Strategic Planning Consultant Services

I. Background and Experience:

John has assisted over fifteen organizations in developing strategic plans. Some of these have been strategic culture change efforts that have taken up to a year to complete, while others have been completed in a half-day workshop! There is no cookie-cutter approach, but there are some important models and lessons; That there are no cookie cutter approaches is one of those lessons! Typical results of these efforts have included alignment and support to the strategic plan, team building, the development of visions, missions and values, the establishment of strategic goals and prioritized strategies, and development of an implementation plan. This section provides an overview of John’s strategic planning consulting experience. Also included are some important definitions and terminology, and a description of typical outcomes.

II. Strategic Planning - A Few Definitions:

Definition # 1: "Strategic planning is the process of being clear about where you want to go (vision, mission and values) , where you’re at (current state assessment), and how you want to get there (strategic goals and initiatives)." - John Gavares

Definition # 2: "Strategic planning is a comprehensive, systems-approach to lead, manage and change one’s organization in a conscious, well-planned and integrated fashion." - Farnum Alston

III. Desired Outcomes of Strategic Planning:

Typical goals of strategic planning efforts include the following:

1. Vision, mission and values: Develop clarity and consensus about the organization’s vision, mission and values. This helps establish the framework to guide the organization’s priorities and decision-making in the future.
2. Strategic goals: Develop clarity and consensus about the organization’s strategic goals, and key strategies for achieving them. These goals provide direction and focus to the current and future policy-makers and management.
3. SWOT Analysis: Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the organization and threats and opportunities on the organization’s horizon that must be addressed.
4. Catalyst for change: Serve as a catalyst for decision-making on issues the organization is facing.
5. Communications: Serve as a communication and public relations tool to the members and stake-holders.
6. Creating partnerships: Serve as a vehicle for creating alignment and partnerships between policy makers, management, non-management, and workers from various parts of the organization.

IV. Terminology

The following are the terms that I use during my strategic planning consulting. There are no right and wrong terms, and you want to avoid getting hung up on the terms. For that reason, it is important to develop clarity, consensus and consistency with the client as to what those terms are. The following are some key terms:

• Strategic Goals - Strategic Goals describe the specific areas of focus that, if reached, will enable the organization to achieve their vision and mission. Strategic Goals and initiatives address the challenges and opportunities on the organization’s horizon.
• Strategic Initiatives - Strategic initiatives are the core initiatives or projects that if successfully implemented, will enable organization to achieve its strategic goals. Strategic goals and initiatives address the challenges and opportunities on the horizon for the Association.
• Vision Statements: Vision statements articulate an attractive view of the organization or the world that is lofty and inspirational; a condition that is better in some important ways than what now exists.
• Values - Values are an underlying set of principles/core beliefs about what is important to achieve organization success. Values are things, ideas, beliefs, and acts that are regarded as right or wrong, desirable or undesirable, beautiful or ugly, contributing to or detrimental to human welfare, etc. Values tend to exist in a hierarchy in our thought processes, some given higher importance or priority than others. The pattern of values in an organization represents the core of its operating philosophy and its org. culture. Thus they are a major determinant of behavior of management and employees.
• Mission Statements - A mission statement defines an organization’s "reason for being," why you exist and what one wants to be known for. It typically describes what you do (products or services you provide), who benefits from what you do, and how you do it (the technologies you use to deliver the services).

V. Duration of a Strategic Planning Project:

There is no right answer as to the typical duration of a strategic planning process. The length of the effort and the activities will be driven by the needs of the organization. On several occasions I have facilitated half-day or one-day sessions in which the organization has developed a vision-mission statement, core strategic goals and core initiatives, and alignment as to the next implementation steps. On the other hand..., several strategic planning interventions have been strategic culture change efforts that have taken up to a year to complete.

VI. Time Horizon for Strategic Planning

The time horizon for an organization’s strategic plan will vary. Typically, the planning horizon ranges between 3 to five years. In other environments, a 1 to 2 year time frame is appropriate. The organization’s vision, mission and values are timeless. The strategic goals and initiatives used to achieve the organization’s mission will be revisited and updated annually to monitor the progress, and to address new opportunities and challenges that will emerge and that will need to be faced.

VII. Strategic Planning as a Culture Change Effort:

"People support what they help create."

Perhaps there can be no better way to develop alignment at all levels of the organization than to have all members (or representatives of all sections of the organization) assist with "developing clarity as to where the organization can go (vision, mission and values) , where you’re at (current state assessment), and how you want to get there (strategic goals and initiatives)." Management is truly treating employees as valuable partners when all levels of the organization are included in determining the fundamental direction of the organization, the core values, and the strategic goals and initiatives for the next several years.

I have assisted organizations in accomplishing this in one-day and two-day conferences, and in one-year strategic planning interventions. Two powerful approaches that I have used include "whole-system, critical mass conferences" and "Steering Committees" consisting of a diagonal slice of the organization that leads and guides the effort. Both approaches and structures develop common ground and organizational consensus. The conference approach are almost magical in moving organizations in a new direction quickly. (See "Whole System - Critical Mass Conferences")

When using strategic planning as a strategic, culture-change intervention, serendipitous and synergistic results can emerge. The strategic planning change efforts can also have additional desired outcomes, such as the following: restructuring, workflow analysis, skill development, development of mission, vision and values, operational improvements, and improving organization climate by establishing a partnership between management and non-management and between various organization departments and divisions.

When all levels and Departments within the organization participate together in a strategic planning process, it can result in agreement and buy-in on key policy choices and operational improvements, as well as in a sense of being a part of the larger organization. Partnerships and trust can be developed through dialogue and team work. Leaders can learn to move to a post-heroic leadership style, and creativity and self-management can result. Using strategic planning for this purpose can help create common ground, a shared "preferred future," and action plans for achieving them.

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