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People
are often reluctant to commit time and resources to a planning
process because of the fear of the plan "ending up in file
number 13." This article addresses a key question regarding the
strategic plan: What can I do to ensure the plan does not end up
in file number 13?
There are three main areas that must be addressed to ensure that
the planning process and resulting strategic plan are valuable
and useful for the organization:
The process that is used to develop
the plan can guarantee success or failure. Credibility and ease
of use are often direct results of how the plan was created.
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The format of the plan will influence
how and when people use the document in the workplace.
Complex, outdated documents are doomed to remain on the shelf.
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Top Management's use and respect for
the plan influences the acceptance for the rest of the staff
and board members. There is no reason for managers to refer to
established goals and objectives if the executive director
does not.
Ensuring the Plan Has Impact
During the strategic planning
process, it is important to include the following process,
content, and usage elements to ensure the usefulness of the
strategic plan to the organization.
Process Elements
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Engage leadership.
Include the informal and formal
organizational leaders when conducting a process. Active
involvement communicates a message of organizational
importance and priority.
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Work
from a common understanding.
Provide training on the process
and establish a list of expectations and results to ensure
that everyone is working towards the same outcomes.
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Include individuals who will implement plan.
Encourage all levels of staff to
contribute to the process. Involving these individuals will
ensure that the plan is realistic and help motivate staff to
implement the plan.
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Address critical issues for the organization.
Failure or unwillingness to put
these critical issues on the table for discussion and
resolution might lead staff to implicitly or explicitly
challenge the credibility of the plan, its priorities, and/or
its leadership.
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Agree on how the plan will be made operational.
Specify who will implement which
parts of the plan, scheduling routine evaluation meetings to
review progress.
Content Elements
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Include an internal and external focus.
Remember to address structural,
board/staff development, and communication issues in your
plan.
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Do
not get too detailed.
Use the strategic plan to
articulate the broad framework, direction and, priorities of
the organization and its programs. Extremely specific plans
become quickly outdated and end up on the shelf.
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Create a balance between the dream and reality.
Ensure that your plan is grounded
in the reality of what can and cannot be accomplished.
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Keep
language, concepts and format simple.
Make sure that the language is
easy to understand, especially for those that are unfamiliar
with your organization. Structure the document so that it is
user friendly.
Usage Elements
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Actively use the plan as a management tool.
Actively using the plan for
short-term guidance and decision making will establish a model
for use.
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Incorporate sections of the plan in everyday management.
Formalize the usage of the plan
into the day-to-day activities of the organization. For
example, one organization reads the mission statement at the
opening of every business meeting to remind the membership of
the organization's focus and purpose. In another organization,
the executive director requires that all ideas for program
changes or expansion directly address how the changes relate
to the organization's mission.
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Organize the work of the organization in the context of the
plan.
Establish operational goals and
activities within the context of the strategic plan (e.g.,
include goals and objectives in individual and program
evaluations or have program directors refer to the plan to
provide guidance in decision making).
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Design a system for controlling the process.
Ensure that there are mechanisms
(e.g., evaluation meetings, monthly reports against plan) to
inform management on progress.
By
employing the strategies listed above, you can be sure that the
effort you put into the strategic planning process will direct
your organization and become a useful tool to both management
and staff. |
