The strategic planning process is visionary, simple, and galvanizing for your team.
Here’s one way* to proceed:
- Decide who should attend & set the date. Include people who can help move your organization forward. To capture the best ideas and visions, plan for full participation
- Enlist a volunteer from outside your organization to facilitate so your group can focus on the discussion. The facilitator documents ideas and keeps the schedule.
- Ask participants to fill out a questionnaire before the meeting request their input on topics to include.
- The facilitator and board president review responses and define agenda and schedule.
- At the meeting, invite participants to share their best ideas under each agenda topic.
- When each topic has been explored, participants cast three votes per topic for the ideas they like best.
- Take a break while the facilitator and board president identify the most popular ideas narrowing the choices for a second vote.
- Participants vote a second time casting three votes per category. (Use a different kind of mark for the second vote so the results aren’t confused with the first.)
- The top idea(s) under each heading become your organization’s goals.
- The work of turning these goals into action steps will be organized at board and staff meetings over time. Schedule progress reviews.
Strategic planning sessions can be held annually, every three to five years, or as needed.
*This example is based on a Rotary International model.
As always, I am hoping for your every success!