When to Do a Strategic Plan (and When Not to)
“Strategy” was the focus of Greater NY events in 2019. Greater NY’s annual meeting on the nonprofit CEO/Board relationship “OnBoard(ing)” tackled the question “Who Owns Strategy, You or the Board?”
The discussion landed on three specific areas where real conversation between staff and Board provided clarity and created stronger co-ownership of the strategy process. The three areas where conversation made a real difference were: when to do a strategic plan, whether to hire a consultant, and how to leverage your strategic plan into separate tools – a Swiss Army knife – that can help everyone “own” strategy. Each area is covered in a separate event recap. Below is the advice shared on when to do a strategic plan and, equally importantly, when not to.
“A strategic plan that doesn’t
deliver bad news is useless.”
Is a strategic plan that doesn’t deliver bad news useless? While most of the Greater NY partners participating in the conversation thought “useless” was too strong, they generally agreed that a strategic plan without teeth was not worth the time and effort.
When to Do a Strategic Plan
The organization is stable enough to consider its own weaknesses.
The leader has been in the role long enough to have a clear vision.
There is internal capacity to implement the plan.
There is Board consensus it’s the right time to take it up.
When Not to Do a Strategic Plan
The organization is in a crisis.
The Board isn’t ready.
The executive director is new.
There are big changes, like receiving a large grant that requires focus.
There is unaddressed tension in the organization.
“How can we keep listening to
understand all we can be?”
Timing can’t always be perfect. Sometimes strategic planning needs to move forward to address a specific issue or phase of growth. In these cases, strategy becomes more about how to get through the next few months. Here’s three examples shared:
Strategic Planning as Block-and-Tackle: “We’re in a moment of public policy change where it’s hard to find the ground beneath our feet today, let alone the next five years. We plan in pieces, it’s a lot of stop and start.”
Strategic Planning as Tactical: “We see things for our issue opening up, and our planning is more tactical than strategic. It’s all about how we can be most effective in this moment of opportunity.”
Strategic Planning as Aspirational: “As an organization, who we are is on the table. Our planning processes are about ‘how can we keep listening to understand all we can be?’”
More lessons and advice from our conversation on Boards, staff and strategic planning can be found in these recaps:
You Don’t Need a Traditional Consultant
Your Strategic Plan as Swiss Army Knife
Greater NY holds meetings on key management issues
with its nonprofit and corporate partners