DISCONNECTED: Nonprofit Staff and the Strategic Plan

I’m still brimming with energy and excitement after spending a full day helping a nonprofit’s staff to close the gap between themselves and the organization’s strategic plan.

When assessing the situation prior to the staff retreat, I could use only one word to describe the relationship between the staff and the strategic plan: DISCONNECTED. Unfortunately, this isn’t unusual. More often than not, frontline staff have no involvement in the strategic planning process and are offered no formal opportunity to understand how its purpose is connected to their day-to-day work. 

A strategic plan is an organization's roadmap for defining its strategy or direction and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy. Thus, it is critical for the people “on the ground” to understand the plan and how their work directly connects to its success.

We kicked off the day with two core components to any strategic plan: VISION and MISSION. 

Well-written vision and mission statements are the foundation of any successful strategic plan. The targeted goals, strategies and the day-to-day work (activities) of the organization must be designed with an eye toward the organization's vision and mission.

I asked, “Does anyone know the vision statement?” No response.

I followed up with “Does anyone know the mission statement?”  I heard various versions of the mission statement but no one could tell me the exact mission statement. After a review of the organization’s vision and mission statements, we went to work.

• We reviewed the targeted goals in the strategic plan.
• Each program manager presented their program goals – demonstrating how they tied back to the goals in the strategic plan.
• In breakout sessions, each program identified one priority goal in the coming year. Then each program manager worked with his/her staff and some support staff to map out the following to address the priority goal:

- The goal.

- All necessary resources.

- Activities to be completed.

- Targeted audience(s)/beneficiaries.

- Short-term, intermediate and long-term outcomes.

- A non-management staffer reported for each program. 

By the end of the day, the staff were not only CONNECTED to the strategic plan, they had completed a hands-on activity that enabled them to see how their role connects to the organization’s vision, mission and strategies for getting there. Here are a few of their comments:

• “ ...feel like I have a stronger vision of where we are going…that is shared by all.”
• “...the most productive strategic session...”
• “It was great to see the whole office working together (AKA on the same page).”

Even the most passionate people are less effective when they don’t know where they are going – when success isn't clearly defined for them. So I’m overflowing with excitement because this passionate group is now positioned to hit “the mark” because they have a shared understanding of where it is.

Is your staff connected to your strategic plan? Please share below activities you use to keep them connected.

If your staff and strategic plan are disconnected, send an email to info@thewordwomanllc.com to schedule a free consultation. I’d love to learn about your organization and work with you to close the gap.