Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/327054
11 Summer 2014 | Connections 11 Summer 2014 | Connections The Challenges 1. The board can't think past a year or two. 2. We have a host of to- do projects in our strategic plan. 3. Maybe we had the wrong people at the planning retreat. 4. The plan looks like a list of the directors' and officers' priorities. 5. We couldn't tell the difference between tactics and strategies. 6. We've been developing our plan for several months. 7. After the retreat the plan was ignored and put on a shelf. 8. The board wrote a plan but committees are doing their own thing. 9. I think our facilitator had his own agenda at the retreat; we didn't accomplish much. 10. We didn't finish the plan. 11. The board says planning is too expensive. Solutions Most strategic plans span at least 3 years. Directors have a responsibility to "think beyond their term of office." The plan should focus on the organization's mission, goals and strategies. It is not a to-do list. The board sets direction and then lets committees and staff/departments manage the tasks, programs and projects. It is the board's responsibility to develop the strategic plan. Inviting ex-officio guests, other stakeholders and a host of past presidents will slow the process. Use focus groups to collect input from outsiders, before the retreat. Most strategic plans have just 3 to 7 goals. The fewer the number of goals, the clearer the message to stakeholders. The terminology of planning is critical. The retreat should focus on mission, goals and strategies; adding performance measures when appropriate. Leave tactics to committees. A drawn-out process can hinder development of a clear, concise plan. Most organizations schedule an 8-hour retreat conducted in one day or two half-days. There are ways to ensure the plan is executed, including keeping it on the agenda and regularly reporting on progress. Committees should be assigned tasks from the strategic plan. Be sure every goal is supported by one or more committees. There is a broad choice of facilitators; it's important to discuss the outcomes and agree on an agenda that the board will appreciate. Some boards get stuck on the mission; running out of time for setting goals and strategies; others get mired in tactics or side- bar conversations. Most plans span at least three years; it is a small investment (amortized over three years) to create a compelling roadmap to follow. Strategic Plan Challenges by Bob Harris