Failing to Plan =
Planning to Fail

By J. Patrick Traynor

1. A dashboard isn’t worth much if it’s not measuring the right things. That’s why thoughtful strategic planning is so important.
2. The board and staff should both be meaningfully involved in the planning process.
3. If possible, we recommend creating a small committee — composed of 3-6 board members and staff leaders — tasked with ensuring that the organization has a defined approach to planning, goal-setting, and the reporting of progress.

In the most recent issue, we covered dashboards and their importance in ensuring that your organization is focused on and completing the highest-priority activities on a regular basis. The thing about a dashboard, though, is it’s not worth much if it’s not measuring the right things. Remember: The things that get measured are the things that get done.

That’s why, over the next couple issues, we’re going to help you make sure you’re measuring the right things. And what’s the best way to do that? A plan.

One of the fundamental obligations of every nonprofit board is to ensure that there’s a clear-cut plan in place to help the organization reach its desired destination. The more specific and intentional the plan, the more likely it becomes that significant things will be achieved. Effective planning helps bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

As former Anne Carlsen Center CEO Eric Monson puts it, “I’ve found that the best strategies are formed when both the board and leadership work in sync. This inspires great cultures and, ultimately, major impact in the world.”

Let’s get into a simple, concise way for your board and staff to co-create a highly effective organizational plan.

Prepare to Plan

By meaningfully involving both the board and staff in the planning process, engagement levels will remain high, and everyone will feel a shared sense of ownership.

What’s most important is that the board and staff discuss the appropriate level of involvement of each party in the process. This will vary by organization.

Step 1) Determine your planning approach.

Some boards appoint a planning committee composed of 3-6 board members and staff leaders, which is tasked with ensuring that the organization has a defined approach to planning, goal-setting, and the reporting of progress.

This committee may also set the agenda for an annual planning session, at which strategic questions are discussed regarding where the organization is, where it could be, and how to get there.

Other boards don’t feel it’s necessary to appoint a formal committee but instead rely on organizational leaders to commence the planning process and involve the board at various stages. In either case, what’s most important is that board members and leadership agree on the level of involvement of both parties and clearly understand the ultimate vision of the organization.

The Emergency Food Pantry participates in a recent High Impact Boards planning and dashboard session in Fargo.

Step 2) Determine the current state of each of your programs.

Before you chart your organizations’s path toward a bold future, your board needs to fully understand the current state of your programs and each one’s plan (or lack thereof).

To give board members the most context possible, it may be helpful to provide them with a summary of multiple years of key program data (see Free Download below).

This information will ultimately be presented to the board to set the stage for active dialogue as they conceptualize possibilities for the future destination of the organization or one of its existing programs.

After you’ve identified your current state, it’s time to present this (hopefully one page or less) report to your board at an annual planning session. Some organizations host planning sessions at a regularly scheduled board meeting, and others host a special meeting to do so.

COMING UP NEXT: Steps 3-4 and a downloadable planning exercise