A strategic plan serves as a roadmap to enable an organization to set priorities and measure progress.It informs the direction of the organization, generates heightened engagement and ownership of the mission, and inspires staff, Board, volunteers, and the community to envision bold possibilities. While the final plan document may take a variety of forms, I have found that there are three keys at the outset to chart an effective strategic planning course:
Starting with the "why" enables an organization to understand the context and environment in which the planning will occur.Has a previous plan term expired?Is the organization preparing for an expansion?Is there an internal or external challenge confronting the organization?
Any planning process is only as effective as the leaders who will embrace and own it.Who will you include in the planning?Who will "own" the planning effort?How willyou capture the critical perspectives of internal and external stakeholders?Who will facilitate the process?
In order to respond quickly to new opportunities and flexibly adaptto changing circ*mstances, many leaders(myself included) now favor shorter strategic framework processes overformal long-term strategic plans.In consultation with their facilitator, nonprofit leaders should evaluate the planning processes that have worked well with their team in the past and the type of process needed to confront the challenges of today.
Against a backdrop of countless challenges for nonprofit leaders and Board members, strategic planning can sometimes seem like a daunting undertaking.However, if you begin with the 3 P's of Purpose, People, and Process, you can set your organization on a path towards a successful outcome.If you or your team are ready to think about strategy, let's connect!
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FAQs
Against a backdrop of countless challenges for nonprofit leaders and Board members, strategic planning can sometimes seem like a daunting undertaking. However, if you begin with the 3 P's of Purpose, People, and Process, you can set your organization on a path towards a successful outcome.
What are the 3 keys to effective strategic planning? ›
Treat it as Process, Not a Document The strategic planning process should involve: Collecting relevant facts. Setting priorities. Weighing competing alternatives.
What is the 3 P's plan? ›
If you want your business to succeed, you absolutely must focus on three key variables: people, process, and product. The three Ps, as they're often called, provide the highest return for your efforts because they act as the cornerstone for everything your business does.
What are the three principles of strategic planning? ›
First, set a clear direction and stay in your lane, versus meandering and pursuing strategies that change every year. Second, say no to distractions. It's very easy to get caught up in the wow, that looks like a cool initiative, let's pursue that. The third is making sure you diversify your bets.
What do the 3 P's mean? ›
This year it is 25 years ago that John Elkington coined the “Triple Bottom Line” of People, Planet and Profit (also known as the 3Ps, TBL or 3BL). Up to today it is still gaining popularity and it has become part of everyday business language. All reason to be satisfied, one would think.
What are the 4 P's of strategic planning? ›
A simple model made up of “Four Ps” can help companies create this advantage. These Ps are Perceptions, Performance, Purpose, and Process. There are six different stakeholder groups you should be listening to periodically to determine whether you're moving in the right direction.
What are the three 3 main characteristics of strategic decisions? ›
The three characteristics of strategic decisions are: Activities match the resource base. Operational decisions are affected. The magnitude of strategies and nature are affected.
What is an example of a 3 P's? ›
Take a restaurant for example. The food is the product, but everything else involved in the experience is a service: the quality of the hostessing and serving staff (people), how quickly the food is served (process), and the restaurant's ambiance (physical environment).
What are the 3 P's process people? ›
Marcus Lemonis believes that the three “P”s successful businesses need to manage are People, Process, and Product. Of the three “P”s, “people” are the most important. Without good people, good processes and good products only do so much.
What are principles in a strategic plan? ›
King (see King, Bonds-Raacke, & Saylor, 2011) has identified a set of principles that can contribute to arriving safely at the end of a strategic planning journey. She identifies these as the C-SALT principles: Collaboration, Specificity, Assessment, Leadership, and Transparency.
Strategists often refer to three levels of strategy: corporate level strategy, business level strategy, and functional level strategy.
