Planning Today for a Successful Tomorrow: A Strategic Planning Process

Judy Villard

Extension Agent, 4-H Youth Development and Chair

Ohio State University Extension, Richland County

Why do organizations need to plan?

Without a plan, the only way you get where you are going is by accident.

Strategic planning allows for all other planning (i.e., budgets, staffing, fundraising) to be coordinated

Brinckerhoff, 1994

Current need

“Define where the organization is going or where it is supposed to go”.

– Luther, 1995

Tool for gathering information

Process using organized, systematic feedback

Strategic Planning

Disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what is does and why it does it.

Bryson, 1995, p. 4-5

Strategic Planning:

“An ongoing, future-oriented, values-based process that empowers an organization and its members to identify action strategically necessary to accomplish its mission in an ever-changing and diverse environment

Safrit, 1998

Barriers to Planning

No TimeStaff resistanceBoard members or stakeholdersPlanning is non-productive use of timePrevious bad planning experiencePoor management

Values:

What organization stands for

What is important to an organization

Takes into account the current situation noting strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

Mission:

Why organization exists

Vision:

What organization will look like in the future

Action Strategies:

Specific work plans leading the organization toward positive and desired future

Stakeholders:

Current users of the organization

Potential users of the organization

People affected by the work of the organization

Strategic Planning Process

Learn about the background of the organization: History Status of the organization Staffing Budget

Strategic Planning Process:

Identify stakeholders to participate in the pre-planning process

Send S.W.O.T. Profile (use color codes for different groups of stakeholders; compile all responses with the most frequent response first; divide into themes)

S.W.O.T. Profile of the XYG Organization

Take a few minutes to think about the XYZ Organization as it exists today. What are: 1) the things the organization does best (i.e.,strengths), 2) the things the organization is currently doing that it could be doing better (i.e., weaknesses), 3) the things theorganization should be doing that it is currently not (i.e., opportunities) and 4) the things that could threaten the organization’scontinued existence (i.e., threats). Please list below those things you believe to be the organization’s most important………………

(1) Strengths (3) Opportunities

(2) Weaknesses (4) Threats

Strategic Planning Process:

Identify key stakeholders

Take care to select individuals who will not monopolize conversation

Invite key stakeholders to a strategic planning process meeting

Strategic Planning Process:

Ground rules for the group meeting: All participants have the opportunity to

speak Challenge ideas, not people Input adds to others’ ideas and responses Respect the strategic planning process

schedule

Strategic Planning Process

Share the S.W.O.T. results at group meeting Responses are not to be taken

personally Responses are not out for debate Responses are the “view” of what

people see at this point in time

Strategic Planning Process

Separate large group into smaller work groups (4-6 people) Facilitator to divide prior to group

meeting

Separation should evenly divide knowledge, talent and experience

Strategic Planning Process

Distribute “Values” worksheets Look for congruence between values and

daily action/behavior of members and leaders

Suggest 4 – 7 values for consideration KISS method for wording Values used as a “yardstick” to see if

organization measures up to what it believes is important

Strategic Planning Process

Distribute “Mission” worksheets Look for basic, most critical goal/purpose Based on WHAT is the organization’s

reason for existence, WHOM served (audience), HOW audience is served and WHY organization is unique/benefits to society

Today’s vision statement might be someone’s mission 20 years from now

Strategic Planning Process

Distribute “Vision” worksheets What would organization be like with

unlimited time, energies and resources? Look at organization as being perfect Should be easy to understand and

emotionally inspiring “Stretch” the organization from today to

aim for the future

Strategic Planning Process

Consolidate values, mission and vision 1 member from group to collaborate ideas

Develop Action Strategies by identifying factors critical to success of organization Action statements to accomplish critical

success factors

Strategic Planning Process

Action Strategies “What” needs to be done “Who” is going to do it “When” is it going to get done “How” is it going to get done

Safrit, 1998

Resources

Brinckerhoff, P.C. (1994). Mission-based management: Leading your not-for-profit into the 21st century. Oak Park, IL: Alpine Guild, Inc.

Bryson, J.M. (1989). Strategic planning for public and non-profit organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Caffarella, R. (1994). Planning programs for adult leaders: A practical guide for educators, trainers and staff developers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

Additional Resources

Conklin, N.L., Jones, J. and Safrit, R.D. (Winter, 1992). Values: Acting on our shared beliefs. Journal of Home Economics, p. 127-131.

Luther, D.B. (1995). Putting strategic planning to work, Leadership.

Additional Resources

Safrit, R.D. (Autumn, 1998). Program planning, Unpublished course notes, Agriculture Education 823, The Ohio State University, p. 14-25.

Safrit, R.D. (1990). Values stratification in the strategic planning process for adult education organizations, Unpublished doctoral dissertation, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.