1. C2 Strategic Plans Mindy Maddrey Formerly of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal

2. Initial Analysis Why have a strategic plan?

3. Communication with Management Opportunity to Demonstrate Business Savvy –Utilize standard "MBA" tool –Employ language of business executives, not Library world –"Reference staff" = "human capital” –"Policies and procedures" = "best practices"

4. Communication with Management Opportunity to define current Library status –Print and electronic resources –Human resources –Unique knowledge, skills, and abilities within institution

5. Communication with Management Opportunity to demonstrate future Library potential –Embrace institution's mission and vision –Harmonize with institution's strategic goals –Unique capacity of Library to change over time

6. Communication with Management "Safe harbor" in times of trouble –Specific budget allocations –Staff growth to support strategic initiatives –Ability to push new projects, as delineated in plan –Ability to avoid new projects, as absent in plan

7. Communication with Library Staff Affirm current values –Identify current success stories –Analyze causes of current success

8. Communication with Library Staff Present future potential –Obvious growth from current success –Clear roadmap, rather than wandering path –Acting with intent, rather than by accident

10. Elements of a Classic Plan Executive Summary Mission and Vision Statements Organizational Profile Critical Issues and Strategies Objectives, Goals, and Actions Timeline

11. Executive Summary Clear, concise summary of highlights of plan Snapshot - One page or less Create after other steps are complete

12. Mission Statement Overall purpose of Library Describes current status

13. Mission Statement Methods of creating - vary by nature of Library and staff Brainstorming - recording keywords Sharing stories between staff Analytical study of statistics

14. Mission Statement "Encode" information to emphasize priorities, considering: –Products (e.g., types of reports) –Services –Patrons –Values –Specifics, differentiating Library from other segments of institution

15. Mission Statement Exercise –Draft statement –Remove words one by one –Test change in meaning

16. Vision Statement What is the Library's future? Aspirational Motivational Beware overly idealistic phrasing, which cannot be attained

17. Vision Statement Where will you be, after Strategic Plan is implemented? –Who will you serve? –What will you provide? –How will you deliver your products and/or services?

18. Organizational Profile and History Consider drafting after goals and objectives Generally, short, concise Not the place for long, involved institutional memory

19. Organizational Profile and History Frame issues with narrative Include high points and low points "Puff piece" with a bite

20. Critical Issues and Strategies Embrace "issues" Inoculation by revelation –Protected status of acknowledged problems

21. Critical Issues and Strategies Focus on Library, acknowledge other departments Don't mince words, but remain diplomatic Draft as if document will be read by outsiders

22. Objectives Requirements and expectations –What do you need to do? –What do you want to do?

23. Objectives Frame in terms of: –Shareholders –Time restraints - not too soon, not too far out

24. Objectives General categories to consider –Growth (human, print, and electronic resources) –Profitability (client bill-back, billable hours) –Technology (KM, firmwide access to resources 24/7/365) –Markets (attorneys, paralegals, staff, clients)

25. Objectives Example –Increase interaction with partners of firm

26. Goals Refinement of objectives –Quantifiable –Consistent –Realistic –Achievable

27. Goals Example –Increase partner-visitors to Library by 25% over one year

28. Actions Specific steps to achieve goals –Concrete –Measurable –Consider fallbacks and alternatives

29. Actions Examples –Create one-on-one coaching program to meet with partners up to four times per partner, in their offices, to train them on electronic resources of direct interest to them –Attend partner lunches one time per quarter, presenting "state of the library" summaries

31. Challenges to Structuring a Plan Time Political capital Demonstrating “holes” in organization

32. Investment of Time Staff time to create plan Managerial time to present plan Other-department time to receive plan

33. Time - Solution to Challenge Use plan to expand staff skills Use plan to examine managerial goals and tasks Use presentation time to build bridges to management, other departments Combine plan presentation with other office travel

34. Investment of Political Capital Other issues may take precedence –Budget –Personnel –Other management matters

35. Capital - Solution to Challenge View plan as investment, not a cost Educate management about advantages of plan as management tool

36. Reveal holes/issues/problems Plan describes gaps in current functioning –In Library –Outside of Library

37. “Holes” - Solution to Challenge Plan contains solutions (goals and objectives) Present plan in person, to explain gaps, rather than letting words speak for themselves Acknowledge gaps in Library to cushion discussion of gaps elsewhere