March 25, 2023
Strategic Planning that Works (Part 4 of 4)
The Managers’ Corner:
This is the last blog on the topic of Strategic Planning and, perhaps, the most pragmatic. No matter how well a strategic plan is constructed, it won’t be implemented if it is not supported by a set of sound and highly structured action plans. An action plan starts with a set of measurable objectives for each year of the plan. These objectives should be written in a very specific way with an end date, a verb in the future anterior tense and some form of measurement.
Here is an example: Suppose there is one goal in the strategic plan that pertains to fundraising. The goal is set for a period of three years (conclusion date). These are two objectives for the first year of this initiative of the plan.
- By February 28, 2024, the (name of organization) will have researched and developed a comprehensive list of possible sources of funds in the local community as targets for it fund-raising initiative that is approved by the Board of Directors.
- By May 31, 2024, the (name of the organization) will have developed a Board-approved process that will have raised the profile of the organization among those targets using e-mails, a minimum of three open houses, a telephone campaign and a mail out campaign.
What should be noted above is the use of a specific end date and a specific task whose “completability” is obvious in the wording. For example, the first object is achieved only if the list has been developed and accepted to the Board; the second is the same.
What should follow each objective is an action plan that has three parts:
- a set of activities that are sequenced to reach the objective by the end date (the date in the objective). The last activity, then, cannot be later than the date in the objective
- a specific name responsible for completing the activity
- an end date for each of the activities
Here is an example using the first objective:
Objective: By February 28, 2024, the (name of organization) will have researched and developed a comprehensive list of possible sources of funds in the local community as targets for its fundraising initiative that is approved by the Board of Directors.
| # | Activity | Responsibility Centre | End Date |
| 1 | Review all sources of income over past three years noting which were the most successful | Ellen | September 12, 2023 |
| 2 | Contact other non-competing agencies to gather information on sources they have used in the past | Ellen | September 30, 2023
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| 3 | Gather information from all staff, Board members and clients (groups and individuals) on other possible sources | William | December 21, 2023
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| 4 | Use or otherwise create a system for rating these organizations in terms of (i) availability of resources and (ii) likelihood of donation | Peter | January 15, 2024 |
| 5 | Prepare for Board review an “A” list and a “B” list as suggested sources and seek approval for the list | Anita | February 28, 2024 |
What this does is create a work plan to embed the strategic plan in the list of tasks each individual must complete by a specific time and to the degree specified in the objective. If these action plans are monitored on a regular basis by the supervisors of Ellen, William, Peter and Anita, there is a very high degree of possibility that the strategic initiatives will be accomplished.
The plan will be realized only by breaking down the goals of the strategic plan into activities assigned to people for completion by a specific date. If this is not done, the plan will simply be that glossy piece of paper that people like to share – and little or nothing will be accomplished by way of advancing the organization. A strategic plan with no annual objectives and work plans to support each of the objectives will be a wish list, not a document that will result in desired change.
Dr. Dan