Three Tips for Collaborative Strategic Planning

Oct 28, 2019, 1:30 PM

(From The Chronicle of Philanthropy) When it comes to strategic planning, an enthusiastic attitude and an inclusive process that involves the board is critical to promoting passion, commitment and pride, according to Joan Garry, a nonprofit consultant. To create an exciting, robust process that everyone owns, strive for a true partnership between the organization's leadership and the board; work together on an organizational attitude adjustment. This partnership should lead the board to engage in substantive strategic conversations and foster a culture of innovation and testing. Three tips for rethinking strategic planning in a collaborative framework:

Educate your board. Introduce members to their roles in a way that will excite them and enrich their lives. They will want to be a part of the process, and they will be fueled with ideas and resources. Push board members to engage in professional development.
Engage board and staff members in an authentic way. Form a steering group and work with a facilitator or consultant. The message you send by engaging board members will be powerful and will pay dividends.
Have fun with questions that expand the thinking of board and staff members. For example, what does your organization do better than any other? What if $5 million landed like manna from heaven? How would you spend it, and why?

More at The Chronicle of Philanthropy

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