STRATEGIC PLANNING

Goal:

Strategic Planning is critical for guiding the direction of the organization and the attainment of transformation goals. Comprehensive, agency-wide strategic planning is essential to the development of a cohesive approach. Effective planning results in the development of a road map (i.e. Strategic Plan) that identifies the goals and objectives needed to achieve success.

Learning Objectives

The Strategic Planning domain focuses on gaining an understanding of the importance of comprehensive, inclusive, organization-wide strategic planning to realize the goals of the transformation process. Effective implementation of these objectives leads to a Strategic Plan that has been vetted by the agency’s Board of Directors:

• Understanding the impact of transformative change on all aspects of the organization
• Recognizing the importance of incorporating multiple stakeholders in the Strategic Planning process
• Understanding the need for objectives, time frames and a CQI process to monitor and manage progress against the Plan

Audience

Agency Leadership:

• Executive Team
  
• Board of Directors
  
• Program Directors
  

Tools and Processes

Group Discussion Exercise – Strategic Planning

The following group discussion exercise is structured to help the agency gain a better understanding of the importance of comprehensive, inclusive, organization-wide strategic planning to effect change. This includes planning for the transformation/change process, the strength and effectiveness of Leadership in leading strategic planning and to identify areas for improvement and steps the agency may take to move forward. The steps leading up to the discussion may take multiple pathways: 

1.

Get a sense of the agency’s baseline score by completing the Mini ESTA.

2.

This brief podcast defines the “Strategic Planning Domain" and why the questions in the full self-assessment are important.

3.

Complete the ESTA or move to the next step.

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4.

Assemble a group of your agency’s Leadership stakeholders; minimally include Executive Leadership (e.g. CEO, CFO, HR, COO), Board of Directors and Program Directors. For a more expansive group include external participants (individuals and families, community partners, etc.). 
​
A.) Note: This process may also be conducted using multiple groups with each group comprised of discrete stakeholders (e.g. Board members only; Executive Team only).​

5.

Review the self-assessment of Strategic Planning from the Mini ESTA (or ESTA if completed).

A.) By reviewing the rating/score from the assessment, the agency will see where they fall on the continuum of progress towards transformation in the Strategic Planning Domain. Keep in mind the responses to the individual items in the assessment during discussion.

6.

Continue discussion using the prompts below. During discussion, consider potential actions that may be undertaken to make further progress in the transformation process.

​Approximate Time for Exercise:
​60-90 minutes

A). Review the agency’s strategic plan and identify the stakeholders/participants who are involved in the planning process. Have all considerations been identified and vetted for inclusion in the plan? Are all key stakeholders involved in the process? For those not directly involved, how is input solicited and incorporated?

B.) Transformation/change in one area of an organization inevitably has an impact on other areas of the organization (e.g. common philosophy/approach; program structures). Discuss how an agency-wide strategic plan can reflect the impact that this transformation may have on other programs and/or services provided by the agency. Include discussion of any steps that have been taken or are planned to address any anticipated challenges, adverse impacts, and new opportunities and how these areas are incorporated into the overall agency strategic plan.

C.) Review the steps the agency has taken to begin the transformation of the Work Center (if applicable) into options for an integrated sustainable business model. Discuss how these steps are connected to an overall direction and the agency-wide strategic plan. Discuss how the agency incorporated planning for the population of current Work Center program enrollees who may not wish to transition to new employment opportunities into its overall strategic planning process (e.g. development of new program options and the fit with the agency’s overall strategic direction), as well as future individuals the agency may serve or employ. 

D.) Review how strategic planning fits within the agency’s overall CQI process. How does the plan align with the agency’s Mission, Vision, and Values? Discuss what has been learned, the way challenges have been addressed and any outcomes that have been achieved. 

Download Discussion Prompts