Complex, outdated documents are doomed to remain on the shelf. Management's use and respect for the plan influences the acceptance for the rest of the staff and board members. There is no reason for program directors to refer to established goals and objectives if the executive director does not. Ensuring the Plan Has Impact During the strategic planning process, it is important to include the following process, content, and usage elements to ensure the usefulness of the strategic plan to the organization. Process Elements Engage leadership Include the informal and formal organizational leaders when conducting a process.
Active involvement communicates a message of organizational importance and priority.
Work from a common understanding Provide training on the process and establish a list of expectations and results to ensure that everyone is working towards the same outcomes. Include individuals who will implement plan Encourage all levels of staff to contribute to the process. Involving these individuals will ensure that the plan is realistic and help motivate staff to implement the plan. Agree on how the plan will be operationalized Specify who will implement which parts of the plan, scheduling routine evaluation meetings to review progress. Use the strategic plan to articulate the broad framework, direction and, priorities of the organization and its programs.