Presenting: Strategic Planning Choosing the Right Method for Your Nonprofit Organization Section 4 Insightful Approach to Strategy Development

Insightful Approach What Is the Insightful Approach? Not a process Management and leadership philosophy Forms creative thoughts, not a written plan New strategies revealed through insights of leaders, board, and staff

Insightful Approach Making It Work Open-door policy Willingness of board to openly discuss issues Risk taking Permission to challenge status quo

Insightful Approach Sharing Ideas Board Open discussion during board meetings Structured time with organization’s programs and staff Informal interaction

Insightful Approach Sharing Ideas Staff Suggestion boxes , chat rooms Open agendas at staff meetings Informal conversations outside of work

Insightful Approach Eliciting Creativity Have a competition Ask for new ideas from each staff member Encourage staff to “play” Assign staff to create agenda for staff meetings Take time for fresh perspectives

Insightful Approach Understanding New Insights Creativity is messy Creativity can’t be demanded; only encouraged Risks can and should be taken Mistakes made, lessons learned Rules may need changing, assumptions questioned Grant permission for independent thinking

Insightful Approach Six Steps to Generate and Apply New Insights 1.Interest 2.Preparation 3.Incubation 4.Illumination 5.Verification 6.Application

Insightful Approach Step 1: Interest Individuals express interest Motivation to address issue Further engage staff and/or board members involved

Insightful Approach Step 2: Preparation Information gathering Data analysis

Insightful Approach Step 3: Incubation Requires intuitive thinking Brings solutions to surface through unconscious process Best when individuals disengaged from task Not chronological Requires time and space

Insightful Approach Step 4: Illumination “Aha moment in creative process Insight reveals itself Organization now reflects and studies its implications

Insightful Approach Step 5: Verification Requires objective view of new insight Market study Reality check Insight may not be adopted

Insightful Approach Step 6: Application Analyze implications Evaluate potential effect Ground insight in reality

Insightful Approach Following Through Approach should not stand alone Can be incorporated with strategic or other planning approaches Allows freedom for creativity throughout the year, whether in the middle of a strategic planning process or not

Insightful Approach Next Steps Decide which methods work best to share ideas and elicit creativity — or come up with some that fit the organization. Be sure that the entire organization understands new insights and the methods for generating interests. If the organization could benefit from a structured strategic planning process in addition to or instead of this mindset, study Section 3 for further guidance.