Creating Excellence in Organizational Leadership

The Importance of Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is the dynamic process used by the “team” to produce change towards the vision. It establishes an organization’s direction, and the decision-making processes necessary to effectively allocate resources toward mission execution and vision achievement. This proactive approach helps organizations navigate uncertainties, capitalize on opportunities, and maintain long-term effectiveness.

Strategic planning involves setting long-term goals and determining the best strategies and actions necessary to achieve those goals. The level of effort, number of people involved, and time required to perform strategic planning is largely a function of each individual organization. The process typically includes the following key elements which may be uniquely tailored to the characteristics of each organization:

• Validating or establishing core values, mission ad vision

• Establishing goals and objectives that provide further definition to the vision

• Examining the organization's internal and external environments; identifying their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT analysis)

• Establishing prioritized Feasible, Impactful, and Timely (FIT) strategic initiatives

• Developing and intiating an Implementation Plan

• Conducting periodic reviews and revising the plan as necessary

For churches, not-for-profits, and educational organizations pursuing long-term missional success, strategic planning is not an option, regardless of their size. It provides a roadmap for executing mission, optimizing resources, and achieving vision. By engaging in strategic planing, organizations can dramatically improve their likelihood of organizational success.

The above notwithstanding, it is important to note that strategic planning will not be successful in the absence of an intentional decision by leadership to engage in the process followed by their commitment to long-term strategy execution, regular reviews, and periodic updates. In other words, the strategic planning process requires ongoing effort and resources. If an organization's decision to engage the process is for the wrong reasons, it will fail.

Logicboard offers strategic planning assistance to churches, not-for-profits, and educational organizations. Contact us today for more information.