Conscious Chief Executives E-zine - Issue #09

Why Strategic Plans don't work-and what to do about it

Steven Bowman
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Strategic Planning has never been more important for nonprofit organizations than now, in an environment where world economies are under strain, resources are being critically re-examined, and the future of many nonprofits is being questioned. So why does strategic planning have such a bad reputation out there? Why do so many nonprofits shudder when the strategic plan cycle comes around again. Why do so many never complete or follow their strategic plan? Why do so many not have a strategic plan?

Here are some of the more common reasons and justifications we come across, and we are sure you will be able to add to them.

• Strategic planning is a waste of time, too complex and with limited outcomes.
• Day to day predicaments require a lot of time and attention, leaving little time available for planning.
• The strategic plan process is a commercial business technique which is not appropriate or suitable for our nonprofit.
• Thinking about the future is difficult and very uncertain in turbulent times, and is particularly difficult for me as an action-oriented individual who derives satisfaction from immediate results, not an intellectual process.

This is a chance for you to reflect where your organization is with strategic planning. Ask yourself:

• Is my plan truly strategic? How do I know if it is truly strategic? For some tools on creating strategic foresight, see this article on scenario planning >>
• Do we have an outward looking, strategic awareness emphasis, or is it operationally focused?
• For more details on creating a culture of strategic awareness, see Strategic Awareness-A Primer>>
• Is the plan really clear about the required actions, the start and finish dates for these actions, the success measures, allocation of responsibility for all the required actions. Could anyone pick it up and know what was required, by whom, when, and how we measure whether we have done a great job? For more details on action plans, see Strategic Action Plans-the true enablers of a strategic plan>>
• Is our plan clearly mapped against the vision of our organization, so that anyone can see how our strategies are creating the vision? Here is a great article on Creating Strategic Awareness from your Vision Statement>>
• Is our planning process simple, quick, and ongoing, or is it convoluted, complex and chews up resources? For an example of a focused, quick and strategic planning process, see this Strategic Plan checklist>>
• Do we involve stakeholders other that staff, and do we seek other perspectives about what possible futures might look like? This article looks at Creating a Strategic Planning team>>

These are great questions to ask, and will provide you with immediate insight into how you can improve your strategic planning process.

So, What is a Strategic Plan?

The definition of a strategic plan we have developed that we find works best with nonprofit organizations is:

“A Strategic Plan is the top five or six things that the Board has agreed the organization has to get right in the next two or three years”- Conscious strategic planning is the process to achieve this plan.

Lets look at each of these elements:

The top 5 or 6 things…..
There are usually five or six key “objectives/strategies/directions” that an organization identifies as part of its strategic planning.
There may be only two or three, or as many as seven or eight, but usually there are five or six “things”, which we call strategies.

…that the Board has agreed…..
The strategic plan is the Board’s key accountability mechanism, and it belongs to the Board.
Only the Board can approve the plan, and only the Board can agree to changes in timelines, taking out or putting in new elements, and formally reviewing the plan annually.

…the organization has to get right…..
These five or six “things” have been identified as critical to the future of the organization and its ability to deliver against its vision and mission.
One of the Boards’ key accountability requirements is that it rigorously review the achievements or otherwise of the relevant actions under the strategic plan, and be willing to change any element of the plan if circumstances change, and there are new things that it “has to get right”.

…in the next two or three years.
The time frames around strategic plans seems to be around 2 or 3 years. There are very few 5 or 10 year plans being developed, as assumptions and the environment changes so rapidly that the time frame has shrunk to 2 or 3 years.

There is also a growing trend for strategic plans to be formally annually reviewed, and the notion of “continuous” strategic planning is becoming more common. Gone are the days (or they should be) where an organization waits 3 years to see if the plan has worked or not.

Strategic Plans consistently fail because of Three Key Issues:

1. The lack of implementation-Great plan, shame we didn’t do anything with it.
2. Poor implementation-We were so busy we got sidetracked, and anyway, we couldn’t see what difference it would make.
3. Poor inputs during construction-Well, it was really only the CEOs pet projects, so let her do the plan!

Strategic planning with strategic awareness is not rigid or fixed, but rather continual, generative, informative, exciting and vision driven. We have mentioned before, and will mention again, that there is only one thing worse than not having a strategic plan, ….and that is having one that never changes.

What if strategic planning was the opposite of everything that most people think it is. What if strategic planning was quick, enjoyable, truly strategic, and provided a focus for all the organization, from the Board to staff to stakeholders?

What would it take for this to occur in your organization?

Suggestion

There are 51 short YouTube video clips we have created on nonprofit governance, strategy, risk and leadership found at http://www.youtube.com/user/ConsciousGovernance which make excellent thought starters for Board development sessions, and for Board induction.

Click here >> to view them. Please feel free to copy these video clips and utilise them as part of your Board/staff or member development program.- Steve Bowman 

 

What's New?

New! Nonprofit Masterclasses and Workshops from some of the world's best nonprofit strategists

1 day Masterclass in Advanced Nonprofit Strategy, Risk and Governance Steven Bowman-March 09, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth. Leading-edge strategies and tactics for nonprofit executives and Board members that will shake long-held beliefs about strategy and governance. Click here >> to download details and registration form for Masterclass.

Mission Based Marketing Peter Brinkerhoff, USA- March 09, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, New Zealand Market your organisation in today's increasingly competitive environment.

Mission Based Management in Difficult Times Peter Brinkerhoff, USA- March 09, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, New Zealand Tools and understanding to guide your organisation through the challenging times we are in today and those that will arise in the future.

Fundraising and the Non-Profit Board Member Carol Weisman, USA- April 09, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New Zealand How to make it work for your Board without Gin or Prozac!

Build a Better Board in 30 days Carol Weisman, USA- April 09, Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New Zealand Tips and techniques on how to take a good Board and make them great, how to take an average Board and get them moving.

Strategic Plan Facilitation

Contact Steven Bowman for an invitation to work with us to create your strategic plan that is truly strategic with embedded project action plans: in 1 day, involving key stakeholders, with full accountability to the Board, staff and stakeholders.

"Strategic Risk Management: Risk as Strategic Advantage for Nonprofit Leaders"

This Chief Executive Quick Guide has been formulated to provide leading edge perspectives and techniques on topics particularly relevant to chief executives of nonprofit organizations around the world. This Quick Guide has been tested in the real world of nonprofit Board rooms and senior leadership teams, and is designed to provide points of view on key areas of chief executive responsibilities in terms of risk management. Only US$45.00, this Quick Guide is available as a downloadable e-book immediately. Click here for more information and to order >>>>

"The Conscious Chief Executive-Leading Your Nonprofit Organization to Success from Awareness"

This book is based on the awareness that all nonprofit organizations have unlimited potential and possibility to become successful and thriving if they are led by conscious leaders. This book shows what it would take for chief executives to become conscious leaders and to embody and be the greatness of who they truly are. It provides chief executives of nonprofit organizations a practical conscious leadership "toolbox" of strategies. Only US$35.00, this is available as a downloadable e-book immediately. Click here for more information and to order >>>>

"Advanced Strategic Planning-Strategic Planning that works for nonprofit Boards and Leaders"

What would it take for your strategic plan to be truly strategic? Do you want to know how to embed the strategic plan into all facets of your organization and get amazing buy-in from Board, staff and stakeholders? Do you want a process that is quick, focused and provides step-by-step guidelines that result in a strategic plan that is accountable and measurable? Only US$45.00, this Quick Guide is available as a downloadable e-book immediately. Click here for more information and to order >>>>

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Previous Issues Topics

Issue #001 -- When Board members step over the line

Issue #002 -- How can the Chair and the CEO work together productively?

Issue #003 -- What are the Powers of Members vs Nonprofit Boards?

Issue #004 -- How can we improve attendances at Board meetings?

Issue #005 -- How do we remove unproductive Board members?

Issue #006 -- Creating Strategic Awareness from your Vision Statement

Issue #007 -- Are you a Board-Savvy CEO?

Issue #008 -- Creating Strategic Awareness with your Board

Click here for links to back issues

Next Issue Topic

Next issue will focus on nonprofit Board remuneration (should we, shouldn't we, and why), a very emotive topic that has arisen more frequently in the past few months.
(Mind you, I might change the topic if something even more topical comes in. Let me know what you would like to see!)
Please send us any of your feedback, or any questions that you might like to see in the e-zine. All communications are confidential.
Happy reading
Steven Bowman

Contact Us

Contact us if you would like more information on any of the following:

Board and Governance audit and review Our Strategic Governance review is a comprehensive independent review of Board processes, including Board strategic processes, Board structure, Board and stakeholder communication, Board compliance responsibilities and strategic operational issues that directly affect the governance of your organization.

Strategic Planning facilitation Our Strategic Planning process encapsulates the most robust, time-efficient planning techniques to provide a focused, vision driven strategic plan, with value added components that embed the strategic plan into the Governance and operational framework of the organization. Powerful success measures, a unique ethics filter, strategic reporting frameworks and strategic thinking processes are end results of our Strategic Planning process.

Strategic Plan annual review facilitation Is your strategic plan on track? Our strategic plan review facilitation provides a focused forum for reviewing your existing strategic plan, with four key questions explored?1. What has worked with our strategic plan 2. What has not worked with our strategic plan 3. What has changed in our environment 4. What do we need to add or take out of our strategic plan

Telephone (61)3 95099529
Mobile 0438 325 782
Email us steven @ conscious-governance.com
Conscious Governance website www.conscious-governance.com
Physical address: 17 Gordon Grove, Malvern Australia 3144