better assist ISKCON’s leadership to respond to what is required of it – to bring the message of Lord Caitanya to the world while ensuring that the devotees’ lives continue to be enriched and invigorated.
Gauranga Prabhu, an experienced trainer and preacher from ISKCON Chowpatty also serves on a number of SPN committees – Devotee Care, Temple Development/Systems Administration (TDSA), and Organizational Development. Here he speaks on the work being done by the TDSA meant to assist any ISKCON project practically. Gauranga Prabhu explains how Lord Caitanya and Srila Prabhupada went to great lengths to ensure that the Gaudiya Vaisnava philosophy was properly documented, how proper documentation is the basis of standardization, and that standardization is one way we can improve the quality of ISKCON projects worldwide. The TDSA offers to ISKCON temples and projects worldwide a systems template by which they can document their project’s activities. To facilitate this, the TDSA created a department called the Systems Assistance Body for Devotee Care and Administration (SABDA). Gauranga Prabhu provides information on how to get your project connected to SABDA and take advantage of the support the SABDA team can offer.