I got a call from an organization that was (as they said) “desperate to finally do good strategic planning.”
A Far Too-Common Approach to “Strategic Planning”
The previous two times they did “planning,” the organization hired a facilitator and:
1. Got Board members together for one retreat.
2. Word-smithed the words on their mission statement. (“Are our services ‘transformational’ or ‘transcendental’? Let’s break into small groups and discuss this!”)
3. Fantasized a very far-reaching, inspirational, feel-good vision statement. (“We’ll solve poverty in our lifetime!”)
4. Then asked the executives to come up with “some goals” to achieve that vision.
5. Then they left the retreat.
That’s Not Strategic Planning, That’s Fantasizing — and It’s a Delusion
The “benefits” of that approach to planning are
1. Board members don’t need to spend much time in planning.
2. The organization doesn’t have to do the work to actually analyze what’s going on outside the organization that might affect the organization
3. It’s easy and it feels good to word-smith words and fantasize visions — it makes “planning” fun!
4. The organization can feel like it’s “planning.”
5. The facilitator is liked a lot — at least for a while.
The Damage Caused from That Approach to “Planning”
The harm from that approach to “planning” is that
1. The organization is no better off in understanding what it needs to survive, much less thrive.
2. Planners cultivate the illusion that planning is one fun “get away.”
3. Planners become very cynical about “strategic planning.”
4. Consultants and facilitators begin to write that “strategic planning doesn’t work.”
What Strategic Planning Should Be Instead
If an organization:
1. Has not done strategic planning before — planning that resulted in an implemented plan.
2. Has many changes going on, outside the organization.
3. Has had several recurring issues in the organization, e.g., in finances, conflicts and turnover.
Then the “fantasy” approach to planning will only make things worse.
Instead, the organization should be doing issues-based planning.
What’s Issues-Based Planning?
In issues-based planning, planners:
1. Identify current, major issues.
2. Suggest strategies to address each issue (they might be right or wrong, but at least they get people focused on the issues and trying to do something about them).
3. Detail the strategies into action plans that specify who is going to do what and by when.
Some consultants might decry, “That’s not strategic!” What’s more strategic than addressing current, major problems so you can then accomplish a successful future?
For more information about issues-based planning, see Should I Use Goals-Based or Issues-Based Planning?
What do you think?
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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my weekly blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, Nonprofits and Strategic Planning.