Strategic Planning: Concepts and Process

Strategic Planning:Concepts and Process

Bob Kazmierski and Mike Kornmann

University of Wisconsin Extension

Polk-Burnett Leadership Academy

Strategic Planning is about …

• Where your organization is

• Where your organization wants to go

• How to get there


Strategic Planning Defined:• Is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental

decisions and actions that shape and guide an organization and what it does

• Is a set of concepts, procedures, and tools designed to assist leaders with the tasks of making decisions for their organization

John Bryson


Why strategic planning?• Changing demands for programs and services• There is more pressure to be efficient• There is a need to integrate at many levels –

avoid duplication, take advantage of synergies, public sector partnering, public-private sector partnering

• Diminishing resources – budget battles


Benefits to strategic planning

• Increased effectiveness

• Increased efficiency• Improved

understanding of situation

• Better decision making

• Enhanced organizational capabilities

• Improved community & public relations

• Increased organizational and community support


Why not strategic planning?

• It is not a substitute for conflict resolution

• Insufficient resources or commitment to implement the plan

• It’s also not a silver bullet

• It’s not a substitute for leadership


A ten step strategic planning process

– Other models are possible– The ten step strategic planning process can

be adapted; it is a “model” process– Usually can be done through an all-day

retreat or several (usually 6) 2 hour meetings


– Decisions to make• Who will be involved-• Purposes of the effort• Desired outcomes of the effort• Expectations of participants• Resources needed to complete the effort• A process timeline• How will the plan get buy in through out the

organization?

Step 1: Prepare for Planning


– Mandates describe what must or should be done under the organization’s charter and policies, as well as under federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations.

– A mandate can be expressed formally or informally through elections, community expectations, legislation, policy, procedures, and budget policies.

Step 2: Identify Organizational Mandates


Step 3: Stakeholder Analysis and Mission Assessment

– A stakeholder is any person, group or organization that can place a claim on the organization’s resources, attention, or output, or is affected by its output.

– A mission statement is a definition of the organization’s reason for existence – its true purpose.


Step 4: Assess the Environment

• An internal and external look at your– Strengths: internal capabilities that help an

organization accomplish its mission– Weaknesses: internal deficiencies that hinder

an organization in accomplishing its mission– Opportunities: external factors that affect an

organization positively– Challenges: external factors that affect an

organization negatively


Situation: Internal/External Assessment

–Trends analysis –Demographics–Financial reports–Focus groups–Surveys–Community input meetings–Agency Assessment Tool


Step 5: Identify Strategic Issues

– A strategic issue is a fundamental challenge affecting an organization’s mandates, mission, product or service level mix, clients or users, costs, financing, organization, or management.

– Key challenges or questions facing an organization


Step 6a: Strategies Development

– Brainstorm a set of strategies (actions) that the organization can take to address the strategic issues identified


Step 6b: Action Planning and SMART TOOL

Example:

• S-Specific Goal Lose Weight

• M-Measurables 15 lbs

• A-Action Steps Exercise daily

• R-Resources Support group

• T-Timeline May, 2010


Step 7: Review & Adopt Plan

• Gain formal approval of plan and permission to work on implementation (may come in stages)– You may adopt the mission statement or a set

of issues before the full plan is adopted


Step 8: Establish an Organizational Vision for the Future

• Outline the organization’s vision of what it should look like as it successfully implements the strategies.– This can also occur much sooner– Sometimes establishing the vision earlier is

more helpful


Step 9: Overall Implementation Process

• Design a process to ensure work is done and progress is gauged.


Step 10: Reassess the Strategies and Process

• This is finding how the planning worked, pluses, and minuses. Consider future efforts in light of findings. Basically, having an evaluation and monitoring system.


Things To Remember• Remember some of

this is an art, not a science

• Your plan will only be good if it can be implemented

• Consider stakeholder analysis a very important step

• Have a significant sponsor

• Have a significant process champion

• Need dedicated facilitators

• Be prepared for those who won’t participate until the very end


Final Points• The importance of pre-planning can not be over

stated!• Be flexible and creative in how you look at and

frame issues• Consider completing only parts of the planning

process you need – action planning for instance• Planning never stops, it is an ongoing process!

Strategic Planning: Concepts and Process

Business

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