Three Tips for A Successful Strategic Plan
Strategic plans are where nonprofit leaders carefully and patiently direct all of our hopes, anxieties, and dreams.
We trust that the process will deliver solutions, and yet they are often mediocre, unrealistic, and have gaps. A friend recently asked me for advice before her organization embarked on a strategic plan. I am sharing those tips here in the hope that your plan not only takes shape but also drives impactful outcomes.
1. Add time for implementation
Add a set of meetings after the plan is "done" dedicated to implementing the plan. Getting to the end of a strategic plan often feels like you’ve just run a marathon—so much so that the completion of the plan feels like the win. In reality, what happens after is what matters! Too often, organizations lose momentum, teams feel overwhelmed by the work ahead, and the plan simply becomes an expensive talking point for the board and funders.
This may look like a monthly meeting for the next 3-4 months. Whether your plan’s initial steps call for staffing changes, redesigning programs, or donor pipelines, focus these meetings on the steps you know you’ll have the most friction achieving alone. Some consultants might sell you on a longer timeline for planning, but that’s not what I mean here.
2. Don’t Trust the Process, Trust your Gut
Your instincts are a valuable compass in steering the course. If, midway through, you sense a misalignment between the drafted plan and your organization's mission and capacity, speak up. Trust in your intuition to discern what truly gets you a plan your team can run with. Whether that means minor adjustments or a complete pivot, voicing your concerns makes sure the plan remains aligned with your real-time vision and needs.
3. Make sure you’re designing the right plan
Organizations default to strategic plans. In reality, what they may need first is an operations plan, development plan, or a targeted hiring approach that would better address your needs. Take stock of your organization's foundational requirements and tailor your planning efforts accordingly. Prioritize your obvious needs over the conventional path. Before you spend tens of thousands and, more importantly, months of your organization’s time, make sure your plan is the right one and that you’re prioritizing meeting your most foundational needs.
The measure of success of a plan lies not in the creation of the plan itself but in the ways that the plan catalyzes more impact or a stronger team or more dollars, and simply more real positive change.