questions: strategic planning

Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership and Management

Strategic Planning
By Frank Martinelli

Past questions and answers from Frank Martinelli from live broadcasts aired by the Learning Institute for Nonprofit Organizations collaboration*

Other Q & A Topics:

Board Governance	Financial Management
Marketing	Mission-Based Management
Outcome Measurement	Resource Development
Social Entrepreneurship	Strategic Alliances
Volunteer Management

1) What is strategic planning?

Strategic planning is the process by which an organization envisions its future and develops the necessary procedures and operations to achieve that future. The basic steps of the strategic planning process include information gathering and analysis, identification of critical issues facing the organization, development of a strategic vision, mission review/revision and the development of strategic goals and strategies.

2) Why should an organization do strategic planning?

The primary motive for organizations to do strategic planning is to learn and to make decisions about the future of the organization based on that learning. There are many specific reasons for an organization to initiate a strategic planning process, including the following:

To give the organization better control over external forces
To serve as a tool for decision making and resource allocation
To bring everyone together in the organization so that they are on the same wavelength
To raise board members’ awareness of current issues and operations
To reawaken and motivate key people within the organization
To position the agency for a merger or joint venture
To create a document suitable for fundraising and public relations
To increase morale within an organization and develop a sense of trust and cohesion
To set the stage for the organization to make a "quantum leap" to a new level of program development or functioning
To relate organizational capacity to community need.

3) What are the respective roles of board and staff in the strategic planning process?

Strategic planning is a partnership between board and staff. Both groups participate equally in the planning process and provide important insights and information. In addition to helping develop the plan, the board of directors provides final approval for the plan and holds itself and staff accountable for the expected results.

4) What is the difference between strategic planning and annual planning?

Annual planning has an operational focus and is concerned primarily with concrete goal setting and the scheduling of specific tasks to meet these goals. It does not usually concern itself with an analysis of the external environment or the fit between the organization and this environment. Strategic planning gives explicit recognition to the organization’s outside environment and places an emphasis on the organization’s strategic advantage in meeting the contingencies in this environment. Although strategic planning also involves goal setting, it is broader in scope and much more comprehensive than operational planning.

5) How long does it take an organization to complete a strategic plan?

The amount of time it takes an organization to complete a strategic plan varies greatly depending on a number of factors, including; the size and complexity of the organization, past experience with strategic planning, accessibility of planning data, and time and availability of board and staff. In general, it will take an organization about three to nine months to complete a strategic planning process.

6) When should an organization do strategic planning?

While here is no "right" time to do strategic planning, it is usually inadvisable to initiate a strategic planning process if the board is extremely weak, if there are serious internal conflicts, or if top leadership has recently left the organization. There are advantages to doing strategic planning when the organization is in a relatively strong position, as board and staff members may feel more confident about undertaking a serious in-depth examination of programs and services. If things are going well, however, people may feel no real need to change. On the other hand, if the organization is in a state of transition and introspection, there may be more openness to a process of renewal and to consideration to a new direction for the organization.

7) How do we keep our staff focused on the mission and not just "wordsmithing"?

-Lynda Edmonton, Canada

I think we can help staff stay focused on the substance of mission and not just wordsmithing by stating the concern at the outset of the process. We want deep conversation involving lots of people about the substance: what are we as an organization? Why do we exist? What is our ultimate purpose/end as an organization? Once we have agreement on these questions, we can delegate the final wordsmithing to a small group -- even one person -- who reports back to the larger group for their review and endorsement. Wordsmithing in a large group can be a terrible energy drain. One last thought however; sometimes struggling over a word or a phrase as we develop the mission statement can be a powerful group thinking experience that leads to more understanding and ultimately more commitment to the final version of the mission statement. These comments also apply to the writing of a vision statement.

8) Is it possible that the strategic planning process - as we know it today and have practiced it for decades - does little more then perpetuate the status quo? Is there another way to look at this?

-Lewis, Denver, Colorado

I think this is an important question to ask. The strategic planning model we described in the Sept. 17 program is designed to minimize the chances that we will develop a strategic plan that perpetuates the status quo. We therefore begin with gathering and analyzing information about external changes and trends as well as changes in our markets and constituents. This approach allows us to take in a lot of new information, some of which will challenge some of our operating assumptions - business as usual if you will. Then we identify the critical strategic issues and challenges facing the organization. Next we work on mission and vision and finally develop goals and strategies that reflect our thinking about mission and vision. In proceeding this way, we increase the chances that the mission and vision are responsive to the changes around us -- and so by definition we are not perpetuating the status quo. Rather we are shedding some of the old rules and beliefs in order to make room for the new.

9) If an organization has scheduled a consultant to come in for 4 hours, how much strategic planning can typically be accomplished?

-Mike, Orlando, Florida

Not much…see FAQ number 5. While I think it is possible to do some good strategic thinking in a four-hour period of time, strategic planning the way we have been talking about it requires much more time. Sometimes four hours may be all the board is willing to commit to planning and so this relatively short period of time can be used to provide a meaningful experience for the board to think about the future, to think about the implications of the future for the organization and some possible new directions for the organization to take. Based on this good experience of planning, the board and staff may be interested and may be motivated to commit more time to strategic planning in the future.

The additional danger with setting aside a short amount of time it is that we set people up for some degree of failure and so in the future they will be even less open and enthused about the prospect of strategic planning.

10) How do you develop the excitement and ownership in the development of the mission and vision among a work force that is paid low wages and they experience low morale because of it?

-Donna, Charles Co., Maryland

Let me use this question as an opportunity to talk generally about the timing of strategic planning. There is no "right" time to do strategic planning. There are advantages to doing it when the organization is in a relatively strong position. Board and staff members may feel more confident about undertaking a serious in depth examination of the programs and services. At the same time, if things are going well people may feel no real need to change. Conversely, if the organization is in a state of crisis, there may be more openness to considering a dramatically new direction. It's usually not advisable to initiate a strategic planning process if the board is extremely weak or if there are serious internal conflicts within the organization.

So in the situation you describe, if working conditions and wages are leading to low morale, it's unlikely that those workers will be very excited about planning for the future when their current reality is in the state that it is. On the other hand, if attracting and retaining good staff emerges as one of the critical issues, the workers that you mention may be very motivated to participate in the strategic planning process. I think we have to understand the difference between asking people to make temporary sacrifices so that we can all work together to create the organization and community of our dreams on the one hand, and treating people unjustly on the other.

11) How do you gain commitment from a broad group? What if only a few people in the organization want to develop a strategic plan?

-Patty, Tyler Texas

If only a few people in the organization want to develop a strategic plan, this probably means that you're not ready to start the strategic planning process. You gain commitment by pointing out to people the benefits to them and to the organization as a whole of doing strategic planning. See our response below to the question regarding how to show an advisory board the benefits of strategic planning.

12) How do you know what the "right" critical issues are for your organization?

-Lynn, Oklahoma

Some criteria to use to identify those issues that are truly the "most critical strategic issues" are the following questions from Creating and Implementing Your Strategic Plan by John M. Bryson and Farnum K. Alton:

How broad an impact will the issue have? Will it affect the entire organization?
How large is the organization's financial risk/opportunity? Is there a major risk (> 20 percent of your budget)?
What are the probable consequences of not addressing this issue? Do we face significant service disruption, financial losses and large cost/revenue setbacks?

13) What is the process of keeping a clear vision statement and how do you change - if needed - the mission & vision statements?

-Jim, Des Moines, Iowa

Here are some techniques for publicizing your strategic plan and maintaining support for it among key internal and external constituents of your organization. They are adapted from Strategic Management from United Way of America. The techniques would apply to the mission and vision statements in particular:

1. Develop a recognizable theme that signifies the plan's essential thrust. A logo or some other visually attractive means may graphically represent this.

2. Publicize brief summaries of the plan and how your organization will use it.

3. Look for opportunities to refer to the strategic plan in meetings, newsletters or news releases.

4. Create a slide or video show summarizing the plan and its proposed implementation.

5. Seek major media coverage when important milestones in the plan are reached. A press conference with graphics and charts summarizing the plan can be effective.

6. Use the strategic plan as a living document at agency meetings. Keep it visible and refer to it regularly.

7. Use retreats to continue to build buy-in among other agencies and community groups. Make sure that this is an interactive process, one that listens as well as talks.

8. Create a speaker's bureau to take the strategic plan to specific target groups: the county board, the city council, the chamber of commerce, community and business leaders, the school board and other nonprofit agencies, for example.

9. Create poster-size versions of your mission and strategic vision statement and display them in the office, meeting rooms, etc.

Regarding the question about changing the mission vision statement, it is a good practice to review and update the strategic plan on an annual basis. For most organizations, adjustments are made at the level of strategies and perhaps goals. Most of the time, changes would not be made on an annual basis to the language of the mission and vision statements unless there have been dramatic changes and shifts in the organization's external environment during the past year.

14) Who should staff the strategic planning activity?

-Jim, Des Moines, Iowa

15) How can organizations best use Internet databases, collaboratives and voluntary groups for the strategic planning process?

-Juli, El Paso, Texas

If your organization is actively involved in some form and/or you have volunteers in your organization, you would certainly want to invite individuals from those groups to participate in the strategic planning process. They would likely have a different perspective of the organization that would assist you with identifying external factors that would likely be impacting your organization. As for the Internet, you might want to visit some of the strategic planning links that we have compiled at: http://www.uwex.edu/li/links.html#program

16) How important is it to involve both paid staff and volunteer board members in the process? And.. Our groups wants to do strategic planning, but have concerns about the length of time and cost of a consultant. Do groups have successful outcomes if they don't use consultants? Can it be done in a 4-hour session?

-Bob, High Point, North Carolina

It is vital to involve both paid staff and volunteer board members in the process. The board needs to be involved because strategic planning is at the heart of what it means to be the board of a nonprofit in this period of rapid change. The staff needs to be involved because their insights and knowledge are an important resource for strategic planning and because their support is absolutely essential if the strategic plan is to be implemented.

There are many examples of groups that of done good strategic planning without the aid of an outside consultant. At the same time, the objectivity of an outsider without a vested interest in the outcome of the planning process can be very useful.

17) Can strategic planning be done in a 4 hour session?

See our response above to Question #9.

18) It would be helpful if you could share several examples of well-crafted vision statements/missions and analyze them.

-Barbara, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

ahh..Milwaukee! Your wish is my command. You can find a list of sample mission and vision statements along with some commentary on what makes them good in the participant resources section of this web site at: http://www.uwex.edu/li/frank2.html

19) How do organizations that have a large geographic area include everyone in planning process? I.e. whether nationwide, regional or covering many counties, especially when individual community needs may differ very dramatically.

-Kentucky Association of Nonprofit Organizations

See our response below to Question #47.

20) Planning takes time and money. Do you have any suggestion on "in-kind" services from foundations, corporations or government, to help nonprofits create and implement strategic plans? And…Why don't funders make "capacity building" grants, such as strategic planning grants?

-David, Orlando, Florida

Some funders are beginning to see the merits of making "capacity building" grants. For example, in my hometown, the Milwaukee Management Fund provides funding for these activities (For Milwaukee based organizations). Also, it is true that sometimes nonprofits are able to get excellent strategic planning assistance through a local corporation or university that provides pro bono assistance in the form of a loaned executive or staff person.

21) How do you "sell" strategic planning to an advisory board who doesn't see the need for it?

-Jill, Oklahoma City

See Question #2. Also here is a list of benefits of strategic planning. Here are some sample beneficial outcomes for one nonprofit organization:

Goals that embody the mission and strategic vision of the agency will have been defined.
A strategic plan will be produced that will serve as the basis for the development of operational planning on an annual basis.
The plan will spell out options for financial and non-financial support by individuals, companies and institutions in the community.
The plan will identify critical challenges facing the agency over the next few years and strategies to meet those challenges.
The critical link between our past and the current status of the agency will be acknowledged.
There will be clarity about the agency's competitive advantage in our marketplace.
The plan will identify those institutions with which the agency will build strong collaborations to enhance future service delivery.
The agency's mission and strategic vision will have a day-to-day impact on management and governance.
Measurable results that reflect the agency commitment to quality will be the basis of evaluation of the plan.
There will be enthusiasm and support for the strategic plan at all levels of the organization.

Review the list to see which benefits might apply in the case of the advisory board. Present those benefits and encourage the advisory board to add others. Another good question to post of a board is "what happens if we don't do any planning for the future?"

22) Someone mentioned that volunteers are more sophisticated. Please explain how that may help or hinder the strategic planning process for an organization?

-Lucy, Wausau, Wisconsin

In saying that volunteers today are more sophisticated, what we're really suggesting is that more volunteers come to organizations today with the expectation that they will receive information to help them understand what's going on. They also come with the expectation that they will be involved in planning and decision-making -- at least to some degree. In some cases, they are employed by organizations that do strategic planning and so the volunteers come to us with the expectation that our organization also needs to devote time to strategic planning.

I think in general that this will help support the strategic planning process in an organization. Use the knowledge and resources that volunteers bring to enhance the strategic planning efforts.

23) How can you help me to help groups in the poorest areas of large cities and the smallest towns who do not have the political or economic power to attract attention to their goals?

-Rev. James

There are actually a number of resources on the web and in your public library that address the issue of public organizing and public relations. If I understand the question correctly, some of your poor organizations that have gone through the strategic planning process, and have developed a clear and concise mission and vision statement, are now having trouble getting their "message" out to the public. All social change groups at different times have to face the problem of how to get positive coverage in the media.

The Social Change Media web site ( http://203.4.212.185/scm/using_media/ ) provides tips that are meant to help people get started on the road to successfully winning coverage that will contribute to their campaign. The Idealist web site also has links to several marketing/media resources at: http://www.idealist.org/tools/pubrelations.htm

24) To achieve better collaboration among agencies we must break down the walls of competition (unhealthy) for the same dollars. How is that best done?

-Linda, Lorain, Ohio

Strategic planning can set the stage for collaboration in the following ways: For many organizations, the analysis of external changes and trends and the identification of critical issues facing their organization leads them to an increased awareness of the need to collaborate and build partnerships with other organizations. Additionally, many organizations come out of the strategic planning process with a clearer understanding of their strengths and are ready to focus their efforts in a specific area or niche. They will be drawn to other organizations that can benefits from their strengths and posses some of the strengths and resources they lack.

We are also noticing today more organizations convening to do some form of strategic planning together. Sometimes this is around a shared concern - quality childcare, for example. Sometimes this is around a shared community/region - a geographic area of the "community of older adults". This approach sets it up from more intentional, long-term collaboration and partnership building.

A great resource is the Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining and Enjoying the Journey published by the Amherst Wilder Foundation in St. Paul. 800-274-6024.

25) Please discuss the advisability of using a consultant or facilitator to assist in strategic planning. And…Is there a danger of "internal" strategic planning not being sufficiently "Free to innovate" and be too narrow in focus and options?

-Michael, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

See our response below to a similar question. Also see an excellent resource listed in the learning Institute bibliography -- Facilitator's Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning by Carter McNamara, of the management assistance program in Minneapolis MN.

26) When involving many in the visioning process, how do we keep a vision statement from being such a compromise that it is too generic?

- Richmond, Kentucky

The approach of starting with the identification of critical strategic issues and challenges as the lead-in to developing a vision statement can help. By definition, the critical issues are the big difficult questions and choices facing us as an organization. Especially when an issue presents itself as a clear choice - we either remain a countywide organization or expand to a statewide organization, for example - it may be harder to settle on a compromise.

Also raise the issue in the planning process in explicit terms -- "We may be tempted to settle on a compromise position that keeps us comfortable. Is this what we want from the process?" Also point to other organizations that are making bold decisions.

Then you can always use the goosebumps test - "Does this vision excite and inspire us?" A mushy compromise doesn't excite and inspire! If people aren't excited, you're not done with the vision statement. A final point. Sometimes we will lose a few people as a result of a change in direction -- it's usually not a bad thing. In fact, we can probably count on picking up some new supporters.

27) We've had difficulty defining the values we want to include. Is there a good process to get at that?

- Charlotte, Madison, Wisconsin

Here is an exercise that may help:

Organizational Values Audit

Expected Outcomes of Exercise:

1. To identify core values of the organization

2. To determine how and to what extent, these values are currently expressed in the actions of the organization.

Step 1: Facilitator introduces the purpose of the exercise and describes the group process to be used.

Step 2: Group members are asked to silently list the three most important core Organizational values of the agency.

Step 3: Group sharing of individual value statements; Facilitator records on newsprint.

Step 4: Facilitator leads group in sorting list into broad value categories. Group discussion to reach consensus on core organizational values.

Step 5: Full group divided into small groups; each is assigned one of the core value statements.

Step 6: Each small group answers the following question for its assigned value: What is the evidence that we possess this value as an organization? In other words, what are the concrete, observable signs that we "practice what we preach"?

Step 7: Full group re-convenes for small group reports; Group discussion to clarify/add comments; Facilitator summarizes exercise.

Here's another exercise in situations where the group has identified its core values and wants to assess the degree to which the organization is living those values:

Beliefs and Deeds

Facilitator leads group through the following series of questions:

What is the evidence that we possess these values as an organization? In other words, what are the concrete, observable signs that we "practice what we preach"?
What should we continue, start, stop and/or change in order to better express our organizational beliefs and values? (with a focus on developing/revising current plans)
How do we use this values statement to strengthen our working relationships with our various constituents and stakeholders?

28) You have been talking about existing organizations. What do you recommend for a start-up foundations, based on the vision of one or two people?

-Judy, Oklahoma

As in the case of existing organizations, it will be important for the founders of a start-up organization to involve others in development of the vision statement. For most founders, this is not an easy thing to do. However, it is essential if they're going to create an organization that grows and continues into the future. Their fear is that if others are invited to comment the original vision will be diluted or lost completely. Somehow the founders need to strike a balance between enrolling others in their vision and extending the invitation to others to further define the original vision -- to make their own.

In widening the circle of supporters, it might be helpful for the founders to meet one-on-one and in small groups with people who the founders think will be interested in the proposed vision and using these meetings to assess interest and enthusiasm. This will help to ensure involvement new people who are like-minded.

29) What comes first, the strategic plan or a vision statement? We have just finished a strategic plan - I believe our vision statement can be created by distilling the key objectives. Is this the right approach?

-Jim, Montgomery, Alabama

In the approach that we take to strategic planning, we see the vision statement as part of the strategic plan. The vision emerges from our understanding of the critical issues in choices facing the organization which we identified through gathering in analyzing information through the internal, external, and market assessments. The levels of planning are:

MISSION: Broad description of what we do, with/for whom we do it, our distinctive competence, and WHY we do it.

STRATEGIC VISION: Describes what we want the organization to look like in ideal terms in the future - the results we will be achieving and characteristics the organization will need to possess in order to achieve those results. The strategic vision statement provides direction and inspiration for organizational goal setting.

GOALS: Broad statements of what the organization hopes to achieve in the next 3-5 years. Goals focus on outcomes or results and are qualitative in nature.

STRATEGIES: Statements of major approach or method (the means) for attaining broad goals and resolving specific issues.

OBJECTIVES: specific actions and projects to carry out core strategies.

The danger in deriving the vision from goals, strategies and objectives rather than deriving the goals, strategies and objectives from the vision is that we may be leading the dog by the tail -- if that's the right analogy. Another way of saying it, using our analogy of planning as a journey, is that we begin plotting our course before we have determined our destination. Having said all this, you could probably still try developing a vision and then be prepared to adjust goals, strategies and objectives afterwards.

30) How do we collaborate with other agencies (with similar agendas) most efficiently and yet retain our distinctiveness?

-Dietrich, Madison, Wisconsin

See our response to Question #24 above.

31) What methods/tools can better enable us to raise private funds in an environment of increasing competition?

-Madison, Wisconsin

We will address this issue in the Resource Development program slated for October. However, there is no question that a strategic plan can make an organization more competitive.

32) How do you "sell" strategic planning to an advisory board who doesn't see the need for it?

- Jill, Oklahoma City

See Question #2. Also see our response to a similar question above.

33) As a direct service provider, I've increasingly learned that "outcomes" and "impact" are in many ways meaningless. Providers are smart enough to justify our existence through "impact". Maybe we should focus or ask why? I've seen too many "great impact/outcome" services go down the drain. It's not about value. It's more about how we value people?

-Lew, Denver, Colorado

I have to admit I'm not really sure about this one! Outcomes, if measured correctly should measure how programs are impacting people in a positive manner (i.e. reflecting that the organization in fact values people). When most funders ask an organization to report on outcomes, they are typically asking organizations to report on how their activities actually impacted people…. i.e. did the programs make a difference? While reporting numbers may have once been acceptable (i.e. our organization "served" 150 families, or our organization had contact with 75 individuals), the public and funders are rightfully demanding more accountability. The strategic planning process should identify how the organization is going to measure its success. Organizations that are providing valuable services but are not measuring and communicating the outcomes of their programs may in fact be faced with declining funds.

34) How do we as an infant organization develop community awareness with limited funds and volunteers?

-Michael, Bend, Oregon

What a great opportunity to put in a plug for the LI's Marketing program on January 21 (Marketing - Marketing Is Everyone's Business! Featuring Karen Fox). Also the following publications available from the Amherst Wilder Foundation in St. Paul are excellent resources (800-274-6024): Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations Volume 1: Developing The Marketing Plan and Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations Volume 2: Mobilizing People for Marketing Success. See also the response to question #17 above.

35) What specific suggestions do you have to "orient the board, staff and volunteers" to the strategic planning process?

-Kim, Greenwood County, South Carolina

Here are a few suggestions: Visit the "Supplemental Internet Based Resources" section of the Learning Institute Web Site at: http://www.uwex.edu/li/supp.html and there you'll find a number of resources -- a step-by-step description of the planning process as well as a PowerPoint presentation that you could use before orienting the board, staff and volunteers. There are also links to other Web sites that will be of help. You can also distribute copies of your print materials from the satellite program to people to review on their own with a follow-up meeting to answer questions.

In addition to providing material that describes the strategic planning process, it is also important in the orientation to provide the board and staff an opportunity to discuss the six questions that we presented in the September 17th program which are designed to help groups prepare to do strategic planning.

36) Is there an ideal time frame or time line for a strategic planning process …specifically length of meetings? Time between meetings? Total length of process? Etc.

-Dan, Chatanooga, Tennessee

There is no ideal timeline. The question that needs to be answered is "What kind of process do we need in order to achieve the hoped-for outcomes of our planning process? Here are some samples:

9 MONTH PLANNING DESIGN

Preparation/Orientation to planning process

Information gathering and assessment

One and a half day planning retreat: Review assessments, identify critical issues, develop vision statement, goals and strategies

Review sessions with other staff

Regional offices develop local plans: outline regional strategies that address regional service, staffing and financial issues

Overall strategic plan developed for total organization and each regional office; resolve remaining issues and revise plan as needed

Board approval of plan document

3 MONTH PLANNING DESIGN

Workgroups complete internal, external and market assessments in advance of planning sessions

Session #1: review assessments and identify issues

Session #2: develop draft of vision statement

Session #3: develop draft of mission statement

Circulate drafts of vision and mission statements

Session #4: All day planning retreat to review and affirm mission and vision statements & develop goals and strategies

Session #5: Review retreat summary

Circulate draft planning document; revise as needed

Board approval of plan

WEEKEND RETREAT

Pre-retreat assessment worksheets completed by participants

Assessment summary sent out in advance

2 day weekend retreat

Post-retreat review session to review/refine retreat results

Weekend Retreat Agenda

DAY 1 AM: Review of internal, external and market assessments

DAY 1 PM: Identify critical issues & Develop vision statement

DAY 2 AM: Critical review of current mission statement & Development of goal statements

DAY 2 PM: Development of strategies

Here's a sample of a more detailed planning calendar for a 6-9 month planning process:

1. PREPARATION FOR PLANNING

a. PLANNING SESSION: (1.5 hours) Review the planning process, finalize strategies for information gathering and analysis, make needed adjustments in timetable, and secure agreements. Product: Finalized timetable and plan for information gathering

b. Consider expansion of the Strategic Planning Committee.

2. INFORMATION GATHERING AND ASSESSMENT

a. Gather information for planning process by means of assessment worksheets distributed to board and staff members, key informant interviews, and prepare report summaries: Internal Assessment (organizational strengths and weaknesses); External Assessment (national, state and local trends; YWCA national and regional network strategic planning resources); Market Assessment (current and emerging client needs, competitive and collaborative environment). Review of current strategic plan. Product: Report summarizing internal, external and market assessment findings.

3. IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL STRATEGIC ISSUES

a. PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Review summaries of internal, external and market assessments; identify critical issues for the future. Product: List of critical strategic issues.

b. Get feedback on critical issue statements from other stakeholders.

4. MISSION REVIEW AND VISION DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING SESSION: (7 hours) all day planning retreat. Review critical strategic issues with board members and key staff. Develop first draft of a strategic vision statement that sets future direction and review the current mission statement for continued relevance. Develop draft goals. Product: Draft vision statement, completed review/revision of mission statement, and draft goals.

Distribute first draft of vision and goals for review by board members, key stakeholders and staff. Solicit reactions and suggested revisions for draft. Product: Summary of suggested revisions.

5. DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions to vision and goals; develops strategies for each goal. develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. Product: Revised strategic plan including mission, vision, goals and strategies.

6. BOARD, STAKEHOLDER AND STAFF REVIEW OF DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

Distribute draft strategic plan for review by board members, key stakeholders and staff. Solicit reactions and suggested revisions for draft. Product: Summary of suggested revisions.

7. DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC PLAN EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

a. PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions to strategic plan; develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. Product: Revised strategic plan including mission, vision, goals and strategies and evaluation framework for year 1 implementation planning.

8. BOARD REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF STRATEGIC PLAN

a. PLANNING SESSION: (1 hour) Final board meeting to review/approve strategic plan. Product: Approved strategic plan.

9. ORIENTATION SESSION FOR ACTION PLANNING

a. PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Agency-wide event to orient board and staff to development of Annual Plan of Action based on Strategic Plan. Product: Shared understanding of how to translate the strategic plan into action planning.

37) How do you get a busy Board of Governors committee to Strategic Planning when the leadership feels it is a staff function? I'm afraid if it is staff driven the key volunteers will not buy in over the long run.

-Butch, Oregon

You are right in thinking that if the process is staff driven the board will not buy into the resulting strategic plan. In the situation you describe, it would be important for the Executive Director to meet first with the board president to discuss the need for board leadership. In this meeting, the Executive Director can ask the president what he/she thinks are the board's concerns and also to ask the President to exert some leadership to promote strategic planning within the board. If the board's primary concern is with the time needed to attend planning sessions, it might be possible to design a process in which the full board's involvement is limited to one or to key sessions -- for example, a planning retreat during which the initial drafts of the mission and vision statements are created. The rest of the process can be the responsibility of a strategic planning committee composed of staff and those board members who are interested in being more involved. In this scenario, it will be important for the strategic planning committee to keep the board informed about progress throughout the planning process.

38) How can an organization measure its impact on social change and, if by doing so, contribute the work and action taken by the organization as the reason/cause of that social change? I.e. giving credit/taking credit?

-Mike, Dallas, Texas

This is a tricky question. You are right in recognizing that our actions do not take place in a vacuum. At a time when funders and the public are demanding organizations to document outcomes, we simply need to recognize that success (and failure!) needs to be shared. In reporting your outcomes, simply recognize that there are other factors at work and mention other collaborators when possible. By the same token, don't be afraid to take some credit when your organization has been a key actor in causing some form of change. The design of your evaluation tool will also be critical. For example, do you ask constituents about the factors that influenced the change that you are trying to document (Giving them a chance to list agencies or programs that influenced change)?

39) Do you have any tips on how to better foster out-of-the-box thinking in an organization that has traditionally been bureaucratic in nature?

-Sheryl, Port Hadlock, Washington

This is hard question! In organizations that have been traditionally bureaucratic in nature, there is no recognition or reward for change and bold thinking. In fact, it's usually discouraged -- even punished. How do you counteract these forces? Well, we know that bureaucratic organizations love to survive so one approach is to identify the benefits of strategic planning -- increased ability of the organization to survive, to understand and weather external changes and trends, both opportunities or threats.

Because bureaucratic organizations are also hierarchical, it will be important to gain the support of "those above you". Here's a book that might be a helpful resource: "Getting Things Done When You Are Not In Charge" by Geoffery M. Bellman.

40) How does a fledgling art nonprofit compete for funding when there are so many urgent medical related nonprofits (cancer, diabetes, aids, etc) needing funding?

-Mimi, Washington D.C.

I would like to defer your question to the LI Resource Development and marketing programs scheduled for October 15 and January 21. Obviously, you need to be communicating your message to people who value and understand the arts.

41) In implementing the strategic plan in your organization, what factors most significantly enhanced or inhibited that part of the process?

-Bill, Newark, Delaware

As a good friend puts it, "if you do something alone, plan it alone." What is always most critical is the level of involvement that people have been developing the strategic plan. In general, if people are involved in the process in meaningful ways they will be ready to do their part in implementing the plan that results from the process. And of course the flip side is also true -- if people whose involvement is critical to the successful implementation of the plan, have not been involved in meaningful ways, they will not be excited about the plan nor will they be very motivated to take some responsibility for implementation.

42) How does an organization stay focused on its vision when there is a major change in the organization's senior management and volunteers (board members)? Do you (The organization) have to start all over?

There's no question that a change in board or staff leadership can have the effect about which you express concern. It the strategic planning process and the development of organizational vision has involved a wide circle of board and staff, it is less likely that a change in leadership will cause the organization to lose focus. You don't have to start over in most cases. In fact having a vision and a strategic plan in place should help in recruiting the new leadership.

43) How long should the strategic planning take?

-Janet, Washington D.C.

See Question #5 The amount of time really depends on a number of factors: outcomes to be achieved, past experience in strategic planning, availability of planning data, time availability of the board. Generally a planning process will take from 3-12 months.

44) We have a great vision and mission, but we have gotten side tracked on the Y2K issue. We are at a stand still. What would you do?

-Jaime, El Paso, Texas

Quit standing still! Begin developing an action plan to address the problem. There are hundreds of web sites with information and potential solutions for addressing the problem. Start with a site developed by the Small Business Administration at: http://www.sba.gov/y2k/ But by all means, don't concentrate all of your energies on this one external factor. Also check out the Nonprofit GENIE's response to the y2k problem or the Y2K home page.

45) How do you minimize the potential for talking ourselves out of the vision?

-Gail, Madison, Wisconsin

There are a couple of factors that come into play: first, If there was broad involvement in the strategic planning process, there will likely be greater support for the vision statement. This broad base of support should help to minimize the potential for talking ourselves out of the vision. It also helps if leadership within the staff in board see it as their responsibility to continuously promote the vision -- to be the champions and the cheerleaders. We're also more likely to stay the course if the organization provides rewards and recognition for those whose actions reflect the vision. Finally, we need to remind ourselves that there will be tension around the vision to the degree that the vision is ambitious and calls us to be something different in the future from what we are today. Being aware of this tension can help us fight the occasional temptation to talk ourselves out of the vision.

46) How specific should the mission of your organization be? If the emerging services that are being offered are not contained in the mission but fulfill the objectives of the mission, should the mission statement be revisited and changed to contain the specific kind of service being offered?

-Amy

In general a mission statement will not contain a listing of specific services offered by the organization. A mission statement should be broad enough to allow the organization some flexibility in the future but not so broad a statement that it could be the mission statement of any number of other organizations. A mission statement can contain a general description of what we do, who we do it for/with, our distinctive competence in doing it, and most importantly why we do it -- our ultimate end. Take a look at the sample mission statements at the Learning Institute web site at: http://www.uwex.edu/li/frank2.html

47) If you have a regional organization with separate clubs in various sites/cities do we plan individually or as an organization with critical major themes held by all?

-Butch, Oregon

I think the planning process will have to incorporate both approaches. We will need to identify and address the broad issues that have impact across the entire regional organization. At the same time, since the separate clubs located in various sites will have unique strategic issues, it will be important to identify and address those more local issues as well. The process would be seriously deficient if you neglected either. By paying attention to both, you have an opportunity to reinforce the value of existing as a unified regional organization (because there are issues that we have in common). You also have an opportunity to demonstrate responsiveness to the unique issues in concerns of the separate clubs.

48) I understand your rubber-band illustration. What is the amount of time an agency can sustain tension? Moving the current reality to the vision often takes a year or more.

-Jean, Fargo, North Dakota

It's hard to generalize because organizations are different. You want to sustain some level of tension on an ongoing basis. While tension is uncomfortable, it is also energizing and motivating. It's important to build in opportunities to celebrate our movement in the direction of the vision, as well as recognition of the efforts of board, staff and other volunteers to carry the organization forward. At the same time you want to avoid a level of tension so great that it begins to deplete people's energy and enthusiasm. We don't want people to burnout.

49) You talk about the time necessary to do strategic planning. Our organization is composed of 1 paid staff member and everyone else is a volunteer. With volunteers limited on the amount of time they can devote, do you have suggestions on how to maintain their level of involvement throughout the entire process? It seems we have difficulty having the same group gather from one meeting to the next.

- Teri, Waco, Texas

Don't assume that volunteers won't pledge time for the strategic planning process. The first thing you need to do is to provide some orientation to the strategic planning that covers the reasons for doing strategic planning (See FAQ #2 and my response to Question #15 above). Secondly, don't forget to incorporate the simple things that make meetings more manageable…a comfortable setting for the meeting, refreshments, and having someone who knows how to facilitate a meeting. Finally, it may not be critical to involve the volunteers in the organization to all phases of the strategic planning process. It might be possible to design a process in which the volunteers' involvement is limited to one or two key sessions -- for example, a planning retreat during which the initial drafts of the mission and vision statements are created. The rest of the process can be the responsibility of a strategic planning committee composed of the one staff person and those board members who are interested in being more involved. In this scenario, it will be important for the strategic planning committee to keep the volunteers informed about progress throughout the planning process (i.e. sending drafts in the mail and soliciting feedback).

50) What ideas do faculty members have regarding involving clients/consumers (e.g., at a community counseling/mental health center) in the strategic planning process, i.e., clients who may have knowledge of one program, service, or worker and from whom we are asking input about the direction of the whole organization? How do we make their involvement rewarding to them and useful to us? We are thinking of using focus groups and are looking for how to structure these, and are open to other ideas. Thanks in advance.

Here is an example of a survey that you can adapt for the purpose of gathering information from clients. Such questions can be used to guide the agenda for a focus group or dialogue session as well:

Sample Parent Questionnaire for a Child Care Organization

Site where your child attends: ______________________________________________

The ABC Child Care Centers is beginning a strategic planning process to examine its priorities and evaluating its program services for the future. As a parent or guardian of a child who attends one of our centers, your involvement in this process is extremely important. You are being invited to share your thoughts on these important issues through this questionnaire. July 3, 1998 is the deadline for returning it. You can mail the questionnaire back, drop it off at the your Center, or fax it back to 555-555-555. Thanks for you help!

From your perspective as a parent, what do you see as the two greatest strengths of the ABC Child Care Centers?

What do you see as the two most critical weaknesses of the ABC Child Care Centers?

What do parents like you think of ABC Child Care Centers? (i.e., What is their perception or image of the organization)?

What programs and services should the ABC Child Care Centers be offering inthe future in order to better meet your children's needs?

51) How do you engage stakeholders to embrace the strategic plan when they have behaviors or illegal activities that they've known all their lives or have made them financially and/or powerful?

I'm not sure I can help here. This sounds like much more than a question about strategic planning. My suggestion is that if we're talking about external stakeholders, you probably want to distance yourself from them even to the point of cutting often the relationship entirely. If we are talking about internal stakeholders like board leadership or staff members, you've got some hard decisions to make that have nothing to do with strategic planning. Is this the kind of organization you want to work with? Based on my lack of information, I don't think I can offer advice beyond these comments.

52. Comment on an organization which already has a mission statement which has broad stakeholder support but is now updating their strategic plan and vision

If you are certain about the broad stakeholder support for the current mission statement, then I would begin by identifying, as a group, the most critical issues and challenges facing the organization over the next three to five years. Then, use this list of critical issues to review the current vision and plan. Does the current strategic plan offer an effective response to these critical issues and challenges? If the plan is several years old, chances are that the answer to this question will be "no/not entirely." To review the vision statement you might pose the following two questions: what is exciting and inspiring to us about this vision? In order for us to enthusiastically support this vision in the future, what questions and concerns would need to be addressed? The conversation that follows questions like these will either lead you to revise the vision statement or deepen people's understanding and enthusiasm for the current one. After this, it's onto examination of the goals and strategies in the current strategic plan. Again the reference point is the list of strategic issues and challenges identified earlier: do the goals and strategies as currently stated, offer an effective response to these issues? If yes, you might decide that the current language will continue to be relevant. In general, in the rapidly changing times in which we live, if a strategic plan is more than two years old, it will need to be revised to some extent.

53) Board members are chosen for oversight, contacts, help in fundraising and are ultimately responsible for the mission statement and long term plan. How can they develop that plan in a more technical ministry when this technical expertise in not why they were selected to be on the board?

Strategic planning, as we have described it, requires leadership of the Board of Directors. If they are going to exercise that leadership, and if they are going to exercise their oversight responsibilities, they need to have a solid grasp of the issues and challenges facing the organization in the future. This is true even in organizations whose work is of a more technical nature. At the same time, we don't want to draw them into details to the point that they lose sight of the big picture. In some instances, what may be called for is a more thorough program of orientation about the major issues and challenges facing the organization even before prospective board members are brought onto Board of Directors.

54) Is there or should there be one person who coordinates, contacts, checks the progress of the process?

There is no one right answer to this question, which would apply to the broad range of nonprofit organizations. It is important however that, especially for a strategic planning process that is expected to take a period of months, there be one person who is responsible for the guiding and monitoring the process. Sometimes this staff person is the executive director but not necessarily. It can also be the director of planning, the chair of the Board of Directors, the chair of the board's strategic planning committee, an outside consultant or volunteer who facilitates the planning process. Even if the group uses an outside consultant, it is still important that there be a staff person on the inside who works closely with the consultant and the strategic planning committee. Also see an excellent resource listed in the Learning Institute bibliography -- Facilitator's Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning by Carter McNamara, of the management assistance program in Minneapolis MN.

55) Can you explain the difference between a mission statement and a vision statement?

Let's begin by saying that the two are closely related. They are also distinct in the questions that the answer. We define mission as a broad description of what we do, with/for whom we do it, our distinctive competence, and WHY we do it. It's an answer to the question "why do we exist?"We define strategic vision as a description of what we want the organization to look like in ideal terms in the future - the results we will be achieving and characteristics the organization will need to possess in order to achieve those results. The strategic vision statement provides direction and inspiration for organizational goal setting. 56) What is the difference between "mission" and "shared vision"?

See Question #55 above.

57) What is a reasonable amount of time to allow for a strategic planning process in a medium-sized organization that has a fairly good annual operating plan process in place? Big Barrier: No Time!

The amount of time really depends on a number of factors: outcomes to be achieved, past experience in strategic planning, availability of planning data, time availability of the board and staff. Generally a planning process will take from 3-12 months. If only a few people in the organization want to develop a strategic plan, this probably means that you're not ready to start the strategic planning process. You can increase commitment by pointing out to people the benefits to them and to the organization as a whole of doing strategic planning. Here are some sample beneficial outcomes for one nonprofit organization:1. Goals that embody the mission and strategic vision of the agency will have been defined.2. A strategic plan will be produced that will serve as the basis for the development of operational planning on an annual basis.3. The plan will spell out options for financial and non-financial support by individuals, companies and institutions in the community.4. The plan will identify critical challenges facing the agency over the next few years and strategies to meet those challenges.5. The critical link between our past and the current status of the agency will be acknowledged.6. There will be clarity about the agency's competitive advantage in our marketplace.7. The plan will identify those institutions with which the agency will build strong collaborations to enhance future service delivery.8. The agency's mission and strategic vision will have a day-to-day impact on management and governance.9. Measurable results that reflect the agency commitment to quality will be the basis of evaluation of the plan.10. There will be enthusiasm and support for the strategic plan at all levels of the organization.

Review the list to see which benefits might apply in your case. Present those benefits and encourage board and staff to add others. Another good question to pose is "what happens if we don't make the time to do strategic planning for the future?"

58) How do you accomplish this with a small staff – already "stretched thin" and a board that is already very active in other aspects of the organization – This is one more thing!

See the response to Question #57 above for ideas on how to make strategic planning more of a priority. Also, here are some sample planning calendars ranging from quick to more lengthy:

9 MONTH PLANNING DESIGN

Preparation/Orientation to planning process
Information gathering and assessment
One and a half day planning retreat: Review assessments, identify critical issues, develop vision statement, goals and strategies
Review sessions with other staff
Regional offices develop local plans: outline regional strategies that address regional service, staffing and financial issues
Overall strategic plan developed for total organization and each regional office; resolve remaining issues and revise plan as needed
Board approval of plan document

3 MONTH PLANNING DESIGN

Workgroups complete internal, external and market assessments in advance of planning sessions
Session #1: review assessments and identify issues
Session #2: develop draft of vision statement
Session #3: develop draft of mission statement
Circulate drafts of vision and mission statements
Session #4: All day planning retreat to review and affirm mission and vision statements & develop goals and strategies
Session #5: Review retreat summary
Circulate draft planning document; revise as needed
Board approval of plan

WEEKEND RETREAT

Pre-retreat assessment worksheets completed by participants
Assessment summary sent out in advance
2 day weekend retreat
Post-retreat review session to review/refine retreat results

Weekend Retreat Agenda

DAY 1 AM: Review of internal, external and market assessments
DAY 1 PM: Identify critical issues & Develop vision statement
DAY 2 AM: Critical review of current mission statement & Development of goal statements
DAY 2 PM: Development of strategies

Here's a sample of a more detailed planning calendar for a 6-9 month planning process:

1. PREPARATION FOR PLANNING

PLANNING SESSION: (1.5 hours) Review the planning process, finalize strategies for information gathering and analysis, make needed adjustments in timetable, and secure agreements. Product: Finalized timetable and plan for information gathering
Consider expansion of the Strategic Planning Committee.

2. INFORMATION GATHERING AND ASSESSMENT

Gather information for planning process by means of assessment worksheets distributed to board and staff members, key informant interviews, and prepare report summaries: Internal Assessment (organizational strengths and weaknesses); External Assessment (national, state and local trends; YWCA national and regional network strategic planning resources); Market Assessment (current and emerging client needs, competitive and collaborative environment). Review of current strategic plan. Product: Report summarizing internal, external and market assessment findings.

3. IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL STRATEGIC ISSUES

PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Review summaries of internal, external and market assessments; identify critical issues for the future. Product: List of critical strategic issues.
Get feedback on critical issue statements from other stakeholders.

4. MISSION REVIEW AND VISION DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING SESSION: (7 hours) all day planning retreat. Review critical strategic issues with board members and key staff. Develop first draft of a strategic vision statement that sets future direction and review the current mission statement for continued relevance. Develop draft goals. Product: Draft vision statement, completed review/revision of mission statement, and draft goals.
Distribute first draft of vision and goals for review by board members, key stakeholders and staff. Solicit reactions and suggested revisions for draft. Product: Summary of suggested revisions.

5. DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions to vision and goals; develops strategies for each goal. develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. Product: Revised strategic plan including mission, vision, goals and strategies.

6. BOARD, STAKEHOLDER AND STAFF REVIEW OF DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

Distribute draft strategic plan for review by board members, key stakeholders and staff. Solicit reactions and suggested revisions for draft. Product: Summary of suggested revisions.

7. DEVELOPMENT OF STRATEGIC PLAN EVALUATION FRAMEWORK

PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions to strategic plan; develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. Product: Revised strategic plan including mission, vision, goals and strategies and evaluation framework for year 1 implementation planning.

8. BOARD REVIEW AND APPROVAL OF STRATEGIC PLAN

PLANNING SESSION: (1 hour) Final board meeting to review/approve strategic plan. Product: Approved strategic plan.

9. ORIENTATION SESSION FOR ACTION PLANNING

PLANNING SESSION: (4 hours) Agency-wide event to orient board and staff to development of Annual Plan of Action based on Strategic Plan. Product: Shared understanding of how to translate the strategic plan into action planning.

59) Both Wisconsin organizations were proud of how many members of the YWCA and Public Allies could articulate the shared vision. What did they do to make that happen?

In both organizations, board and staff and others were involved in the work of developing the shared vision. This involved face-to-face meetings. It also involved sharing the results of these meetings with a wider circle of people who had the opportunity to respond and add to the emerging shared vision statement.

60) One reason why I'm here is because of perceived deficits in my leadership skills. Assuming a combination of truth and true feelings / perceptions on the part of significant stakeholders, how do we lead through this complex process of strategic planning when we're here because of lack of skills and confidence by others? Is there a chicken and egg problem here? (i.e. Do we need to learn the skills first or is this part of the process?)

Participating in the Sept. 16, 1999 learning Institute program on strategic planning is part of a learning process. The materials contained in your participant packet will continue to support your learning. See also the learner resource center at the Learning Institute WebSite. Finally, consider some of the resources listed in the strategic planning bibliography. And after all that, the best learning will take place as you go through the process itself. We've tried to offer you a sequence of steps as well as some of the key questions that need to be asked during the strategic planning process. It's still about creating an atmosphere in which board and staff leaders, joined by others who care about your organization and the community you are attempting to serve, can spend time discussing the critical issues and challenges ahead and then devising strategies to meet those challenges. It's not rocket science. But it does take a commitment of time and energy.

61) How much do you mix Board, staff & consumers in planning?

In general, the planning process will be more productive if it includes participation of board, staff and consumers/customers. In preparing to plan, one of the important steps is the establishment of the strategic planning committee. A sample job description is included in the response to this question. Look at a mixture of board, staff and other stakeholders including consumer/customer representatives. All members of the planning committee need to receive an orientation to the planning process so that they understand what strategic planning is, the steps involved, as well as the time commitment required. Beyond the strategic planning committee, consumers can be involved in various information gathering activities including completion of surveys, participation in focus groups, attendance at periodic review sessions, etc.

Sample Strategic Planning Committee Description

Status: Ad Hoc (becoming a Standing Committee)

Membership: 12 -- 15 members who are board members, key staff identified by the Executive Director and other key stakeholders/partners

Staffed by: Executive Director and Consultant

Function: To guide in the development of a Strategic Plan for the organization.

Duties:

1. The Strategic Planning Committee will work with the executive director and consultant to develop and implement a strategic planning timetable that will achieve the following outcomes:

Board leadership and management staff will have a thorough understanding of the critical issues and choices facing the organization through the year 2004.
A strategic plan document including a mission statement, strategic vision statement, goals and strategies will be produced. The document will also address opportunities for strategic alliance building in support of the overall strategic plan.
An Evaluation Framework consisting of critical success factors for each goal statement and performance measures for strategies selected for first year operational planning will be developed.
A program/service mix aligned with the strategic plan will be developed.
The organization's mission and strategic vision will have a day-to-day relevance on management and governance.
Board and committee structures will be reviewed and revised as needed to support the strategic plan.

There will be enthusiasm and support for the strategic plan at all levels of the organization.

2. Report regularly to the board on the status of the strategic planning process.

3. Commitment to attendance at an average of 3-4 hours per month of meetings during the period September1999 to May 2000.

ORIENTATION TO PLANNING PROCESS: Review the planning process, finalize strategies for information gathering and analysis, make needed adjustments in timetable, and secure agreements.
PLANNING SESSION: Review summaries of internal, external and need assessments; identify critical issues for the future. 4.0 hours
PLANNING SESSION: All day or two half day planning sessions. Review mission statement. Develop first draft of a strategic vision statement that sets future direction and mission statement that defines fundamental purpose. 7.0 hours
PLANNING SESSION: Review draft vision statement developed at planning retreat, develop first draft goals and strategies. 4.0 hours
PLANNING SESSION: Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions; develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. 4.0 hours
PLANNING SESSION: Board session to formally review/approve strategic plan. 1.5 hours
PLANNING SESSION(S): Staff and board committees will review evaluation framework for strategic plan and develop operational planning framework for Year 1 operational plan. 4.0 - 8.0 hours

4. Review trend and market studies in preparation for planning sessions which will be sent to committee members before the first planning session.

62) Is it appropriate for the Executive Director to be the catalyst and one to keep process moving along?

It certainly is. And in many organizations, this seems to be the case. See our response to question #54 above.

63) How important is the CEO/Executive Director in the planning process? AND What if the CEO is not quite sold but some of his or her people are?

As the chief staff leader of your organization, the ED has a critical role to play. Look in question #57 above for some ideas on how to demonstrate the importance of strategic planning.

64) Our annual goal setting session contains many elements of the strategic planning: how do I move our agency to a true strategic planning process and still maintain the annual goal setting session?

See the responses to Questions #57 and #61 above. Review the model of strategic planning as presented in the September 16th learning Institute program. Determine which elements of strategic planning are missing from your current planning process and schedule time to complete those steps.

65) What do you do when one or two people in the organization don't buy in to the vision and mission the majority embrace?

It really depends on who those one or two people are: if they are the board president and the Executive Director, we have a problem. But no matter who they are, we need to ask why don't they buy in. Are they new to the organization so that they missed involvement in the strategic planning process? Even if they aren't new to the organization, were they involved in strategic planning or other group process that led to the development of the mission and the vision? I think it's important to give them an opportunity to express their concerns and see if it's possible to respond in a way that satisfies them. Beyond this, it may mean that this is not the organization for them to be involved with in the future.

66) Strategic Planning, particularly with large organizations spread out across large geographic areas, may require the help of external parties and require funding. What suggestions do you have for generating this support?

More and more foundations and other funders, seeing the importance of strategic planning, are providing support for such efforts. In the situation you describe, one advantage is that since the organization is spread out across large geographic area, there are more potential beneficiaries of a successful strategic planning effort. Use the leadership network throughout your service area to make contacts with local and regional funders who might be more open to supporting such a planning effort.

Here's another thought. Make sure the planning process successfully addresses broad issues that have impact across the entire organization. At the same time, since local leaders and constituents will have unique strategic issues, it will be important to identify and address those more local issues as well. The process would be seriously deficient if you neglected either. By paying attention to both, you have an opportunity to reinforce the value of existing as a unified organization (because there are issues that we have in common). You also have an opportunity to demonstrate responsiveness to the unique local and regional issues and concerns.

67) So often, the experience of individuals has been that the plan is made and then sits on a shelf or in a file. How do we keep the plan alive throughout the year, so its value is not lost.

As the Sept. 16 strategic planning training program suggests, if you want the strategic plan to have impact throughout the year, make sure that the process promotes broad participation of staff, board, volunteers and other stakeholders. If we have successfully involved these individuals, it's more likely that the resulting plan will actually be implemented. The other thing to pay special attention to his how the strategic plan -- mission, vision, goals and strategies -- is translated into annual objectives. This is something that we covered on Sept. 16 and it is critical to successful implementation. Again, it is important that this part of the process involves people in developing the objectives and action plans that they will be responsible for implementing later. Commitment grows from participation in planning.

68) How do you keep a strategic plan in focus after it is in place? Should it be continued as a plan in progress?

See the response to question #67 above. Also remember what we said about the need for regular annual review and updates of the strategic plan -- even more frequently if there are major shifts in the external environment of the organization. Also here are some other suggestions and techniques for publicizing your strategic plan and maintaining support for it among key internal and external constituents of your organization adapted from Strategic Management published by United Way of America:

Develop a recognizable theme that signifies the plan's essential thrust. This may be graphically represented by a logo or some other visually attractive means.
Publicize brief summaries of the plan and how your organization will use it.
Look for opportunities to refer to the strategic plan in meetings, newsletters or news releases.
Create a slide or video show summarizing the plan and its proposed implementation.
Seek major media coverage when important milestones in the plan are reached. A press conference with graphics and charts summarizing the plan can be effective.
Use the strategic plan as a living document at agency meetings. Keep it visible and refer to it regularly.
Use retreats to continue to build buy-in among other agencies and community groups. Make sure that this is an interactive process, one that listens as well as talks.
Create a speaker's bureau to take the strategic plan to specific target groups: the county board, the city council, the chamber of commerce, community and business leaders, the school board and other nonprofit agencies, for example.
Create poster-size versions of your mission and strategic vision statement and display them in the office, meeting rooms, etc.

69) Under what category does the question of what structure will best help the organization meet its objectives?

Great question! An organization can go through the strategic planning process, develop an exciting plan but not have the internal organizational capacity -- including structure -- to be able to implement the plan. Sometimes the question of structure emerge early in the process as a critical issue. If it does, then there will be ample opportunity to think about it as we develop strategies. In any case the question of organizational structure should be raised as part of the process of gearing up for implementation. As an example, it is a good practice for the Board of Directors to review its committee structure to determine a present configuration of committees supports the strategic plan. Beyond core committees like executive, personnel and board development, the continuance of other committees should be based on requirements of the strategic plan.

70) I supervise an office in a large nonprofit organization. We are not involved in the strategic planning for our organization, however, I feel that we should have a strategic plan for the office. How would I start this process?

I think it begins by involving the office staff, with your leadership, in a review of the overall strategic plan for the organization. The key question to focus this review could be "How can our department/office advance the overall strategic plan of the organization?" Then develop strategies and action plans that respond to that question. I also think a more important question is: why isn't your staff involved in the strategic planning process in the first place? It should be. Talk your supervisor or the executive director.

71) In developing the strategic plan for a new 3 or 5 year cycle, why not add a year each year instead of letting it "sit" for three years?

Take a look at the sample strategic planning cycle chart in your print packet. You'll notice that on an annual basis there is a strategic plan review and update so the plan won't be "sitting" for the three years. This annual review will give you an opportunity to change the strategic plan to reflect new developments/challenges. Toward the end of the three-year cycle, if you determine that there has not been significant change in the organization's external environment, there might not be a problem in simply adding another year. Resist the temptation to do this repeatedly because you really need to reexamine mission and vision anew after three or four years. If I have misunderstood the question, feel free to email me at frankwill@aol.com.

72) How do family planning organizations that can be targets of violence if too high profile address broadening their market share?

See the upcoming program on Learning Institute program on marketing to be broadcast on January 20, 2000.

73) How can young professionals with good program concepts get the seasoned professionals of the organization to listen and support the idea for the good of the organization's growth?

See our response to Question #57 above. There is of course the larger question of getting older "seasoned" professionals to listen t younger people in organizations. Don't allow yourself and your peers to be ignored!

74) Please talk about difference in roles for staff members and volunteers in the Strategic Planning Process.

The board and staff need to be involved as partners throughout the planning process. Both groups provide important insights and information. The board is the formal decision-making group that approves the strategic plan at the end of the process. The board holds itself and staff accountable for the expected results.

75) How do you know if your strategic plan is successful? AND How do you keep your plan action oriented? Evergreen?

The measure of success is based on how well we have incorporated outcomes/evaluation measures in our annual or operational plans based on the strategic plan itself. Review the strategic plan sample chart and the objective writing worksheet in your print packet for ideas. Also consider the chart on the following page as a tool for keeping the focus on results within board committees:

Committee Plan Reporting Form

Reporting Quarter ______

Name of Board Committee: _____________________________________

Strategies Assigned to Committee

Year 2000 Objective

Quarterly Committee Progress/Results

EXAMPLE: Generate more revenue from special events.

EXAMPLE: The Fund Development Committee will generate at least $85,000 in revenue from special events by December 31, 2000.

Annual Dinner in May raised $35,000 net.

EXAMPLE: Increase the effectiveness of the board and its committees.

EXAMPLE: The Board Development Committee will design a board member evaluation process, submit for board approval and perform the first annual board/board member evaluation by October 1, 2000.

Evaluation form designed and approved by board of directors

Form to be filled out on a quarterly basis by committee chair and submitted to Board President.

76) Does it make a difference if your organization has developed a mission statement before it has developed a vision statement? If so, how can we make the corrections needed to put us back on track?

I don't think it's a problem. While, generally there are advantages to working on vision first as we explained in the Sept 16 program, there are actually times when the reverse order can be more effective. We're currently working with an organization that has some work to do in determining its fundamental identity. In this case, working on mission needs to happen first.

77) It has been said that most strategic plans just wind up on a shelf – never implemented. Why?

See our response to Question #82 below. An additional thought ... As a good friend puts it, "if you do something alone, plan it alone." What is always most critical is the level of involvement that people have been developing the strategic plan. In general, if people are involved in the process in meaningful ways they will be ready to do their part in implementing the plan that results from the process. And of course the flip side is also true -- if people whose involvement is critical to the successful implementation of the plan, have not been involved in meaningful ways, they will not be excited about the plan nor will they be very motivated to take some responsibility for implementation.

78) How can a small nonprofit manage the strategic planning process with limited resources – financial and staff?

Please refer to our responses to Question #54, #58 and #61 above.

79) How does strategic planning apply to the development of a "community coalition" being developed for a "Grant Application" or program designation with a short time runway?

A strategic planning process can be used to give the leaders of the community coalition an opportunity to develop a mission, vision, goals and strategies for the grant application or program. In most cases, a grant application for a community coalition that includes elements of the strategic plan, is going to be a lot more attractive to funders than an application that lacks this kind of direction and focus. In addition, involvement in such a strategic planning process can provide an opportunity for coalition partners to deepen their relationships with each other. Such a process does not need to be time-consuming.

80) Any suggestions on ensuring that the implementation plan is do-able? There could be multiple actions under each goal – it can become overwhelming. How much is "too much"?

I think we have to remind ourselves, as we prepare for implementation, that we have developed a strategic plan spanning a period of three years or more. We have three years to accomplish the strategic plan. We don't have to do it all in the first year. A related question is "Do we have the internal capacity to carry this plan out?" Sometimes the question of capacity emerges as a critical strategic issue earlier in the process and so there is an opportunity to develop strategies that address this question of capacity before we even get to the implementation stage.

81) How do you update – keep on the planning process without a designated planning department or staff person? All the examples have these resources.

Please refer to our response to Question #54 above.

82. Q: What do you think are the top 3 or 4 reasons that not-for-profits fail in their strategic planning efforts? And how to overcome.

I am convinced that many strategic planning efforts flounder for at least three reasons: First, the failure to involve enough people in the process with the consequence that commitment to the strategic plan is weak. It is critical that representatives of all key constituencies be involved in the planning process in a meaningful way. "Real commitment" to a shared vision for the future only results from "real participation." Make sure your strategic planning process provides for this kind of participation.

The second problem area is the failure to translate the strategic plan into concrete action plans on an annual basis. Utilize the approach described in the September 16th strategic planning program for developing objectives. Related to this is the third reason for failure: resistance to the planning process because of past disappointments with similar efforts. In order to be successful, future planning efforts must somehow provide reasonable assurances that the time and energy people invest in the process result in changes and improvements that are implemented and supported by leadership.

83) To the YWCA, were your funders at your table during strategic planning?

Some of the funders were present in the formal strategic planning sessions. In addition ,representatives of the funding community were interviewed at the beginning of the planning process. They were asked the following questions: what changes and trends will have the greatest impact on the YWCA and future and how do you think we should respond? What your image of the YWCA? How you think the YWCA is viewed in the broader community? Do you know of any other resources that will help us in our planning process?

84) I feel a bit differently and think things sometimes seem to never change. How does strategic planning influence, encourage positive change/movements?

I think this is an important question to ask. The strategic planning model we described in the Sept. 16 program is designed to minimize the chances that we will develop a strategic plan that perpetuates the status quo. We therefore begin with gathering and analyzing information about external changes and trends as well as changes in our markets and constituents. This approach allows us to take in a lot of new information, some of which will challenge some of our operating assumptions - business as usual if you will. Then we identify the critical strategic issues and challenges facing the organization. Next we work on mission and vision and finally develop goals and strategies that reflect our thinking about mission and vision. In proceeding this way, we increase the chances that the mission and vision are responsive to the changes around us -- and so by definition we are not perpetuating the status quo. Rather we are shedding some of the old rules and beliefs in order to make room for the new.

85) How long term do we need to plan? 3 years, 5 years, or more?

In the current environment, most organizations plan within a 3-5 year time frame.

86) What do you do in an organization where the membership of an organization where there is an initial commitment to the process, but the commitment breaks down. AND How do you survive in the existing structure (knowing that changes may need to occur immediately) even to free people enough to engage in the strategic process?

We need to find out why the commitment broke down in the first place. Was the process taking too long and did people simply lost interest? Were people feeling that they were involved in meaningful ways? Were they being given an opportunity to actually participate in decision making? Interview some of the people to find out what happened and respond accordingly.

The second part of the question: I think we have to understand the difference between asking people to make temporary sacrifices so that we can all work together in a strategic planning effort and deciding when the timing is not right for strategic planning because there are other pressing matters that need to be dealt with first.

87. Q: Some organizations have difficulty even getting Board members to a Board meeting. How can we help them "jump start" their Board to get them excited about a strategic planning process?

See response to Question #57 above. Also, in the situation you describe, it would be important for the Executive Director to meet first with the board president to discuss the need for board leadership. In this meeting, the Executive Director can ask the president what he/she thinks are the board's concerns and also to ask the President to exert some leadership to promote strategic planning within the board. If the board's primary concern is with the time needed to attend planning sessions, it might be possible to design a process in which the full board's involvement is limited to one or to key sessions -- for example, a planning retreat during which the initial drafts of the mission and vision statements are created. The rest of the process can be the responsibility of a strategic planning committee composed of staff and those board members who are interested in being more involved. In this scenario, it will be important for the strategic planning committee to keep the board informed about progress throughout the planning process.

88. Q: How can the stakeholders in our organization be convinced to move from "putting-out-fires" to strategic planning?

There is no easy answer to this question especially in an organization where people have gotten used to putting out brush fires. See the response to Question #57 above. Talk to people about the advantages of doing strategic planning -- of focusing on the larger issues. Use examples of successful organizations that have shifted from putting out brush fires to focusing on critical issues. Help people to see the consequences of not taking the time to engage in strategic planning.

89) How to get stakeholders to have a shared vision that meets the overall mission and not narrowly focused on their own narrow interests i.e. employees seeing more pay as the greatest overriding need?

If we want people to look beyond their own narrow interests, we need to share with them information about the bigger picture -- information that helps them to understand that it is in their interest to see the bigger picture. Let me use this question as an opportunity to talk generally about the timing of strategic planning. There is no "right" time to do strategic planning. There are advantages to doing it when the organization is in a relatively strong position. Board and staff members may feel more confident about undertaking a serious in depth examination of the programs and services. At the same time, if things are going well people may feel no real need to change. Conversely, if the organization is in a state of crisis, there may be more openness to considering a dramatically new direction. It's usually not advisable to initiate a strategic planning process if the board is extremely weak or if there are serious internal conflicts within the organization.

90) How do we develop or build commitment to a strategic plan?

91) In your discussion of strategic planning, you state that you should not attempt to do planning, if the board is weak, or if there is internal conflict. I am involved with a museum, where it, the museum was dependent on the president for all its funding. There was no real board, as the president hoarded all power to himself. Recently the president passed away, and the same mentality of not being willing to share power, has meant that no attempts have been made to develop a board which could either support or guide the museum. The feeling is that the only purpose of the board is to supply funding, which they are unwilling to do unless they, the board has some say in the direction and activities of the museum. Additionally, with the passing of the president, there has developed a power struggle, where the only paid staff member has attempted to take over the full control of the museum.

My questions are as follows:

How can the culture be changed such that strategic planning can be done?

How can the precedents of the past be broken so that an effective board can be developed?

How can the individual in power, be shown that sharing power is the path to success, rather than he/she who has the most power automatically wins?

There is no question that strategic planning the way we have been talking about it cannot be practiced in the kind of organization that you describe. The fact that the patterns you speak about have gone on before so long without being challenged by board or staff members makes the situation even more difficult. The answer to all three questions is the same. Within the board and the staff, people need to find the courage to speak out about the autocratic style of leadership. I would guess that you are not alone in your thinking. Speak with others on the staff who share your concerns and develop a plan to bring these concerns to the attention of the director. Try to convince the director that if the board is more involved in decision-making, this will motivate them to be more involved in fund-raising. This should be of interest of the new director. If the director shows no sign of openness to change, it seems to me you have two choices: continue to put up with the current state of affairs or bring the concerns to the attention of the board (the action of last resort); if board leaders are unwilling to listen/respond, decides whether or not view want to continue working in this kind of environment.

92) Now that we have a strategic plan that outlines vision, mission, strategies, objectives -- how do we create an operational plan? Do the strategies and objectives identified in the strategic plan become the strategies/objectives for our operational plan?

The strategies become the foundation for development of annual operational plans. The operational plans consist of "objectives". See page 20 in the print packet for the "Objective Planning Worksheet". See also page 11 in the print packet for the "Sample Strategic Plan Cycle" that shows the connection between the strategic plan and the operational plan.

Here are some other ideas for preparing for annual operational planning

1. Board and Staff Development - What new skills sets and knowledge will board and staff members need in order to support the strategic plan? What is the plan to build this capacity?

2. Committee and Agency Structures - Review current board, committee and agency organizational structures. Should they be changed in any way to better support the strategic plan? Who should be involved in developing these recommendations?

3. Agency budget process/financial year - When does the budget process occur? How do we coordinate annual planning with budget process?

4. Assigning goals and strategies to appropriate people and groups for objective writing - To whom do we assign goals and strategies for objective writing. Which go to staff and which ones? Which go to board committees and which ones? Which go to a combination of board and staff? (For example - A Funding/Resource Goal might go to Development Staff and Board Fund Development Committee)

5. Prioritizing strategies - Determining which strategies will get immediate attention in the first year of the strategic plan

6. Training and Orientation - When is the best time to schedule training for staff and board members on how to use the evaluation framework to write objectives? Which staff? - Managers only? Which board members?

Also see the response to question #75 for suggestions on providing a framework for reporting progress on plan implementation. See also page 21 in the print packet for a reporting form sample.

93) Not-for-profit agencies are often advocates for public policy change, how can advocacy be translated into quantifiable objective measures?

How about the following:

Annual agency legislative issues platform established.
Number of legislative/regulatory victories achieved through campaigns around the issues in the agency legislative issues platform
Number of volunteers trained in advocacy skills
Number of volunteers involved in the campaigns around the issues in the agency legislative issues platform.
Number of legislative issue briefings with decision-makers held (number of legislators/decision-makers in attendance).
Increase in public support for the agency's issue positions as measured by opinion surveys.

94) I've often seen private sector plans include strategies related to the four Ps - price, product, promotion, and placement do these apply to not-for-profits as well?

They do; the strategic plan needs to be more comprehensive in its overall scope so more than the "4 p's of marketing".

95) How do you jumpstart enthusiasm for the strategic planning process when staff in the organization have become cynical and weary of a strategic planning process that keeps changing and, thus, disenfranchising staff?

Please see responses to questions 84 and 90 above.

96) For a social service agency with diverse programs under its umbrella, i.e., early childhood, senior citizens, should there be more than one strategic plan - one for each program?

In instances where there are multiple programs, departments, or divisions within the organization, it is possible for each major program, department or division to create a "departmental" strategic plan. Presumably, all the staff would have been involved in some way in creating the overall agency strategic plan -- mission and vision, goals and strategies for the organization as a whole so that they are enthusiastic and by in to the overall agency strategic plan. Then, under the umbrella of the overall organizational plan, each major department or division could be asked to develop a "strategic plan". It's important that such plans are in alignment with the overall agency plan. Such an approach invites some innovative thinking on the part of other staff. Another approach would be to ask departments and divisions to craft goals and strategies for their separate departments and divisions. Then bring all of these ideas for goals and strategies together to identify those which would contribute to goals and strategies for the agency as a whole and others that would serve as the focus for a specific department.

97) In the rubber band analogy (that demonstrated the tension between were we currently are and the vision), how might you move the current reality closer to the vision?

The most important factor is a detailed plan of action developed on an annual basis that starts with the goals and strategies developed during the strategic planning process (remember how we talked about goals and strategies defining the path from "current reality" to "vision". This action plan includes objectives that specify who, will do what, by when.

Forward movement in the direction of the vision also requires that leaders be prepared to give encouragement to others when doubts arise about the ability of the organization to achieve the vision.

Another strategy for nurturing visionary leadership is to continue to provide information that helps the board and staff members think about these key questions first raised during the strategic planning process: What external changes and trends will have the greatest impact over the next three to five years on the organization and the people it serves? How can the organization effectively respond to these changes and trends? How are similar organizations responding to these changes and trends?

Let's remember, however, that busy people will have difficulty finding time to read a lot of material so if you intend to share information with the board, especially in printed form, make sure that it is timely, relevant and well-summarized. Here are some suggestions for helping board members stay abreast:

· Schedule time during the regular board meetings for discussion about the impact of key external changes and trends and emerging critical issues.

· Encourage individual board members to read, listen and look for information about emerging trends and bring this information to the attention of the board.

· Periodically send board members short readable articles summarizing relevant future trends.

· Involve the board in ongoing strategic planning as a way to expose them to external trend data.

98) Our organization is made up of all volunteers of "Professional Women Veterans". What incentive can the board offer to get the members to do critical strategic planning?

You can increase commitment and willingness to invest the time in planning by pointing out to people the benefits to them and to the organization as a whole of doing strategic planning. Here are some sample beneficial outcomes for one nonprofit organization:

1. Goals that embody the mission and strategic vision of the agency will have been defined.

2. A strategic plan will be produced that will serve as the basis for the development of operational planning on an annual basis.

3. The plan will spell out options for financial and non-financial support by individuals, companies and institutions in the community.

4. The plan will identify critical challenges facing the agency over the next few years and strategies to meet those challenges.

5. The critical link between our past and the current status of the agency will be acknowledged.

6. There will be clarity about the agency's competitive advantage in our marketplace.

7. The plan will identify those institutions with which the agency will build strong collaborations to enhance future service delivery.

8. The agency's mission and strategic vision will have a day-to-day impact on management and governance.

9. Measurable results that reflect the agency commitment to quality will be the basis of evaluation of the plan.

10. There will be enthusiasm and support for the strategic plan at all levels of the organization.

Review the list to see which benefits might apply in your case. Present those benefits and encourage board and staff to add others. Another good question to pose is "what happens if we don't make the time to do strategic planning for the future?"

99) As a nonprofit changes and evolves, how important is it to "tweak" the plan? Or should the plan have a "plan A", plan B, etc. built in? or both?

Remember what we said about the need for regular annual review and updates of the strategic plan -- even more frequently if there are major shifts in the external environment of the organization. We need to anticipate that such changes and modifications will have to be made throughout the life of the plan. Your comment about "plan A, plan B" is a especially timely during this presidential election year. We won't know the outcome of the elections for several months but certainly the outcome of the election will have impact on federal funding priorities, regulations and other decisions that will affect our community and our organization. In such instances, when the future could play out differently, it makes sense to develop alternative scenarios that includes different courses of action.

100) How long does a standard (if there is one) strategic planning process take? Can there be a point where it becomes too drawn-out or the journey between the current reality and the vision with too many diversions and the purpose becomes diluted?

Generally a strategic planning process will take from 3-12 months. The amount of time really depends on a number of factors: outcomes to be achieved, past experience in strategic planning, availability of planning data, time availability of the board. Your concern is a very important one -- a planning process can become too drawn out to the point where people begin to lose interest after some very real excitement developed early on. It's important as part of the preplanning stage to check with people -- especially board members -- about the length of the process. At the same time, we need to remind ourselves that it can take time to identify the critical issues and challenges facing the organization and developing effective strategies to respond. Especially if a new direction for the organization seems to be called for, board and staff members may want more time to mull things over. But we can take too much time - the opportunities will pass us by.

101) I have understood that a mission and vision should be very tight - not long and wordy. The examples on page 15-16 are relatively long. Does this cause difficulty in developing shared understanding and committee to that mission and vision?

Groups seem to have different preferences about the length and detail of mission and vision statements but in general, "shorter is always better" for the reasons you suggest -- easier to understand, easier to remember, easier to get excited about. Sometimes, organizations, in addition to the longer version of their vision and mission statements, will create a shorter one -- almost like a tagline. Here are some examples of shorter vision statements:

Bowling, Inc.

More people, bowling more often, having more fun.

Milwaukee Public Library

The Milwaukee Public Library is Every person's gateway to an expanding world of information. Providing the best in library service, we guide Milwaukeeans in their pursuit of knowledge, enjoyment, and life-long learning, ultimately enriching lives and our community as a whole.

Historic Third Ward Association

The Historic Third Ward's unique attributes and resources will be enhanced and developed to create a self-sustaining environment in which to live, work and play, so distinct in character that it is recognized as both a place and a state of mind.

YWCA of Greater Milwaukee

Creating momentum for real change leading to individual and community prosperity and the elimination of racism: By transforming systems to promote equity in our society; Through social and economic growth; By providing people with more control and options in their lives

Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

The Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be the recognized statewide leader providing a continuum of dynamic and innovative programs for persons of all ages who are deaf or hard of hearing.

102) Since the YWCA is part of a national organization, I was curious as to whether or not your success is being shared with other YWCA?

Answer to be posted shortly

103) The YWCA appears to have changed their mission and vision significantly. Was there any one part of the organization that was resistant to change?

Answer to be posted shortly

104) What is the difference between a business growth plan and a strategic plan?

In our approach to strategic planning, the "strategic plan" would be the broader visionary blueprint spanning the next several years. A "business growth plan", depending on your definition, would be a more detailed plan that charts how the programs and services of the organization will grow (expansion, quality improvement, enhanced program impact, strategic alliances -- however growth is defined) during the life of the strategic plan. Other examples of more "detailed plans" could include: comprehensive marketing plan, multi-year fund development plan, public policy plan, etc. These more detailed plans transform the strategic plan from "visionary blueprint" for the next several years to concrete action leading to the attainment of our vision -- hope for impact and the "organization of our dreams".

105) Should the personal strategic plan of the leaders be blended with the organization's strategic plan?

It would seem to work both ways: the leaders, whether they be board members or key staff, will have an opportunity in the strategic planning process to express their ideas and influence the thinking of other participants. At the same time, the ideas of other participants in the planning process will have an impact on the thinking of the leaders. In some cases, based on the new information about external trends changes in our markets as well as understanding of critical issues, challenge and choices facing the organization in the future, the "ideas and plans" that people bring to the planning process will change. The idea is to create a process that exposes people to new information leading to new ideas about how the agency to respond in the future. Our involvement in the strategic planning process will result in a plan that all the of us contribute to and that all of us support enthusiastically.

106) Should a customer(s)/client(s) be added to the strategic plan process at some point? They are quite objective!

The answer is "absolutely yes". See the response to question 12 for ideas on how to involve them.

107) Do you have any suggestions for recruiting "consumers" to participate in the planning process?

Start by asking staff to identify clients/consumers who possess any of the following qualities and characteristics: seem to be representative of the base of consumers served by the organization; have expressed an interest getting involved in the work of the organization; have expressed concerns and offered feedback about the organization's programs and services; seem to speak passionately about the needs and aspirations of other consumers. You can also ask consumers, in meetings, mailings and agency newsletters, if anyone is interested in participating in the upcoming strategic planning process. Be sure to briefly describe the purpose of the process and the reason the agency is engaging in strategic planning. After identifying consumer prospects, think about where and how to involve them: on the strategic planning committee (see sample planning committee description in question # 14, focus group involvement, completing surveys, coming to a meeting to hear the latest progress in developing a strategic plan, etc. Also be sure that the consumers identified for involvement are diverse as a reflection of the consumer base as a whole.

108) Any suggestions for making consumers/board members/staff relate better to each other to work together instead of getting trapped into "us" vs. "them" situation?

Strategic planning can be a great opportunity to help different constituencies to transcend the "us" vs. "them" mentality. This happens because, while different constituencies may have some different needs and perspectives on things, looking at the same information (gathered from the internal, external and market assessments in step 1), discussing the critical issues and challenges facing the organization (step 2), can really help everyone begin to see the big picture. It doesn't make the differences disappear, but it helps to establish the common ground, sometimes with the sense that if we can work from our common ground, over time, we will make progress on our more individual/subgroup issues. If nothing else, our individual issues will be better understood by others involved in the strategic planning process because of the deep dialog the process fosters. Also seem to question #15 below.

109) How do you prepare consumers and stakeholders to educate/prepare for the joint planning process?

Here are a few suggestions: Visit the Leaner Resource Center at: www.uwex.edu/li/learner and there you'll find a number of resources including a strategic planning manual (www.uwex.edu/li/learner/suppread.htm#Strategic) with a step-by-step description of the planning process that you can use before orienting the board, staff and volunteers. There are also links to other Web sites that will be of help. You can also distribute copies of your Participant Guide from the September 21, 2000 satellite program to people to review on their own with a follow-up meeting to answer questions. (There are additional web based resources on pages 28-29 of the Participant Guide)

A related point . . .In preparing to plan, one of the important steps is the establishment of the strategic planning committee. A sample job description is included in the response to this question. Look at a mixture of board, staff and other stakeholders including consumer/customer representatives. All members of the planning committee need to receive an orientation to the planning process so that they understand what strategic planning is, the steps involved, as well as the time commitment required. Beyond the strategic planning committee, consumers can be involved in various information gathering activities including completion of surveys, participation in focus groups, attendance at periodic review sessions, etc.

Sample Strategic Planning Committee Description

Status: Ad Hoc (becoming a Standing Committee)

Membership: 12 -- 15 members who are board members, key staff identified by the Executive Director and other key stakeholders/partners

Staffed by: Executive Director and Consultant

Function: To guide in the development of a Strategic Plan for the organization.

Duties:

A. The Strategic Planning Committee will work with the executive director and consultant to develop and implement a strategic planning timetable that will achieve the following outcomes:

· Board leadership and management staff will have a thorough understanding of the critical issues and choices facing the organization through the year 2004.

· A strategic plan document including a mission statement, strategic vision statement, goals and strategies will be produced. The document will also address opportunities for strategic alliance building in support of the overall strategic plan.

· An Evaluation Framework consisting of critical success factors for each goal statement and performance measures for strategies selected for first year operational planning will be developed.

· A program/service mix aligned with the strategic plan will be developed.

· The organization's mission and strategic vision will have a day-to-day relevance on management and governance.

· Board and committee structures will be reviewed and revised as needed to support the strategic plan.

There will be enthusiasm and support for the strategic plan at all levels of the organization.

B. Report regularly to the board on the status of the strategic planning process.

C. Commitment to attendance at an average of 3-4 hours per month of meetings during the period September 2000 to May 2001.

· ORIENTATION TO PLANNING PROCESS: Review the planning process, finalize strategies for information gathering and analysis, make needed adjustments in timetable, and secure agreements.

· PLANNING SESSION: Review summaries of internal, external and need assessments; identify critical issues for the future. 4.0 hours

· PLANNING SESSION: All day or two half day planning sessions. Review mission statement. Develop first draft of a strategic vision statement that sets future direction and mission statement that defines fundamental purpose. 7.0 hours

· PLANNING SESSION: Review draft vision statement developed at planning retreat, develop first draft goals and strategies. 4.0 hours

· PLANNING SESSION: Strategic Planning Committee reviews comments and make needed revisions; develops strategic plan evaluation framework for use in development of operational plans. 4.0 hours

· PLANNING SESSION: Board session to formally review/approve strategic plan. 1.5 hours

· PLANNING SESSION(S): Staff and board committees will review evaluation framework for strategic plan and develop operational planning framework for Year 1 operational plan. 4.0 - 8.0 hours

D. Review trend and market studies in preparation for planning sessions which will be sent to committee members before the first planning session.

110) If during the process, a critical issue is defined for one side (consumer vs. board/staff) and it is not resolved in the way one side or the other believes is best...how do you resolve that conflict?

In your example, the determination of critical issues and challenges needs to involve consumer representatives, board and staff members. The difference of opinion will likely surface when everyone begins to express their sense of what the critical issues are. In that initial long list, there will likely be hints of disagreement. Engage members of the planning team in discussion to get at the roots of the disagreement. Sometimes it will be possible to define the issue in a way that addresses the concerns of all involved. Sometimes, what appeared to be disagreement at first, is not, after people really listen to each other. Just be careful of watering down the issue to make peace. By definition, critical issues are controversial.

Sometime you will discover tension points which we talked about during the September 21st program. Let me show you what I mean by tension points by telling you about organization I once worked with. This organization was a group that provided cable access to a small suburban community. Within the group there were two factions that would set each other off with their respective battle cries. On one hand, there was a group that was ardent on the subject of First Amendment freedom. They wanted anyone in the community that had a message to have easy access to cable technology. For them, First Amendment freedom had to be protected at all costs. On the other hand, there was a group that felt strongly that program quality had to be increased if they were going to build an audience of cable viewers that would assure continued existence of the community cable access channel. But here's where the problem came in: when the program quality group heard the others talk about First Amendment freedom, it conjured up images of cable controversial programs that were sloppily done that would offend the community. At the same time the First Amendment group, when they heard the others talk about the need to increase program quality, this conjured up for them images of censorship -- programs being kept off the air. The words "first amendment" became code for poor quality controversial programs. At the same time, the words "quality programs" became code for program censorship. It was important for this tension point to be surfaced. A thorough discussion led the leaders of this group to eventually realize that the organization in fact needed to be both an advocate for First Amendment freedom and quality programming that would build a solid audience. A situation of both/and instead of either/or. Group members also realized that the organization needed to strengthen the orientation and training program for new video producers to ensure programs of quality that would attract larger audiences in the future.

111) What about members who have an outdated version of the vision who are unwilling to allow for growth and re-interpretation involving new members and staff?

It really depends on who those members are: if they include the board president and the Executive Director, we have a problem. But no matter who they are, we need to ask why they are unwilling to allow for growth and re-interpretation involving new members and staff. It's important to give those members you speak of an opportunity to express their concerns and see if it's possible to respond in a way that satisfies them. Beyond this, they need to understand that in this environment of competition for talented and energetic board and staff members, an organization whose leaders hold on to old ways and fail to provide opportunities for new people to get involved in planning for the future, is an organization that will have great difficulty attracting and retaining new leadership.

There is of course the larger question of getting older "seasoned" professionals to listen to younger people in organizations. Don't allow yourself and your peers to be ignored!

*Responses were transcribed by Prof. Andrew Lewis from the live broadcasts produced by the Learning Institute for Nonprofit Organizations collaboration.

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