Our last Good Advice Over Coffee (GAOC) of this year was titled, “Strategic Planning and THE Best Visual to Help Focus Your Efforts.” We selected that topic, in part, due to the volume of strategic planning assignments we have been managing, but also because we find that most staff and volunteers see strategic planning as a chore – when it doesn’t have to be. We’ve learned that using a simple organizational chart can align the efforts of staff and board members to get this important job done.
With a full house once again at our GAOC event, we discussed that five focus areas are necessary to successfully advance any community cause:
A mission-focus by all and a program of work that creates big community impact
Effective boards and committees
Sufficient fundraising for financial stability
Community engagement via great communications
Efficient administration
That can be a lot for a staffing team and volunteer board to tackle, so this visual helps provide focus:
How can you use it for your organization? First, ask these questions of your board and staff:
What is our mission?
What is the board’s role in achieving our mission?
What do we do as an organization to achieve that mission?
What philanthropic funds do we need to support that program of work and how do we raise them?
What communications strategies should we use to engage our community?
What administration will be necessary to assure success? What will be the roles of our staff?
When receiving the input, populate the areas of the org chart in bullet point form, then provide to all to review and refine. Reach consensus, then, using the focus areas (Mission; Board’s Role and Committees; Program of Work; Fundraising/Financial Stability; Community Engagement/Communications; Administration) literally populate the primary goals, objectives, tasks, responsibilities, and timelines/priorities section of your strategic plan to mirror this visual.
The result will be a great working plan and the cover visual that you can use with all stakeholders – especially the ones that wouldn’t read a lengthy and detailed strategic plan document, but would benefit from knowing that you have completed the process and have a solid plan in place for success. It becomes an engagement tool. Board members and staff tend to rely on it too, as it provides a snapshot of priorities.
Which brings me to one of the great points made by one of our GAOC attendees: After all the work to complete the strategic plan, don’t shelve it! Make sure to have a strategic planning item on every board and staff meeting agenda, focusing on an area of interest that time of year. Make edits and adjustments along the way, making it a true working document. You’ll be glad you did.
Also, please check out the latest episode of Your Podcast for Good on this subject, hosted by Scott Smith. Here, we continue the conversation on strategic planning and share more good advice discussed during this event. Enjoy!