Strategic Planning
by Michele Walter

In our rapidly changing world it is increasingly critical for leaders to ensure institutional alignment on organizational priorities and strategic direction. The trick, however, is to continuously balance laser-like focus on established goals while maintaining flexibility to adjust for unforeseen opportunities or challenges as they arise.

Often the proposal to engage in a comprehensive strategic planning process is met with an array of reactions ranging from skepticism to unbridled enthusiasm. Some will react with resignation or even dread. Typically these individuals have previously endured months of monotonous discussions ultimately captured into a document which subsequently lies dormant on a shelf. Others, who may not be as familiar with such endeavors, may articulate unrealistic expectations for fundamental and immediate organizational change.

In engaging a leadership group around important institutional questions there are several guidelines that will ensure a beneficial outcome:

• Establish a clear and finite process. Define the planning group, the pace of work, and the meeting schedule at the outset.
• Take time to understand the current environment. Engage in a thorough SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis with an objective lens. Be sure to spend as much time evaluating the external environment (Opportunities, Threats) as the internal (Strengths,Weaknesses). Hear from all constituent groups in the process.
• Define Success. With a clearer understanding of the current situation, spend time visualizing what it is to be successful. Test the existing institutional vision and mission against this definition, and make adjustments as necessary.

[ back to top ]

• Manage expectations. A strategic planning effort should result in a clear and concise roadmap for the future. Oftentimes participants express frustration at the end of a several month process, having inappropriately assumed that the outcome was to Get There rather than to Define ''There'' and how we plan to achieve it.
• Make progress along the way. While taking care to measure expectations for change, there is no reason why new ideas cannot be implemented along the way. Identify the easy wins and run with one or two. By picking the ''low hanging fruit'' participants remain engaged and enthusiastic about the possibilities for the future.
• Allow for process flexibility, if necessary, to address important issues that emerge. Recently an executive leader who participated in a comprehensive strategic planning process led by AMS noted, ''we dared to look at things I hadn't even thought about.'' Oftentimes extra work around board development, market research, or artistic vision, for example, is necessary in order to achieve alignment on institutional goals. Be sure to consider multiple scenarios when looking to the future. Plans that assume static conditions are sure to be out of date as quickly as they are written.

Finally, agree to impose certain disciplines to the plan at the outset. The final plan should include realistic resource allocation, established benchmarks, a phase-in plan of action and on-going evaluation -- to include an annual formal assessment of not only progress against strategic goals, but of the goals themselves and whether they remain the critical priorities of the organization.

Back to Insights