Leadership DevelopmentLeadership Development

Strategic Strategic PlanningPlanning

April 16, 2009April 16, 2009

Considerations?Considerations?•Do you have a clear timeline for implementation outlined?

•Have you appointed volunteers who will be accountable to the board for the implementation?

•How will the progress be communicated back to the board?

•Have you determine how you are going to measure program success?

Considerations?Considerations?•Do you have a clear timeline for implementation outlined?

•Have you appointed volunteers who will be accountable to the board for the implementation?

•How will the progress be communicated back to the board?

•Have you determine how you are going to measure program success?

Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning

A good plan is like a road map: it shows the final destination and usually the best

way to get there.~ H. Stanley Judd

What is Long- Range Planning?What is Long- Range Planning?

The process of examining the present and projecting it into the future

What is Strategic Planning?What is Strategic Planning?

The process of examining the future and projecting it back to the present

Strategic Planning versus Long-Range Strategic Planning versus Long-Range Planning?Planning?

•Long-range planning examines where you are and how it will impact the future

•Strategic planning examines where you want to go and how to get there

Why is Strategic Planning Important?Why is Strategic Planning Important?

•Prepares an organization to respond to future Prepares an organization to respond to future changeschanges

•Enables the organization to understand the Enables the organization to understand the environment which they currently existenvironment which they currently exist

•Provides the basis for an organization to make Provides the basis for an organization to make “revolutionary”, not just “evolutionary” changes“revolutionary”, not just “evolutionary” changes

Why is Strategic Planning Important?Why is Strategic Planning Important?

•An organization’s ability to react and respond to environmental changes determines whether it survives.

How to begin?How to begin?

•Key – don’t get bogged down in procedure and terminology•The process is just as valuable as the outcome!

How to begin?How to begin?

•Start with a “brain dump”•Avoid any operational business•Free flow of ideas•No idea is too crazy or unattainable•EVERYTHING should be included, initially!

SWOTSWOT

StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreats

SWOTSWOT

Strengths

Identify your resources (including financial and volunteer)

SWOTSWOT

Weaknesses

Identify your organization’s liabilities (financial and volunteer may fall into both strengths and weaknesses)

SWOTSWOT

Opportunities

Identify your organization’s potential offerings– including education, networking

What can you do better than any other group?

SWOTSWOT

Threats

Identify your organization’s potential competition or risks – including competition from for-profit entities, lack of volunteers

Now What?Now What?

Often he who does too much does too little.~ Italian Proverb ~

Now What?Now What?

•Using SWOT analysis, convert into 4-5 key strategies

•Avoid trying to be everything to everyone!

•Consider your plan for 1 year

Considerations?Considerations?

•Does the strategy fulfill the overall purpose of the organization?

•Are the strategies identified clear and achievable?

•Identify what resources are required in advance. Can the budget support the strategy? Do you have the volunteer resources to see the strategies implemented?

Considerations?Considerations?•Do you have a clear timeline for implementation outlined?

•Have you appointed volunteers who will be accountable to the board for the implementation?

•How will the progress be communicated back to the board?

•Have you determine how you are going to measure program success?

Considerations?Considerations?

Finally, communicate your key strategies with your members!