Lessons Learned Guiding Points

• Strategic planning is multi-faceted; being reflective, present-oriented, future-oriented, as well as action-oriented all at the same time.

• Good strategic planning facilitates good governance, financial management, and program effectiveness.

• To feel a sense of pride and “ownership”, everyone (staff, management, Board) must feel they contributed to the plan and their voices are reflected in it. The strategic plan is the AGENCY’s plan (not just a Board, staff or management plan).

• Consultants may be a good resource but remember: consultants don’t drive the strategic planning process, you do.  Typically, consultants conduct interviews with key informants, carry out focus groups and surveys and facilitate a one or two day strategic planning session.  They may also write up the results of the session, reflecting the direction YOU set.

• The more you’re involved, the more the strategic plan is ‘owned’ by your organization. A strategic plan will lay out the organizational plan for the next several years. Don’t be ‘hands off’ in this process.  If you use consultants give them a framework – this is who we are, this is where we want to go, and this is what we think we need to get there. The consultant can then help fill in the middle piece to determine how to get there.