So, you wanna be a head?

As my season has almost come to an end, I've decided to share my experience and guide you through the process of becoming a head. Brace yourself, because this is going to be a long journey, with a lot of hard work and dedication, but don't worry, I'll guide you through every step of the way.

reading time: 15 minutes

Why the Head Plan Actually Matters

A plan is a detailed outline of the steps you need to take to achieve your goal. It's like a roadmap that helps you stay on track and reach your destination, and it's essential for success. Without a plan, you're just wandering around aimlessly, hoping to stumble upon your destination by chance.

A solid plan is intentional. It’s built on a clear vision, realistic expectations, and a timeline that doesn’t crumble the moment exams or real-life chaos hit. It should lay out your specific goals, key milestones, and measurable checkpoints so you can track progress instead of guessing.

And because life loves curveballs, your plan should also have a contingency strategy; what you’ll do when things don’t go as expected. This means sitting down, thinking deeply about your committee’s needs, anticipating challenges, and deciding how you’ll lead your team through both smooth sailing and stormy waters. The stronger and more grounded your plan, the easier it’ll be to keep your committee focused, productive, and motivated from day one to the final handover.

Understand the Expectations

Before you start typing away, you need to know exactly what the OSC board (and your VP/President) want from your plan. Shooting in the dark wastes everyone’s time.

Know the requirements

Each season is different, so make sure you consult with your VP/President and the OSC board to understand the specific requirements for your plan. This includes:

• What the OSC board expects from your plan.
• Mandatory sections (events, goals, timeline, etc.).

Understand the approval process

• Who reviews your plan and what they prioritize (clarity, feasibility, alignment with OSC’s bigger picture).
• How feedback is usually given and how you can respond effectively.

Learn from past seasons

• Review last year’s plan for your committee.
• Ask past heads what worked, what failed, and what they wish they’d done differently.

Let’s Break Down the Core Components of a Good Plan

This is where you list what absolutely must be inside your plan. Each point can be a section in the final document.

Committee Vision & Mission

Begin by establishing the fundamental "why" behind your committee's existence this season. Your vision should articulate what your committee hopes to achieve by the end of the season and clearly define what you want your members to gain from being part of the committee. This foundational element should demonstrate how your committee's work connects to and supports OSC's overall mission, creating alignment between your specific objectives and the broader organizational goals.

Goals & KPIs

Develop SMART goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals should provide clear direction for your committee's work throughout the season. Alongside these goals, establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that will serve as benchmarks to track progress and determine whether your committee is moving toward its objectives. These metrics should be quantifiable and regularly assessed to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

Key Activities & Events

Outline the major projects, workshops, campaigns, or initiatives your committee will undertake. For each activity, define the expected outcomes and specific deliverables that will result from these efforts. This section should provide a comprehensive overview of the concrete work your committee will perform and the tangible results it aims to produce, ensuring all members understand the scope and significance of their contributions.

Team Structure & Roles

Define how your team will be organized and establish clear responsibilities for each role within the committee. This organizational framework should specify reporting relationships, decision-making processes, and the specific duties assigned to each team member. Clear role definitions help prevent confusion, ensure accountability, and enable effective collaboration throughout the season.

Timeline & Execution Plan

Create a detailed timeline that breaks down your committee's work into manageable timeframes, whether organized by month, week, or project phases. Include deadlines for major milestones and key deliverables to maintain momentum and ensure timely completion of objectives. This execution plan should serve as a roadmap that guides your committee's activities and helps maintain focus on priorities throughout the season.

Resource & Budget Needs

Identify all resources required for successful execution, including personnel, tools, materials, and any external support needed. Provide cost estimates for these resources and explore possible funding sources or budget allocations. This comprehensive resource assessment ensures your committee has what it needs to succeed and helps leadership make informed decisions about resource allocation.

Risk Assessment & Contingency Plans

Proactively identify potential challenges, obstacles, or risks that could impact your committee's success. For each identified risk, develop contingency plans that outline specific steps your committee will take to address or mitigate these challenges. This forward-thinking approach demonstrates preparedness and helps ensure your committee can adapt and continue moving toward its goals even when unexpected situations arise.

Do Your Homework Before You Write

The difference between a weak plan and a great one is the homework you do before you even open Google Docs.

Research Your Committee's History

Begin your planning process by thoroughly examining your committee's past performance and documentation. Review previous event reports and budget records to understand what has worked well and what challenges have emerged over time. Pay particular attention to identifying recurring problems or seasonal challenges that tend to surface year after year. This historical analysis provides valuable insights that can help you avoid repeating past mistakes and build upon successful strategies that have proven effective in previous seasons.

Talk to Your Team and Future Members

Engage actively with both current committee members and potential new recruits to gather their ideas, concerns, and perspectives. Use a combination of surveys and informal conversations to understand what goals and activities are realistic given your team's capacity and interests. This collaborative approach ensures that your planning reflects the actual capabilities and enthusiasm of your members, while also helping you identify any potential issues or limitations early in the process. Understanding your team's strengths and constraints is essential for setting achievable objectives.

Coordinate with Other Committees

Establish clear communication channels with other committees to prevent scheduling conflicts and resource competition. Take care not to overcommit your committee by taking on more than you can realistically accomplish, especially when multiple committees may be vying for the same venues, audiences, or organizational support. Look actively for opportunities to collaborate with other committees on joint initiatives, as these partnerships can amplify your impact while sharing the workload and resources required for successful execution.

Check the OSC Master Calendar and Deadlines

Carefully review the OSC master calendar to identify all relevant freeze dates, designated event windows, and exam periods that could impact your committee's activities. Mark these critical dates prominently in your planning timeline to ensure you have adequate preparation time for each event or initiative. Understanding these organizational constraints helps you schedule your activities strategically, avoiding conflicts with academic deadlines or other major campus events that could affect attendance or participation in your committee's work.

Writing Tips That'll Make the Board Love You

Prioritize clarity over complexity in your writing by keeping sentences tight and avoiding buzzwords or vague statements that obscure your actual intentions. Structure your document for easy scanning by incorporating clear headings, strategic bullet points, and visual elements like timelines and budget tables that allow reviewers to quickly grasp key information. Ensure that every planned activity ties directly to your stated goals, with each initiative having a clearly measurable purpose that demonstrates its value to the committee's mission.

When possible, incorporate visuals such as tables for budget breakdowns, Gantt charts for project timelines, and infographics to illustrate your KPIs. These visual elements make complex information more digestible and show that you've thought through the practical details of implementation. Maintain a tone that is professional yet personal—keep your writing polished and credible without sounding robotic or overly formal, allowing your genuine enthusiasm and leadership style to come through.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One of the most damaging mistakes is being too vague in your proposals, such as saying "We'll host events" without specifying what types of events, when they'll occur, and why they're important to your committee's goals. If your VP has to play detective to figure out what you actually mean, you've already lost credibility and points in the evaluation process. Equally problematic is overpromising by planning ten massive projects with a tiny team or nonexistent budget, which creates a fast track to burning out your members. While ambition is valuable and encouraged, crossing the line into unrealistic expectations is not.

Ignoring contingency planning is another critical error that shows poor leadership foresight. Acting like everything will go perfectly might seem optimistic, but it becomes problematic when outdoor events face unexpected power outages, speakers cancel unexpectedly, or member counts get slashed mid-season. Similarly, copy-pasting last year's plan treats past documents as templates to lazily recycle rather than references to learn from. The OSC environment changes every season, and failing to adapt your approach will likely result in a plan that flops when implemented.

Forgetting the reality of exam seasons by scheduling major activities during midterms or finals guarantees ghost town attendance, no matter how well-planned your events might be. Setting unmeasurable goals is equally counterproductive—saying you want to "increase engagement" provides no concrete benchmark, while "increase average workshop attendance by 20% compared to last semester" gives you a specific target to work toward and measure against.

Operational mistakes include failing to check the OSC master calendar, which can lead to competing events that kill attendance faster than any other factor. Poor alignment with OSC's overall mission means your activities might sound exciting but get rejected or heavily edited if they don't serve the organization's broader vision. Additionally, overloading new members with big, high-pressure projects without proper training is a reliable way to lose valuable team members mid-season.

Finally, having no follow-up plan for collecting feedback or conducting post-event assessments means you won't understand what worked or what failed, leaving you unable to improve for future initiatives.

The Review & Submission Process

Before submitting your final plan, seek early feedback by sharing your draft with a trusted colleague or former committee head who can provide valuable perspective on clarity, feasibility, and alignment with OSC expectations. Carefully follow all formatting requirements and deadlines by adhering to the specified structure, font requirements, and length guidelines while submitting well before the deadline to avoid last-minute chaos that could compromise the quality of your submission.

When it comes time to present your plan, prepare thoroughly so you can defend and explain every aspect with confidence. Know your plan inside and out, including the reasoning behind each decision, the expected outcomes of each initiative, and how you'll handle potential challenges or questions that may arise during the review interview.

Final Checklist Before You Hit Send

Quick yes/no list to confirm readiness:

• Vision aligns with OSC’s mission.
• Goals are measurable and realistic.
• Activities have clear timelines.
• Budget is accurate and justified.
• Risks and contingencies are addressed.
• No conflicting dates with other committees.

In the end

Remember that a well-thought-out Head Plan is far more than just a requirement to check off—it's your leadership blueprint for the entire season. Leading a committee will undoubtedly present challenges, but having a clear roadmap allows you to lead with confidence rather than spending your time constantly firefighting unexpected crises.

Treat your plan as a living document that evolves with your committee and the season. Update it as circumstances change, new opportunities arise, and you learn what works best for your team. This flexibility, grounded in solid initial planning, is what transforms good committee heads into exceptional leaders who leave lasting positive impacts on their organizations and members.

Also, learn from my mistakes and reflections, which you can find here.