Strategic planning, first introduced into the management of business corporations in the 1960s, has become a critical process for any organisation looking to succeed in today's complex and competitive market. It involves taking a step back from day-to-day operations and considering the bigger picture – where you want to go, how you plan to get there, and what resources you'll need along the way.
Here we explore three important concepts to consider when developing your strategic plan.
1. The Skill of "No-How"
Successful strategic planning involves making choices not only about what to do, but also about what not to do - or as Mallon puts it, the skillful application of "No-How" (1,2). For mission-driven organisations facing an ever-expanding need for support and employing passionate staff, this can be a morally challenging process. However, having greater strategic focus is essential for organisations to realistically achieve their mission and goals and leaders play a critical role in making these strategic choices.
2. Strategic Flexibility
Traditional strategic planning has been criticised for being too rigid and inflexible (1,2,3). This can create a disconnect between strategy and execution, and stifle innovation and growth. That's why forward-thinking leaders are trying to embrace strategic flexibility - to create room for strategy and new ideas to emerge and to continually review strategy for relevance and value. (3) This is especially important when political, social, and funding contexts are in flux. To build strategic agility, leaders need to foster organisational sensitivity to strategic developments, ensure leadership unity, promote cross-functional collaboration, and create fluidity in resources to reconfigure or redeploy as required.(4) By prioritising strategic flexibility and agility, leaders can position their organisations for success in today's dynamic external landscape.
3. Strategy as Practice
A strategic plan should not be a static document, but a living and breathing part of your everyday business practice. (1,2,5) This means fostering a culture of strategic thinking, and placing organisational attention on the strategy, and how it is communicated, internalised, and translated into implementation on an ongoing basis. (5) To achieve its mission and strategic goals, an organisation's leadership team must invest in steps to ensure everyone understands the plan, is aligned with it, is capable of executing it, and that this process happens in a continuous cycle.(5)
At Seedwell, we believe that strategic planning is crucial for the success of any mission-driven organisation. We have extensive experience in strategy development and understand the unique challenges and opportunities that these organisations face. If you're looking to take your strategic planning to the next level, we would love to have a conversation with you. Reach out to us today and let's work together to achieve your organisation's full potential.
References
1. Kaplan R. Strategic Performance Measurement and Management in Non-Profit Organization. Nonprofit Management and Leadership. 2001;11:353-70.
2. Mallon WT. Does Strategic Planning Matter? Academic Medicine. 2019;94(10).
3. Mintzberg, H. The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning : Reconceiving Roles for Planning, Plans, Planners. New York : Toronto :Free Press ; Maxwell Macmillan Canada, 1994.
4. Doz YL, Kosonen M. Embedding strategic agility: A leadership agenda for accelerating business model renewal. Long Range Planning. 2010;43(2-3):370-382.
5. Ocasio W, Laamanen T, Vaara E. Communication and attention dynamics: An attention-based view of strategic change. Strategic Management Journal. 2018;39(1):155-67.
