The weather’s getting cooler, but there’s nothing cooler than sitting down to plan your next year (or 5 year) strategic plan.
What is strategic planning? I’d say for some it’s thoughtful review of what you’ve done, what you think needs to be done and then planning for what you should do in order to move your organization forward in a realistic way.
Great strategic planning takes into consideration the limitations and realities of funding, while also allowing for new ideas to surface.
The new ideas that percolate through the filters of reality (budget and staff resources, for example) gives each organization the chance to reset priorities and effectively discard things that can’t get past the following question: “Are we doing this because we always do this, or are we doing this because it’s the best way that we can do it?”
The act of Strategic Planning is a perfect thing to do right now, especially if you are among the organizations that haven’t done it before. Some reasons for avoiding a strategic planning may include:
a) cost
b) not enough time
c) not important enough
d) a lack of confidence in the process, or negative history
e) strategyphobia (you get the idea)
Every single one of those reasons to avoid strategic planning are just excuses to free-wheel, to hoard one’s own ideas despite the importance of setting overarching goals and priorities that benefit the group.
Whether you are one a board or directors, an elected council or a volunteer board strategic planning is an important annual check-up and check-in to review organizational progress, consider possibilities to improve.
In the perfect world, the organization’s vision, mission and values should align with the strategic plan which is connected to the day to day actions and decisions that will determine organizational success.
So, unless you and your organization is entirely filled to capacity with clairvoyants you should have a strategic plan and check-up every year. If, on the other hand you are one of those “guys” that never changes the oil in their engine, keep on trucking!
Municipal Experts Inc. is pleased to offer strategic planning workshop sessions to any organization that is in need of an annual tune-up. Contact us for sessions that will not only be productive, but will put you on the path to organizational happiness.
403.334.4922