Is Strategic Planning Valuable?
I’m on a quest to understand how strategic planning can be valuable to any organization or leader. I recognize the cost can create sticker shock and hesitation about investing in an organization in this way. I believe a robust strategic planning process can benefit an organization in numerous ways. Here are some ways leaders are finding their plan to be beneficial.
Articulating the vision.
Sometimes I work with leaders who seem to have a clear vision for the organization’s work but it’s all in their head, especially if the work is radical. Sometimes they have a team but the team doesn’t have a clear understanding of what the future looks like – which is essential for people to take autonomy and ownership in their role. A robust strategic planning process can allow for deep community engagement that creates alignment around the intended impact, priorities to get there, and clarifies the next steps. The process can validate or clarify the theory of change – how the organization’s resources and work serve others or lead to change. Sometimes teams are all aligned about the future of the work but haven’t put time and energy into collaboratively planning for the future – teams tend to focus on (or get stuck in) what is happening currently. When I support organizations through the planning process, a measure of success I work towards is ensuring all staff and board members are clear about the goals, strategy and impact of the plan – it’s a bonus if they’re excited about it.
Creating Structure (re: boundaries).
One challenge for many organizations is knowing and upholding where their work begins and where it ends. I’ve notice happen with leaders who understand the interconnectedness of systems and take on more work or organizations experience mission creep going after funding that is available or organizations that are simply efficient and effective so their community asks them to do any and everything. Through a strategic planning process, teams are reconnecting to their mission and desired impact to establish clear boundaries of their work so they can better say “No” or give an easy/enthusiastic “Yes.” If your organization has been more reactive, a strategic plan also allows you to reset the pace (slow down) and focus your energy to make a deeper impact. No one person or organization can solve or fix all the problems within a community, it will take collective effort and that’s starts by being clear about what you’re bringing to the table and ensuring the you sustain that capacity to be a reliable partner.
Clarifying what values are essential to the work.
Values shape the way you do your work. Values have the power to differentiate your organization from others doing similar work and lead to organization success. Furthermore, your organization has them even if you’re not able to articulate them – however, I think organization will benefit from explicitly naming their values. Through a strategic planning process, you can understand what values are essential to shaping your organization and embed them in all of your goals and priorities. I’ve noticed groups in the service industry have values such as customer service, collaboration, creative/innovative problem solving; groups in arts value inclusivity, recognition, and creativity as they seek to engage their community in art; groups serving our most vulnerable populations name empathy, care, and respect. In my opinion, having clarity about your organization’s values is just as important as having a mission and vision.
Understanding resource needs.
I am passionate about working with leaders and organizations that are working towards systems change and transformation. I know that one of the risks to transformative work is burnout – that is people or the community have not recognized this transformation as a viable option for the future, so they are unwilling to give resources (time, money, etc.) that will sustainably support the work. I’ve noticed when leaders and organizations are overwhelmed, they recognize they need more staff but can’t articulate the roles they need. Additionally, staff always lift up the need for more funding during strategic planning -- I remind them that they have to be clear about what they would use the funding for. I believe there are a lot of resources in our communities however, if we aren’t clear about what we need, we won’t know what to ask or look for. One leader told me that they use their strategic plan to understand not only what roles their organization needs to grow but also what skills the roles will need -- now they know to do at least one skills test during the hiring process. A robust strategic planning process can help to mitigate burnout. I believe having clarity about what your organization does or does not do can allow you to align funding sources and partners with the work of your organization and its capacity as opposed to overwhelming your organization.
This is what I’ve noticed and what has been expressed to me thus far. So, my quest to understand the needs of organizations and leaders continues. I’m interested in talking with other leaders to learn more about what they’re experiencing and how strategic planning could be a benefit. If you’re unsure of how strategic planning could help you or your organization, reach out to me for coffee, lunch, or a quick chat so that we can learn together.