Strategic Planning ... Is It For You?

In This Section

Topics

Strategic Planning ... Is It For You?


Agdex#:	057
Publication Date:	07/94
Order#:	93-041
Last Reviewed:	11/97
History:	Reprinted July 1994
Written by:	Valerie Clark - Rural Organization Specialist/OMAF; Kathy Simpson - Rural Organization Specialist/OMAF

Introduction
What Is Strategic Planning
What Are The Benefits Of Strategic Planning
Who's Using Strategic Planning To Plan For Their Futures?
Step 1 - Planning The Strategic Process
Step 2- Creating Your Future
Step 3- Assessing Current Situation
Step 4 - Developing Your Strategy
Step 5 - Planning For Action
Step 6 - Implementing And Evaluating The Plan
Hints For Sucess...
References
Related Links

Introduction

Do you wonder where your group or community will be in five years?

Is your association or council equipped to operated successfully in the future?

How will you be affected by:

environmental trends?
reduced resources?
new demands of members, clients or residents?

If you can identify with these situations, strategic planning my be just what you are looking for. The strategic planning process can guide you towards where you would like to be in the future versus having to deal with situations as they happen.

What Is Strategic Planning?

Strategic planning is a tool that any group of people such as a municipality, association, government body, business, agency, council or special interest group can use to proactively plan their future.

Strategic Panning Is a Process That:

examines where your organization or business is now, where you want it to be, and how you are going to get there
involves your community or group in visioning your preferred future
produces a flexible plan or road map of strategies derived from internal discussions and external sources of input
steers your county/region in a focused direction for future success
allows proactive thinking beyond your current activities and traditions
deals with change positively by responding to it effectively
involves making decisions that consider changes or anticipated changes in the environment
sets priorities for action that are reflective of all aspects of your association or municipality

Strategic planning is not:

a one shot deal
a box of tricks or a bundle of techniques
a quick fix to solve immediate problems
a report left to sit on a shelf

Strategic planning is more than long-term planning. Compared to long-term planning, where goals are made for a specific period of time, strategic planning:

is based on anticipated changes in the environment
involves getting input from many individuals and many levels of the organization or community
provides the opportunity to incorporate new ideas and approaches

| Top of Page |

What Are The Benefits Of Strategic Planning?

By carrying out strategic planning your agency or council will be able to:

influence rather than be influenced
clarify or redefine your role and your target group
deal positively with the inevitable ...change
address critical issues you are facing
find innovative ways to achieve goals
decrease crisis management
give continuity during changing times or when there is new leadership
use resources efficiently and effectively
anticipate issues and develop policies to meet future needs
gain commitment and bring your group together to work on common goals

| Top of Page |

Who's Using Strategic Planning To Plan For Their Futures?

The following list shows who has developed a strategic plan to guide their future activities:

municipalities
businesses
hospitals
communities
industries
corporations
government
school boards
colleges
town councils
private sector societies
agencies
institutions
boards
counties/regions
chambers of commerce
professional associations
local & provincial organizations
non-profit interest groups

| Top of Page |

Step 1 - Planning The Strategic Process

Assessing the Need For Strategic Planning

Strategic planning may be for you if:

your municipality is operating very smoothly but wonders if it will continue to do so in five years
your association is losing money and community appeal and struggles to maintain viability
your members are leaving to join other groups with similar mandates
your community is facing unemployment, restructuring or a changing economic base
your society was originally formed to respond to major issue which now has been addressed
your interest group lacks a clear purpose
your newly elected council wants direction from the community to develop policies.

Strategic planning may not be appropriate for you if there is:

lack of leadership, training or skills
lack of commitment to the process
the "old guard belief " that nothing can help and nothing ever changes
lack of time, money or other resources to carry out the process
problems with key individuals
difficulty with program or policy implementation
little likelihood of the strategic plan being used
a poor relationship among the players
an upcoming municipal election

Some of these challenges may hinder your group's ability to complete the strategic planning process and implement the plan. Such situations can be handled better using other processes. Once these have been overcome, you then can reassess the need for strategic planning.

Understanding and Gaining Commitment to Proceed with Strategic Planning

To gain commitment to proceed:

involve all those affected by the plan to build understanding and ultimately ownership of the plan
outline the strategic planning process, role of participants, time commitment, costs and benefits
spend time with all levels within your group to get the commitment to go ahead

Contracting with a Facilitator

The Facilitator:

guides your strategic planning team through the process, keeps the discussion on track, and enables everyone to participate
should be from outside the community or group and have no vested interest in the outcome

The contract:

is an agreement between the facilitator and the organization outlining roles and responsibilities, time commitment and fee
outlines who will complete tasks such as selecting the strategic planning team, scheduling meeting dates, arranging meeting facilities and equipment, chairing meetings, recording and circulating proceedings, corresponding with team members

Setting up a Strategic Planning Team

Take the following into account when setting up your team:

Selection

optimal working group size is nine to 12 people
ensure a balanced representation of individuals who can provide input from different perspectives
identify all the potential players who represent a cross section of interests and levels from both within and outside your group
consider those outside your council or executive - for example volunteers, staff, clients, management, sponsors, partners, members, residents of the community, other interested parties

Time Schedule

develop, with your planning team, a time schedule. Alternatives include:
a series of three hour sessions held five to seven times over several months
a combination of half-day and full-day sessions over a shorter period of time
a series of two or three two-day sessions
allow time between meetings to give your strategic planning team a chance to reflect on the content, check the facts and get input from others

Communications

throughout the process your team should periodically report and verify your work with others involved
your strategic planning team needs to know or identify how the completed plan will be shared with others involved (e.g., voting on its acceptance at a general or management board meeting, making a public presentation or distributing published highlights)

| Top of Page |

Step 2- Creating Your Future

Developing a Vision for Your Future

Visioning allows your planning team to decide how you want your organization to be perceived in the future. Your team will explore what you want to look like in five years, your preferred future and your values. You will need to gather this information from those you represent or serve.

Developing a Mission Statement

By seeking input from a variety of individuals about your agency's future, you can develop your mission statement. The mission statement:

is an action statement that outlines the preferred future of your organization
establishes what you plan to do, for whom, and why you are uniquely valued
provides a focus for future planning
reflects your group's values, culture and philosophy
acts as a focal point against which all plans or directions are checked
may have several drafts as the strategic plan evolves

Examples:

Happytown strives to develop, maintain and enhance the economic, social, cultural and physical well-being of its residents so they may enjoy a high-quality life, and so corporations and industry may have a solid business base.
The Everfit Fitness and Health Council promotes reliable and safe fitness and health programs and services in Goldentown so that consumers can make healthy fitness choices.

| Top of Page |

Step 3- Assessing Current Situation

Strategic Analysis

Strategic analysis is an in-depth look at all the factors likely to have the greatest impact on the future of your municipality or society. It involves gathering data and facts from a variety of sources and confirming that this information is accurate. Other components include:

Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses

identify the strengths and weaknesses that are within the control of your organization (e.g., reduced operating capital, low membership or staff numbers, skilled executive, open communication networks)
discuss their effect on the ability of your group to accomplish its mission

Identifying Opportunities and Threats

identify the outside influences over which you have little control; political/legal, economic, social/cultural and technological factors
may include new government policies, fragmented markets, changing lifestyles, activities of competitors
explore how these will relate to your mission

Identifying Critical Issues

Critical issues:

arise from the identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
are positive or negative issues that will impact on your future
must be addressed by your planning team - if not, they will become barriers to achieving your mission

| Top of Page |

Step 4 - Developing Your Strategy

Your team will design strategy or action statements of what you are going to do to overcome the identified critical issues facing your organization or community.

Examples of strategies that your municipality or board may develop include:

improve visibility within the community
ensure effective communication
maintain financial viability

| Top of Page |

Step 5 - Planning For Action

To put your strategic plan into action it is necessary to:

develop innovative approaches to accomplish your strategies
check that your planned activities are consistent with your mission
divide your proposed activities into manageable tasks
include what you will do, who's responsible, what resources are needed (time, money, expertise), when they will be done, how you will monitor their progress and measure their success

| Top of Page |

Step 6 - Implementing And Evaluating The Plan

Once the plan is developed it is now up to you and your membership to follow through with your plans. Here is a TO DO LIST to ensure your plan gets implemented:

set your activities in order of priority and establish time frames over the short- and long- term
establish an implementation committee. Delegate tasks to current or new committees
share the highlights of your plan with those involved to gain their support and help with implementation
use your mission statement as a marketing tool to promote your cause or group
determine who will monitor your progress in accomplishing your strategic plan
review the progress of your plan at each board or council meeting
hold a six-month review with your strategic planning team and facilitator to evaluate your progress and make adjustments where necessary
continue to implement, review and evaluate the plan on an ongoing basis

| Top of Page |

Hints For Sucess...

Check with similar groups who have completed a strategic plan. You may be able to gather ideas to help you through the process.
It is important that your strategic planning team has full participation by all members to ensure continuity and consistency.
Step back from your group or community and look at it from a different perspective.
The strategic planning process takes time and demands a lot of energy - you may have to get over some hurdles along the way.
As you periodically check back with your mission statement to ensure it reflects your plan to date, you may make several revisions.
Check that your current official plan, constitution or bylaws, proposed activities and budget are consistent with your mission statement. You may need to update these.
Be positive and forward thinking throughout the process. The results are worth it.
Realize that your plan is written on paper and is meant to be revised as you, your organization and society change.

| Top of Page |

References

Designing Strategic Management Planning in Municipalities. Dushane, Steve M., 1985.

Local Strategic Planning Workshop Resource Binder. Ministry of Municipal Affairs, 1992.

Nine Steps to Strategic Planning for Non-Profit Organizations, A Workbook. Ginsler, Ernie. Lamp Consultants to Non-Profits, 1990.

Planning with a Star, Facilitator's Handbook. Alberta Agriculture, 1992.

Port Colborne Community Strategic Plan. Port Colborne Wainfleet Community Futures, 1992.

Strategic Planning Consultant's Handbook. Schmidt, Katharine, July 1992.

Understanding Applied Strategic Planning. Pfeiffer, W.,Goodstein, L; Nolan, T, 1985.

In This Section

Topics