I am noticing in my business that I am getting more and more requests to facilitate strategic planning sessions for managers and board members. Strategic planning can help facilitate communication and participation, accommodate divergent interests and values, foster sound and reasonably analytic decision making and ensure successful implementation. Organizations engage in strategic planning for many reasons. Regardless of why public agencies and non profits engage in strategic planning, similar benefits are likely to result. First and most obviously, it promotes strategic thought and action.
Strategic planning improves decision-making capabilities.
It focuses on critical issues and challenges and helps decision makers figure out what they need to do today to ensure the tomorrow they want. Enhanced responsiveness and improved performance of staff is a benefit that results directly from the first two. If your folks are encouraged and taught to clarify and address major issues, and respond to internal and external demands effectively, then strategic thinking will translate into strategic action as opposed to reaction. Finally, strategic planning can benefit the organization's people. Policy makers and key decision makers can better fulfill their roles and meet their responsibilities.