"Organizations that succeed, organizations that thrive, organizations that are going to be the providers of services in the next century, all know where they are going. A vision of what you want your organization to be, and a road map of how you want to get from here to there, is absolutely essential if you are to be a good steward of your organization's resources." (Brinckerhoff, 1994, p. 130)
As we begin a new year, and a new century, this seems like a good time to talk about the process of planning for the future. January has traditionally become associated with "New Year's Resolutions!" - you know, all of those things you are going to change, improve, and do differently in the new year. Most of us wind up abandoning those resolutions sometime before March arrives. We do the same thing in our organizations. We talk about the things we should be doing and the new directions we should be exploring, but most of the time we continue to do what we have always done.
There is increasing evidence to say we can no longer afford to move along based on traditional ways of thinking and acting. In 1999 Blanken & Liff published an action guide for Association leaders called "Embracing the Future." Based on a 1998 environmental scan by the American Society of Association Executives the authors concluded that too many of us are underestimating the magnitude of change that is coming in the years ahead.
"Take a moment to reflect on what your board does during its meetings. Consider how much time is spent investigating how the world will change in 5 or 10 years opposed to discussing short-term, operational issues. . . . In an age of transformation, associations (organizations) must learn to imagine futures that are very different from the present reality to which they are accustomed. Traditionally, planning has been based on the assumption that the future is predictable as an extrapolation of the past and present. In the face of a radically different future, many associations (organizations) will find that doing more with the same or doing it better will not suffice." (Blanken & Liff, 1999, pp. 97-98)
Think about your initial ideas of the use of e-mail to communicate with your staff and volunteers. If we view this with a linear approach to the future, email is an extension of traditional mail. It's faster and it replaces the traditional paper-based memo. If, however, we view email as one component of a whole new way of doing work we might envision an "on-line" future that calls to mind such terms as connectedness, responsiveness, linkages, collaboration, fast, fluid and flexible. Thus, we begin to see that email contains important clues about how the future might unfold.
Strategic planning, long range planning and operational planning each require a different type of thinking. Operational planning deals with the day-to-day implementation of strategic decisions. Long range planning generally assumes that current information about future conditions is reliable and somewhat predictable.
"Strategic planning assumes that an organization must be responsive to an environment which is dynamic and hard to predict. Strategic planning stresses the importance of making decisions that position an organization to successfully respond to changes in the environment. The emphasis is on overall direction rather than predicting specific, year-by-year, concrete objectives. Strategic decisions are fundamental, directional and future-oriented." (Allison & Kaye, 1997, p. 4)
Strategic planning is a systematic process that engages and builds support among key stakeholders regarding the priorities that are essential to the mission and vision of the organization. The process involves scanning the external environment, identifying organizational values, creating a vision of the future and creating, affirming or revising the mission. All of these steps are essential components of the strategic planning process and build the foundation for choosing the specific strategic directions and priorities to move the organization forward.
To encourage new ways of thinking many organizations engage in scenario building as a part of the planning process. Scenario planning challenges traditional thinking by requiring planners to imagine two or three future scenarios based on a specific trend. Each scenario must present a different image of the future rather than an extension of the past. Scenario planning asks participants to think the unthinkable, to develop multiple alternatives and to create plausible futures that incorporate known trends. This can be a fun and enlightening process for exploring an unpredictable future.
I frequently compare strategic planning to the process of building a house. The leadership (board and staff) of the organization is the architect who will design a structure that will serve the organization's needs today yet have the flexibility to change, grow and adapt to the future needs of the organization. A successful strategic planning process systematically engages key stakeholders, including consumers and the community, to develop a broad consensus that enhances accountability and commitment. The end product of strategic planning is a specific written document that enables all stakeholders to understand, analyze and critique the goals, objectives and strategies that are being used to achieve the organization's mission as it moves into its desired future.
When Alice, in Alice Through the Looking Glass, met the Cheshire cat she asked, "Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" The cat replied, "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to!" Strategic thinking and strategic planning help us develop the roadmap for where we are headed in an unpredictable future.
References
Allison, M. & Kaye, J. (1997). Strategic planning for nonprofit organizations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 4.
Blanken, R. & Liff, A. (1999). The changing face of associations. Association Management (January,1999), pp. 97-98.
Blanken R. & Liff, A. (1999). Embracing the future: An action guide for Association leaders. Washington, D.C.: American Society of Association Executives.
Brinckerhoff, P. (1994). Mission based management. Oak Park, Illinois: Alpine Guild, Inc.
Bryson, J. (1995). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
Carroll, L. (1983). Alice in wonderland and Alice through the looking glass. New York: Julian Messner.