Don’t Stop Now! Adjust

Apr 16, 2024 | Strategic Planning

“We’re thinking we should just postpone this next quarter’s strategic plan update session. Everyone is really busy, and honestly, we’re tired. You know we’ve had these two huge, out-of-nowhere projects come up that have taken over our lives. The team has done great, but we’ve fallen behind on several strategic initiatives. I think it’d help everyone’s morale if we just gave ourselves a break. What do you think?” I know you’re all tired and understandably so. But I think you’d be making a...

Don’t Create a Laundry List. Create a Strategic Plan

Dec 13, 2022 | Strategic Planning

It happens frequently. It happens with C-Suite executives as well as with mid-level managers. It happens when the excitement of DOING things to transform the organization takes hold. ‘It’ is when the strategic planning team focuses more on what they’re going to DO instead of what they want to ACHIEVE. It is when they stop thinking strategically. It causes teams to create laundry lists instead of strategic plans. …when the strategic planning team focuses more on what they’re going to DO instead...

Stop Boring Strategic Plan Updates

Nov 22, 2022 | Strategic Planning

An association executive director asked during a recent coaching conversation, “Am I doing something wrong, or why are the strategic plan review meetings I hold with my senior staff so boring? My Director of Operations said yesterday, ‘It feels as if all we’re doing is tracking stuff so we can mark it off this master plan.’ You know what? She’s right. That’s exactly what it feels like.” Well I wish I could say I was stunned by his revelation, but I wasn’t. Because, tracking strategic plans...

Create a Better Work Environment – Redeploy Your Talent

Feb 22, 2022 | Leadership Development, Strategic Planning

I try to notice trends in what my clients are facing. Last week presented a trend I couldn’t help but notice: Three of my clients were tired, frustrated, and struggling to please customers’ shifting and very challenging demands. My clients weren’t happy. Their team members weren’t happy. Their customers weren’t happy. No matter what my clients tried to do to please their challenging customers, it wasn’t enough. My clients’ team members were burning out. Team members were starting to quit - and...

Think About Impact and Outcomes Before You Plan Your Strategic Planning Retreat

Apr 20, 2021 | Strategic Planning

Two prospective strategic planning clients reached out to me this past week. Both organizations have a new CEO, at least two new board members each, at least two new senior staff members each, and both were requesting information on how I might facilitate their plan development during a two-day board retreat. It became quickly apparent, both CEOs were simply approaching their outreach to me as somewhat of a checklist item from their board: Find a consultant for our strategic planning retreat....