When strategic planning is just a check box (by Liz Simpers)
Enter eye roll here. We all get the meeting request for the 3-hour strategic planning session. Maybe for some of us, a 3-hour session is considered a short meeting!
And solid bonus points for those of you that have an outside consultant coming in to facilitate this session.
Ok, let’s be positive. Maybe these sessions will be fantastic and give you and your team focus! However (see how I didn’t say “but”), yes, however, more often than not, this outside consultant comes in and allows your team leader to sit back while they check their emails and in turn, check out from the 3-hour session. And said consultant likely wasn’t briefed on your team’s history in a way in which they understand your work history and what you have tried before.
So in these strategic planning sessions that involve your staff or your board or your volunteers, take a breath! Take your emotions out of it and be open and patient with your outside consultants. They have done this before, and they truly want to help. While it’s true they don’t know everything, they know enough to come in and help you and your team move forward.
Last note: don’t let this one-year, three-year, or five-year plan sit in a drawer until it’s time to pull it out at the end of that time frame. Work it as much as you can. Your team will be led by your positivity!
If this is something you and your team need help with, reach out to me!
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