Strategic Planning Part 4 of 4– Programs, Planning and Evaluating
Anthony Dickerson
CEO | Fractional COO | Nonprofit Expert | Keynote Speaker | Author of "Unstuck and Unstoppable," "The Nonprofit Board," and more
Plan your work for today and every day, and then work your plan. - Norman Vincent Peale
?Welcome back to part 4 of the 4-part series on Strategic Planning. Three weeks ago, we started with Strategic Planning Part 1 - Discovery
?Following up two weeks ago with Strategic Planning Part 2 - Mission, Vision, and Values
And then last week with Strategic Planning Part 3 – Objectives, Goals, and Tasks
https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/strategic-planning-part-3-objectives-goals-tasks-anthony-dickerson
Program Phase
?Wow, you did it! You should be proud of yourself for completing all of the hard work so far. You've taken the time to understand your mission and the needs of those your organization serves, and have set clear objectives and goals. You've even evaluated the tasks needed to achieve those goals. Now it's time to take the next step and move on to the Program phase of Strategic Planning. This is where the fun begins as you'll be determining how to:
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■ Turn Goals and Tasks into Departments/Programs
?Now it is time to decide:
?1. Based on the Goals and Tasks we now have, which departments/programs are the best ones to focus on or developed?
?2. Are they our current departments/programs?
?3. Do some of the current departments/programs need to close and new ones begin?
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We determine the best course of action by examining the resources, timelines, budget, and information gathered so far.
?I understand that these decisions can be difficult, but they will have a direct impact on important issues such as determining which team members are necessary for the role and which are not.
?Depending on which Tasks are needed to fulfill the Goals, it may become clear that some team members do not have the skill set, or even the interest that matches the current direction of the organization.?
?Although the Strategic Planning process began with the hope of utilizing every team member, it often ends with the clear reality that it is not possible.
?When this process is done well, it sometimes becomes apparent that some departments or programs are not needed.
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Frequently Asked Questions:?
?For those programs that are no longer needed, what happens to the staff who worked in those departments?
?What if they are not a good fit for the new programs?
?What would be the best way to develop and utilize the resources in your care?
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Experience tells me that answer has to come from you. I can offer these self-analyses questions in response:?
?How can we best utilize a team member who may no longer be a good fit for the organization?
?What best serves the organization and ultimately best serves the team member?
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NOTE:?This is not an argument to throw a good employee out on the street. No! Before any person is let go, there is a whole section we cover at Foundations where we review how to dismiss a team member with tact and maturity. We can even let team members go in such a way that they benefit from the separation. The point here is that difficult and unpopular decisions sometimes have to be made. One of the biggest handicaps holding organizations back from growth is the C-suite leader who keeps a grossly incompetent team member because the leader values past performance above competency in their present role. Leaders must strategically manage the resources in their care, and if a team member is no longer a good fit for the direction of the organization; we make every effort to give them the time and the help necessary to find other work.
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■ Department/Program Mission Statements
?As each department or program is developed, create department/program mission statements that expand on the Mission Statement as to the purpose of that department/program and how it helps the organization move forward.
?A mission statement for each department or program will guide and focus each department/program on the mission of the organization. department/program mission statements answer the question:
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1. What can this department/program best do to help the organization fulfill its mission?
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?Organizational Chart
?We end the Program Phase with the organizational chart. Departments/Programs will not get underway well if not assigned to someone. Titles are sometimes unclear. To determine which programs are under whose leadership, answer the questions…
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Who is responsible?
?Whose job is it?
?Who do we go to when things are not working as they should?
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Every department/program needs a responsible leader or the Tasks will not get done. One CEO I worked with came up with the phrase, “One throat to choke”. And like a Senior Pastor whose church was going through transition told his team when he was blamed for some of the mishaps, that, “If you are going to blame me for the mishaps, you must also blame me for the successes.” Fair statement, the blame, and the credit goes both ways.?
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Good plans shape good decisions. That's why good planning helps to make elusive dreams come true.?-?Lester Robert Bittel
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Planning and Evaluating
?■ Quarterly Planning
?It is time for our last area of the Strategic Plan. As a leader, set aside time weekly, monthly, quarterly, and yearly to plan. Each progressive planning time should be more intense. Meet quarterly and yearly with the staff to remind them of your mission and review the vision and goals of the organization.
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1. Invest ten percent of your time planning the best use of the remaining ninety percent.
?The 10% rule works very effectively. This planning time will greatly expand the organization’s level of efficiency. More will be done in the remaining 90% of the time than in the previous 100%.
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2. Each quarter, senior staff examines the organization’s priorities.
?A) Review the Vision, Objectives, and Goals.
?B) Are you on target, accomplishing what you set out to do? What has changed?
?C) Are the right people on board to do the work that needs to be done?
?D) Review the budget reports.
Are there changes that need to be implemented to the budget? Is the cash flow sufficient?
?E) Review the Quarterly Planning documents that determine the level of implementation the organization has in its Goals.
?F) Review departmental and other relevant reports.
?G) Are we sticking with the plan?
Does the plan need to change?
?H) Update the team on any pertinent information
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If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do, and how to do it.?-?Abraham Lincoln
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■ Annual Planning
?The Annual Planning Review is more detailed and takes more time than the Quarterly Review, which is more detailed and takes more time than the Monthly Review, which in turn is more detailed than the Weekly Review. You get the point.
?Most organizations would benefit from their Annual Planning review meeting being a full-day retreat.
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Ten items to review at that meeting include:
?1. A review and update of the organization's top three to five Goals toward fulfilling the vision for the current year.
?Remember, no organization can concentrate on dozens of goals each year. I remember soon after I began working with one non-profit, I was given a list of 75 goals that the board wanted the staff to accomplish over the next year. That's too many! Three to five goals are about all that any team can handle.
?Combined there might be dozens of tasks to complete all of the goals, but not dozens of Goals.
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2. Review the annual report.
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3. Department Goals for the coming year.
How will each department help implement the vision?
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4. Budget reports and projections for the coming year.
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5. Organizational charts
What changes are anticipated for the upcoming year?
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6. What major milestones will the organization meet this year?
Do we anticipate times of celebration, sorrow, birthdays, and parties?
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7. Review the Program Evaluation Reports from each department.
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8. Are we sticking with the plan?
Does it need to change? Is it going well?
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9. Take time to schedule next year's staff meeting schedule,?reporting cycle, one-on-one time, and quarterly and annual planning dates.
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10. What other dates are important for the year? Calendars, vacation schedules.
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For some of you, this sort of planning is new. The key is not perfection. The key is to start. Start implementing weekly and monthly personal planning times, as well as quarterly staff and annual planning retreat times for the next twelve months.
?I know that unexpected situations will arise, and when they do, plans may need to be adjusted. The earlier we schedule planning times, the more prepared our team will be. This way, we can anticipate and avoid any potential conflicts and have ample time to prepare any necessary reports or documents.
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■ Quarterly Evaluation
?Evaluation guides the process to keep us both on track and moving from one part of the process to another.
?It's important to remember that the Evaluation Phase is an ongoing process, and it's essential to establish regular times and procedures for evaluating the progress of our goals. As we will discuss in more detail later, when it comes to the role of the Board Members, this is a crucial opportunity for the Board to stay informed about the staff's progress. It's always beneficial for the organization to have multiple perspectives monitoring the results. By involving the Board in the evaluation process, we can ensure that the progress is tracked effectively and that the goals are met in the best way possible.
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Evaluating the Goals each quarter has proven to be a good tool in helping organizations stay focused and productive.
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Set up regular quarterly planning meetings. This is an excellent opportunity to evaluate the progress of your goals through a quarterly evaluation form and to plan for what's coming up next. This form should include a list of your goals, as well as the anticipated and actual results. It doesn't have to be overly complex, but it can serve as a valuable tool for discussion and accountability among the Board. By having regular meetings and evaluations, you'll be able to stay on track, make necessary adjustments and ensure that your organization is meeting its goals effectively.
?Your Quarterly Evaluation Form provides a visual aid that can quickly scan areas of interest or concern.
??I’m happy to start you off with a quarterly evaluation form that I have been using for years. It's basic but effective. It will certainly get you started. Just reach out and let me know.?
?I am thrilled that you have made it through these strategic planning articles and that you have a deep desire to see your business grow. As a business consultant, I am both passionate and dedicated to helping businesses and their teams thrive. While Foundations is a boutique consulting firm and we can only work with a limited number of clients, it is my goal to make this information as widely available as possible. If you have found this series of articles to be helpful in any way, I would love to hear about your success story. By sharing your story, you will not only be helping your own business but also inspire others to take the necessary steps to make their businesses thrive.
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All the best,
?Anthony Dickerson