Welcome to my third post on Principles of Effective Strategic Planning (https://bit.ly/3XryEFH). Last week (https://bit.ly/3zbvPRi), I talked about the importance of understanding what “strategy” really means. Today, I will start to talk about the principles for developing your plan.
Check in every Tuesday for a new post on each of my strategic planning principles.
Use this link to set up some time with us if you would like to discuss how Excelis can help you with your strategy or to share your thoughts on strategic planning: https://lnkd.in/eefWpJ4B
#Strategy #Leadership #Nonprofit
Principle 2: Think about who will speak into your strategy.
A strategy that people have contributed to is one they are more likely to support and put into action. So, think early and carefully about who will speak into your strategy.
Your board and senior leadership must be involved; that is a given. Your employees should be involved too. They can speak to practical details that can be hard to see with a top-down point of view. The size of your organization will determine how many of your employees you include in the process and how you engage them. It is not enough just to listen to them; you also need to explain how you will use what they tell you.
You should also involve the stakeholders outside your organization that are impacted by your plan. Speaking to those who benefit from and support your services will give your strategic plan a depth it will not otherwise have. Talk to patients and patient advocates if you are disease-based foundation. Talk to corporate partners, major funders, and other champions of your organization.
Learn from, or at least about, your competitors. One of the great strengths of academic institutions is the spirit of collegiality they show each other. I have always found them willing to speak openly with organizations that are competing with them for students, donors, grants, and the like. Secondary research, including competitor analysis and benchmarking, is an effective way to learn about organizations where, for whatever reason, direct conversations aren’t practical.
In the same spirit, learn from similar organizations in different fields. If part of your strategy involves launching a program of large, collaborative grants or creating a venture philanthropy fund, for example, then speak to other nonprofits that have done the same thing, even if they focus on very different diseases.
There is a limit to how many people you can involve in your strategic planning process, of course. They key is to think critically and with an open mind about whose perspectives you will include.
Chief Business Development Officer at Altasciences
3moCongrats Abhijeet Lele, Jonathan Levy, Charles Patten and team.