How to Build a Strategic Plan While the World is On Fire
Last weekend I caught the end of the No Kings rally in Truckee, California, near Lake Tahoe.
Amidst the signs supporting healthcare, science, immigrant rights and trans rights, was a poignant message,
“If Kamala was elected, we’d all be at the beach right now.”
This message captured an essential truth of what so many of us are feeling. We’re tired. We’re depleted. It’s summer and feels like time to go to the beach!
And yet, here we are (up to 13 million people last weekend, depending on which count you believe) coming together to stand up for democracy - and a future in which people of all races and backgrounds are honored, affirmed, and have what we need to thrive.
And what about strategic planning now - how are leaders finding the energy?
What amazes and inspires us is that leaders are doing strategic planning - even as the world swirls around us in complicated, challenging, and sometimes depleting ways.
Why?
Even in chaotic moments, teams and leaders need to get aligned
ID: five ducks of different colors walking together. Dark green background.
In moments of a lot of change and uncertainty, there’s a tendency to be reactive: our funding has been cut, what immediate actions can we take?
Some nimbleness and flexibility to make decisions or pivot can be good.
And in these chaotic and overwhelming moments, there’s even more of a need to slow down, listen to one another, and get on the same page about strategies, goals, and first steps - and get our ducks in a row 🙂.
How leaders are planning through current destructive policies
Almost every nonprofit we work with has either been directly impacted by funding cuts, or is closely watching the financial environment to see what’s going to happen next.
And leaders are reaching out to do strategic or scenario planning:
For one organization, leaders tried to create a strategic plan in the past but became overwhelmed with many different perspectives and struggled with the capacity to keep planning moving forward. The Ross Collective has led a clear strategic planning process that supports collaboratively building strategies and goals that team members are invested in. We have also managed the project closely, giving the process ongoing attention to keep it on track and moving forward.
Another client built their first strategic plan internally - which, to our review, is more of a work plan than an inspirational, guiding document. They’re excited to work with consultants with an expertise in planning to zoom out and do some visioning together about shared goals.
We’re also hearing from leaders who want to talk together about a few different scenarios - especially around future funding —- and come to agreement about how their organization might change direction, shift their work, or focus on specific goals if those scenarios come to pass.
Go to the beach anyway!
We’ve written before about healthy leadership and self-care - which feels more important than ever in these times.
Virtually every strategic plan we’ve worked on has included goals around a supportive and sustainable work environment for staff - to strengthen retention and recruitment.
The importance of strategic planning — and protesting — and rest
Please keep protesting to protect our democracy.
Please go to the beach this summer or take a rest in the form that works for you.
Do some planning alongside your team - which will help you sleep at night and feel more relaxed at the beach!
And if you want some support for strategic or scenario planning - that honors the moment we’re in and compassionately, inclusively structures critical conversations - reach out. We’re here - or will get back to you as soon as we get back from catching some waves. :)
