Planning in Turbulent Times Nancy Hall nancy@amazingnonprofits.com www.amazingnonprofits.com

Why Strategic Plans fail – Document more important than plan itself Lack of resources to implement plan – people, money Change outpaces the plan Plan outpaces the planners and those tasked to implement Doesn’t account for disruptive events

FORMS OF DISRUPTIVE EVENTS NATURAL DISRUPTIONS POLITICAL DISRUPTIONS BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL DISRUPTIONS SOCIETAL DISRUPTIONS

NATURAL DISRUPTIONS Hurricanes, earthquakes, floods. If in your service area, can put a strain on resources. Can redirect financial resources to relief organizations in the area affected.

POLITICAL DISRUPTIONS Unanticipated election results. Government shut- downs. Legislative and regulatory actions.

BUSINESS AND FINANCIAL DISRUPTIONS WIDE SWINGS IN THE STOCK MARKET SCANDALS LIKE BERNIE MADOFF, NEW ERA RAPID PACE OF TECHNOLOGY

SOCIETAL DISRUPTIONS

TODAY’S NEWS

MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PLANS ARE BECOMING DINOSAURS UNABLE TO EXIST IN THE CURRENT WORLD.

Planning needs to be continuous not something that happens once a year at budget time or once every three years for the big strategic plan document. The fluid world we live in does not align with the fixed nature of an annual budget cycle.

Boards and staff need to be agile – Agility has a hard time co-existing with a rigid 3 to 5 year strategic plan

AGILE THINKING A NEW WAY OF THINKING Strategic thinking is what the organization should look like in the future…..

Strategic planning is how we choose how to get there….

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent Focused

As the Cheshire Cat said… If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there.

By the end of the decade, we will put a man on the moon. As John Kennedy said… By the end of the decade, we will put a man on the moon.

As Martin Luther King said… I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed; we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.

TIGHT ENDS LOOSE MEANS Tom peters

TIGHT ENDS Mission, goals Set by Board LOOSE MEANS Activities Implemented by staff Tom peters

What does success look like? For your organization For your cause

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent focused Systems perspective

Supply chains…….

See the whole floor

STRATEGIC PEOPLE CREATE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN IDEAS, PLANS, AND PEOPLE THAT OTHERS FAIL TO SEE

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent Focused Systems Perspective Thinking in Time

Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it is. WAYNE GRETZKY Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it is.

Marriott

China

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent Focused Systems Perspective Thinking in Time Intelligent Opportunism

SLACK PROVIDES A BUFFER PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR INNOVATION

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS… and you better have money and people available to take advantage…

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent Focused Systems Perspective Thinking in Time Intelligent Opportunism Hypothesis-driven

THINK LIKE A SCIENTIST You are never right or wrong, you are always simply proving or disproving your hypothesis.

CHARACTERISTICS OF STRATEGIC THINKING Intent Focused Systems Perspective Thinking in Time Intelligent Opportunism Hypothesis-driven

WHY DO (STRATEGIC) PLANNING/THINKING? Organization is experiencing problems - loss of funding, uncontrolled expenses, under-utilized program services. Organization is growing in uncontrolled way Change in leadership Periodically the story needs to be told

WHY DO (STRATEGIC) PLANNING/THINKING? Staff wants to get board involved Funders are requesting a copy of the organization’s strategic plan It’s been X years since the last one was done

KEY ELEMENTS OF PLANNING PROCESS There needs to be a compelling reason to plan. Start where you and others involved currently are. Tailor the process to the organization and its unique situation. One size does not fit all. The resource most needed is commitment and leadership, not dollars.

KEY ELEMENTS OF PLANNING PROCESS Decision makers have an opportunity to talk with one another about what is truly important. Big payoffs can come in surprising ways and from surprising sources. If the going gets tough, keep going. Sometimes you need someone from the outside to keep everyone on track.

WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE ? TIGHT ENDS REVISITED WHAT DOES SUCCESS LOOK LIKE ?

BOARD COMPOSITION What does the board look like now? What will it look like in 1 year, 3 years if you keep doing things the same way? What do you want the board to look like? What do you have to differently to get from where you are to where you want to be?

YOUR PROGRAM What is your program now? What will it look like in 1 year, 3 years if you keep doing things the same way? Are there external factors that will impact the program? What do you want the program to look like? What do you have to differently to get from where you are to where you want to be?

FINANCIAL What is the financial situation now? What will it look like in 1 year, 3 years if you keep doing things the same way? Are there external factors that will impact the financial situation? What do you want the financial picture to look like? What do you have to differently to get from where you are to where you want to be?

The End QUESTIONS?