Strategic planning serves a variety of purposes in organisations, including to: Clearly define the purpose of the organisation and to establish realistic goals and objectives consistent with the mission in a defined time frame within the organisation s capacity for implementation. Communicate the goals and objectives of the organisation. Develop a sense of ownership of the plans. Ensure the most effective use is made of the organisation s resources based upon the key priorities. Provide a base from which progress can be measured and establish a mechanism for informed change when needed. Allow for the opportunity to draw together people s knowledge and skills to build a consensus about the direction of the organisation. Provide a clearer focus for the organisation, producing more efficiency and effectiveness. Create cohesion for the management team/committee. Adapted from Strategic Planning [in nonprofit and for-profit organisations] http://wwww.mapnp.org/library/plan. Visioning When you begin the process of strategic planning, visioning comes first. Benefits of Visioning The process and outcomes of visioning may not seem immediately useful. The long-term benefits are substantial, however. Visioning: Breaks you out of boundary thinking. Provides continuity and avoids the stutter effect of planning fits and starts. Identifies direction and purpose. Alerts stakeholders to needed change. Promotes interest and commitment. Promotes laser-like focus. Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions. Encourages and builds confidence. Builds loyalty through involvement (ownership). Results in efficiency and productivity. Page 1 Strategic Planning
Vision Statement A vision statement is a vivid idealised description of a desired outcome that inspires, energises and helps you create a mental picture of your target. What you are doing when creating a vision statement is articulating your dreams and hopes for your centre. It is a unifying statement which reminds your group of what you are striving to reach. Once you have set your vision, you will need to set some objectives to achieve it. When creating a vision for your organisation, ask yourself, "What is our preferred future?" Capture the best possible scenario for your organisation remembering that this is a chance to state your purpose in the community. Your vision should look at the big picture because you want it to: Capture the imagination and be dynamic. Be perceived as achievable but at the same time challenge and stretch you beyond where you are now. Be practical, concise and credible. Be easy to understand. Have flexibility to be responsive to change. Motivate and inspire. Draw on the beliefs, mission, and environment of the organisation. Be positive and inspiring. Vision Statement Guidelines The best vision statements for result areas describe outcomes that are three to five years away. Here are some guidelines for writing compelling and powerful vision statements. Summarise Your Vision in a Powerful Phrase If possible, try to summarise your vision using a powerful phrase. Capturing the essence of your vision using a simple memorable phrase can greatly enhance the effectiveness of your vision, mission and values statements. This phrase will serve as a trigger to the rest of the vision in the mind of everyone that reads it. Take for instance Microsoft's vision of "A personal computer in every home running Microsoft software." This simple yet very powerful phrase can be used throughout the organisation (hallways, internal web pages, plaques, etc.) to remind everyone of the vision. Page 2 Strategic Planning
Mission Statement Once you have clarified your vision, build on it to define your mission statement which is a statement of purpose and function. The mission statement describes the organisation in clear, simple language that inspires commitment from all those involved in the organisation. It is a statement of what we do to take us closer to our vision. The two must connect. By undertaking our mission, our vision will be achieved. Your mission statement must be future oriented and portray your organisation as it will be, as if it already exists. Your mission statement must focus on one common purpose. Your mission statement must be specific to the organisation, not generic. Your mission statement must be a short statement, not more than one or two sentences. Your mission should include the: Reason for the organisation s existence Purpose of function it wants to fulfill Who the primary user is The primary method through which the organization intends to fulfill its purpose Here is an example mission statement: "By providing quality education, we empower individuals to become caring, competent, responsible citizens who value education as a lifelong process." The following questions may help you to formulate or review your mission: Who are we? In general, what are the basic social or political issues the organisation exists to meet, or what are the basic social or political problems the organisation exists to address? What do we do to recognise, anticipate and respond to those needs or problems? How do we find out about them and decide what to do? Who are the key stakeholders for the organisation and how should we respond to them? How do we find out what they want from the organisation? What is our philosophy, values and culture? What makes us unique or distinctive? Page 3 Strategic Planning
Values Statement Values are the third element in the planning bedrock. They reflect your character and your corporate culture - the how you do what you do. Values are long-lasting. They affect all that you do. Values are your convictions on how business is to be conducted and people are to be treated, inside and outside the company. Organisations are like people. The good ones stand for something positive and know why they stand for it. They live out their values consistently day to day, impacting others by their example. Ideally, values should be: Few in number Shared by all Inspiring Clearly understood Your values may be encapsulated within your Vision and Mission statements, or you may need to develop a separate values statement that guides your processes and decision making. Steps to develop Organisational Values 1. List what you consider to be your organisation s key values at the present time. 2. What additional values would like your organisation to adopt to guide the conduct of its business and its relationship with key stakeholders? 3. Place an asterisk next to 8-10 you consider to be most important. 4. Develop working definitions. 5. Consider how you want to reflect these top values in your strategic plan; e.g. a values list, broad statements, as part of your vision or mission statement. Page 4 Strategic Planning
Strategic Goals and Objectives Strategic goals or priorities identify a limited number of areas where the organisation will focus its energy during the period covered by the strategic plan. When developing statements for this section make sure you describe the desired directions or outcomes of each of the areas. Make sure your strategic goals or priorities are: a) Consistent with the mission statement and vision. b) More specific than the mission statement. c) Focused on what the organisation wants to achieve in the duration of the plan. Examples To provide immigrant women in the community with better access to health services. Ensure the maintenance of effective and transparent internal and external financial accountability processes. Build effective partnerships with key government, corporate and community organisations. Ensure that ABC s organisational structure and culture actively acknowledge and value the contribution of its employees and volunteers. Adapted from Board Basic Kit United Way/Centraide Canada Objectives Objectives refer to specific, measurable steps that help you to accomplish the strategic goals or priority areas. Objectives are statements about what needs to be achieved in order to accomplish the mission. Objectives are the outcomes to be achieved from your plan. A simple rule to follow is that objectives should be SMART. S pecific M easurable A chievable R elevant T imed Page 5 Strategic Planning
ABC s of Strategic Planning A. Who and what are we, what do we do now and why? B. What do we want to be and do in the future, and why? C. How do we get there? Strategic Planning Process 1. Prepare to Plan 2. Vision Statement 9. Monitor and Evaluate 3. Mission Statement 8. Implement Plan 4. Internal and External Scan 7. Operational Action Plan 5. Strategic Priorities and Goals 6. Objectives Bryson, John. M., and Alston, Farnm K (1996) Creating and Implementing Your Strategic Plan. San Francisco: Jossey-Ba Page 6 Strategic Planning