Caroline Bennett
Caroline says...
I work on the Third Sector Foresight Team and am always happy for comments, suggestions and debates on my work.
Since Megan wrote this there has been some media coverage of just the issues described above. New methods of publishing are disrupting services and people are increasingly finding new methods for getting their message out. The following two articles examine these movements further: Book publishing in America unbound and Millions of books to choose from – yours will only take minutes to print
Part of the NPP training on Strategic Planning, (run by CES) that I recently attended involved coming up with and answering ‘difficult’ questions or issues related to strategic planning. The questions and answers that the group developed were thought provoking and could provide some useful answers / arguments / lead-ins for those supporting organisations to develop their own strategic plans, so the group have agreed to let me post them on our website for you all to use. I have edited them slightly only to make a couple of them more comprehensive. Hope you find them useful:
Delivering Strategic Planning: the Difficult Questions and Some Useful Answers
Purpose
Q: What is strategy?
A: Strategy is looking at the larger picture; who you are, where you’ve come from, where you’re going.
Q: We’ve already got a strategic plan… I think
A: Great, but can we use your expertise to review it?
Q: We are a national organisation with a 3,000 membership: how can we involve everyone?
A: Try to get a representative sample using a combination of different methods, for example by using an online questionnaire.
Q: I don’t plan to stay in this job / organisation that long
A: But having input into a strategic plan will recognise your work so far and influence the future service (even if you’re not there).
Q: How do I make this happen?
A: Start simple. Allow time for the process. Start by thinking about who you are, where you’re come from and where you’re going.
Q: None of the tools are relevant
A: There’s a huge variety of tools. I will show you examples of the different types so you can find the most appropriate ones (you will obviously need to have some different examples for this).
Q: There’s a pot of money, so let’s write a plan to get it, regardless of what it is
A: Remember to focus on your mission and aims. Check your Memorandum and articles (registered with the Charity Commission). Not all funding streams are suitable.
Q: We are a time-limited project & don’t need a strategic plan
A: You need one even more if you want to get everything done in time. A strategic plan allows accurate project planning & resource management. (You’ll need to demonstrate this to funders for future applications).
Q: Fear of losing control/change
A: State clear ownership in the plan. Involvement of all in the plan. Explain that this is just a set of tools, nothing more.
Q: Our trustees and senior management have all had to leave due to fraudulent behaviour. What now? (We’ve got to start from scratch)
A: Start at the beginning. Take stock; here’s an easy step process.
Q: We’re passed the point of no return already
A: Then a strategic plan will help you exit gracefully.
Buy-In
Q: We’ve always done it like this and it is fine
A: If you want to stay on top you need to look at what’s changing and how you can respond.
Q: Organisations don’t/won’t see the purpose of strategic planning
A: Play up the positives. Emphasise the personal benefit for them as individuals and other organisations. Use case studies showing the successful use of strategic planning. Also remind people that this is externally required by many stakeholders.
Q: What’s the point?
A: Long term survival. Funding. Better, more relevant services.
Q: There’s no-one to lead the process
A: You need to do this as a team, but perhaps use an external facilitator to lead the process.
Q: This will mean more painful reading!
A: There’s no reading, just using your existing knowledge and expertise to develop it.
Q: This is something that comes down from the CEO. It doesn’t involve me
A: The CEO may be the facilitator of the process, but the best plans involve all members of staff at all levels to be the most useful.
Q: Service users won’t understand it, so there is no point involving them
A: Communicate appropriately, their input is necessary. Highlight why it’s important for them (for example it allows them to shape their service).
Q: Organisations who want you to write their plan for them
A: Sell the ownership. Their input is critical. It’s their plan and they need to be the main driver or it is unlikely to be successful (no-one will have ownership or commitment)
Q: The organisation doesn’t want to change
A: Use a gradual and complimentary way of bringing a Strategic Plan in. It adds to the organisation, does not detract from it.
Q: A dominating personality prevents others from giving input
A: Harness their strengths (they might like to lead the process), use tools such as SWOT, six hats.
Q: I won’t be listened to in this process
A: This is a two way process that needs to be fully inclusive.
Q: Organisations want you to solve all their problems immediately
A: Find a couple of quick fixes. Then flag that there will be more of these fixes further down the line if they stick with a solid strategic plan.
Time
Q: Where will I find the time?
A: The benefit of having a good plan will mean your resources are better allocated and you will have more time. Embed strategic planning into your every day work. Embed it in the yearly work plan.
Q: We need it by the end of the week so it’s quicker if I do it alone
A: This risks producing a biased plan, which is likely to miss important / useful input. Come together then divide into sections. Plan for this to be part of your yearly work, and allow more time.
Q: We’re too busy to do a strategic plan
A: Emphasise the long term potential. Add it into existing processes. Why are you too busy (could a Strategic Plan alleviate that in the long-term)? Plan an away-day to focus solely on Strategic Planning.
Q: Can’t prioritise/focus
A: Use toolkit examples to emphasise how Stratgic Planning can rectify this.
Q: Strategic Planning is additional work
A: Emphasise that people are already doing these things, just in a less effective way. Sell the vision of what strategic planning will create throughout the whole organisation (better focus, more relevant work, better funding).
If you can think of any other useful questions and answers, please feel free to add them, or add additional answers to any of the above.
‘What’s the use of running if you are not on the right road?’ (German proverb)
Earlier this week I took part in an excellent course on Strategic Planning, run by CES as part of the National Performance Programme providing support and training to people who work supporting frontline organisations. Beautifully clear, the course clarified issues surrounding strategic planning, and guided us in how to lead others through the process.
Before you groan and switch off at the thought of strategic planning, just give a thought to what it actually is; a way to look at your work and focus it to give the best results for your organisation and your beneficiaries.
The problem, I think, is that traditional ways of explaining strategic planning are awash with jargon and consequently off putting. For many it is seen as a management tool that can only be understood by ‘strategists’. Of course this is not the case, and anyone can and should develop strategy. Indeed, most people do on a daily basis as part of their everyday lives.
So how do you make the world of strategic planning more accessible and understandable? You can use online guidance, or one of the excellent tools that exist to guide you through. Or you can go on the training which is developed exactly for people like us – those supporting other groups to improve their work and make themselves more efficient, effective and sustainable.
Does anyone else have any ideas or successful stories about this? We would welcome your ideas and input…
