Strategic Planning - Civicus
Strategic PlanningOVERVIEWBrief descriptionThis toolkit provides a model for taking an organisation through a strategic planning process.It covers planning to do strategic planning, covering the background issues that need to informor direct the strategic planning process, and then defining the strategic framework for theproject or organisation activities. It is this strategic framework that gives the activitiescoherence and direction. We have included practical exercises to use during a strategicplanning process. The toolkit expands on the short introduction to strategic planning in thetoolkit on Overview of Planning.Why have a detailed toolkit on strategic planning?Strategic planning is the core of the work of an organisation. Without a strategic frameworkyou don’t know where you are going or why you are going there. So, then, it doesn’t reallymatter how you get there! This toolkit offers you a way to do detailed strategic planning. Youcan replicate the method in any organisation or project that needs to do strategic planning.Another toolkit in the CIVICUS toolkits project deals with an Overview of Planning. That toolkitwill help you see how strategic planning fits into the overall planning process. The toolkit onAction Planning will help you take the process further. The toolkit on Monitoring andEvaluation will help you to expand on the process of impact evaluation. You do strategicplanning to help your project or organisation make a significant impact.Who should use this toolkit?This toolkit will help you if you have had only limited experience in planning or in strategicplanning. Perhaps you have not been involved in running an organisation, project ordepartment before. Or perhaps you have not been involved in the planning side of the workbefore. Or perhaps you have always focused on action planning and now realise howimportant strategic planning is. If strategic planning is new, or fairly new, to you, then youshould find this toolkit useful.When will this toolkit be useful?You will find this toolkit useful when: You need to plan strategically as well as operationally and to make a distinctionbetween the two. You need some ideas to help you plan a strategic planning process. You begin the planning for a new project or organisation. You feel you need to review your strategic framework.A strategy is an overall approach, based on an understanding of the broader context in whichyou function, your own strengths and weaknesses, and the problem you are attempting toaddress. A strategy gives you a framework within which to work, it clarifies what you are tryingto achieve and the approach you intend to use. It does not spell out specific activities.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)1
Strategic PlanningOVERVIEWBASIC PRINCIPLESBEST PRACTICERESOURCESpp.1-2pp. 3-47pp.48-50p.51GLOSSARY OFTERMS p.52ExamplesAgendaWhat isstrategicplanning?p.3Planning for astrategic planningprocess p.4Covering thebackground p.17Input – discussionTiming pp.4-6Who should beinvolved? pp.7-9Input pp.10-11Preparatorywork pp.12-15Defining thestrategicframework pp.27-28Structure p.44p.18Clarification ofproblem analysis p.19Review p.20ClarifyingplanningparametersVision pp.29-30Values pp.31-32Programmes p.21Mission pp.33-34Organisation p.21Overall goalpp.36-37Planning theagenda/processpp.22-24Immediateobjective pp.38-39pp.16-17Identifying criticalissues pp.25-26Key Result AreasStrategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)Internalimplications p.43ChangemanagementPotentialproblems p.46Where to? p.47pp.40-422
Strategic PlanningBASIC PRINCIPLESWhat is strategic planning?A strategy is an overall approach and plan. So, strategic planning is the overall planning thatfacilitates the good management of a process. Strategic planning takes you outside the dayto-day activities of your organisation or project. It provides you with the big picture of whatyou are doing and where you are going. Strategic planning gives you clarity about what youactually want to achieve and how to go about achieving it, rather than a plan of action for dayto-day operations.Strategic planning enables you to answer the following questions: Who are we?What capacity do we have/what can we do?What problems are we addressing?What difference do we want to make?Which critical issues must we respond to?Where should we allocate our resources?/what should our priorities be?Only once these questions are answered, is it possible to answer the following: What should our immediate objective be? (See the section on Immediate Objectives)How should we organise ourselves to achieve this objective? (See the section onInternal Implications)Who will do what when? (See the toolkit on Action Planning)A strategic plan is not rigid. It does, however, give you parameters within which to work. Thatis why it is important to: Base your strategic planning process on a real understanding of the externalenvironment (See the section on Input – discussion);Use work you have already done to extend your understanding of the externalenvironment and of your own capacity, strengths and weaknesses (See the section onReview).Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)3
Strategic PlanningPlanning for a strategic planning processA strategic planning process is not something that can happen in an ad hoc way, at aregular planning meeting or during a staff meeting. It requires careful planning to set itup so that the process is thorough and comprehensive. When you develop or revise astrategic plan, you are setting the parameters for the work of your organisation, usuallyfor two to three years or longer. So, it does make sense to spend some time andenergy planning for your strategic planning process.TIMINGThe questions to ask here are: When do you need to do a strategic planning process?How often do you need to do a strategic planning process?At what point in an organisational or project cycle do you need to do a strategicplanning process?How long should a strategic planning process be?Some suggestions: You need a strategic planning process when the strategic framework within whichyour organisation or project functions needs to be developed, clarified, orconsolidated. On the next page, you will find a questionnaire to help you decidewhether or not your organisation or project needs to organise a strategic planningprocess.Don’t do a strategic planning process more than once every two years unless theexternal or internal context has changed dramatically. Usually once in threeyears is enough. This does not exclude you from doing a strategic review moreoften, say once a year. A strategic review is quick - a day or less where you lookat the strategic framework, against what is happening internally or externally, as asort of reality check.There are various times in the life cycle of a project or organisation where itmakes sense to do a strategic planning process. So, for example, when you areinitiating a new project or new organisation, then you need to do a strategicplanning process. If you have just had a major evaluation of the organisation orwork, and this has led to challenging recommendations, then you may decide tohave a strategic planning process immediately afterwards. When you reach theend of a major phase in a project, it makes sense to review progress and preparefor the next phase through a strategic planning process.It is not possible to do a thorough strategic planning process in fewer than threedays. If you are not used to this sort of process, you will need at least four or fivedays.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)4
Strategic PlanningΨ e management team of the organisation or project should work through the followingquestionnaire.Where a statement has two parts and you would answer “definitely” to one part but notanother, then go with the weaker response. So, for example, in the first statement, youmay be able to answer “definitely” your organisation has a clear vision, but not be surewhether there is consensus about the vision. Your response then is “not sure”.Score your project or organisation as follows on each statement:123 DefinitelyMaybe/Not sureDefinitely notIf your total is 20 or more, then your organisation or project is ready for a strategicplanning process. If it is 15, or between 15 and 20, then your organisation probablywould benefit from a strategic planning process. Under 15, then there is no urgencybut you should at least do strategic planning three years after your last strategicplanning process.StatementDefinitelyMaybeNot SureDefinitelyNotSCOREThe organisation/project has a clearvision of what it wants to achieve andthere is consensus around this vision.Value issues are often discussed inthe organisation/project and there isagreement on the values base of theorganisation/project.The current mission statement of theorganisation/project reflects clearlywhat the organisation/project does, forwhom, and why it is important.The organisation/project regularlyreflects on its strengths andweaknesses and on the opportunitiesand threats in the environment.The organisation/project has cleargoals and objectives for what it wantsto achieve – these goals are SMART(see Glossary of Terms for anexplanation of SMART).The organisation/project finds it easyto prioritise, making a distinctionbetween what it must do, what itshould do and what it would like to do.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)5
Strategic PlanningThe organisation/project has clearindicators by which it measures theimpact of its work.The way in which theorganisation/project is structuredinternally makes sense in terms ofefficiency and effectiveness.The work done by theproject/organisation fits togethercoherently – the different areas ofwork fit well with one another.The external and internal contexts inwhich the organisation/projectoperates are relatively stable andthere have been no major changes inthe past year.Total score:Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)6
Strategic PlanningWHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED?Who should be involved in a strategic planning process?For a breakdown of who should be involved at different stages across the planningspectrum, look at the toolkit: Overview of Planning, in the section on Who Plans?The two key questions here are: Who should participate in the strategic planning process? andWho should facilitate the strategic planning process?Who should attend?The strategic planning process helps an organisation clarify, consolidate or establish itsstrategic framework. Embedded in the strategic framework are the values and vision ofthe organisation. Because of this, it is important to involve the whole organisation in atleast part of the planning process. We suggest the following:Strategic planning phasePlanning the processUnderstanding the contextVision, values and mission discussionReview of strengths and weaknesses,opportunities and threatsDiscussion of strategic options andgoals.Organisational structureWho should be involved?The management team of the projector organisation.All staff and Board members:Administrative staff should be involvedif it is important for them to understandthe organisation’s issues andproblems.All staff and Board members. It is veryimportant to involve all staff, includingadministrative staff in this discussionas it is likely to provide a set ofoperating principles – in other words, tomake it clear why people who work inthe project or organisation areexpected to work and behave in acertain way.Programme or professional staff for thewhole of this process; includeadministrative staff in the discussionsaround internal strengths andweaknesses.Professional staff and Board members.The management team with input fromthe rest of the staff.When administrative staff are very interested in the professional work, you may want toinvite them to participate in all stages where professional staff are involved. Certainlysenior administrative staff should be involved throughout. So, for example, if theorganisation has an accountant, she should be involved throughout. But it is notnecessary for the receptionist to come to all the sessions. However, once the strategicframework is in place, then all staff should be taken through this, with time to askquestions and get clarification, preferably in the smaller units or departments within whichthey work.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)7
Strategic PlanningUsing an outside facilitatorWe recommend that you use a skilled outside facilitator for a full-scale strategic planningprocess so that: There is a designated (assigned) person to keep order, to prevent issues frombeing personalised, and to keep the process on track without becomingemotionally involved.Everyone else is freed up to get involved in the process without worrying toomuch about process issues.A skilled person is available to deal with conflict that may arise so that it ishandled constructively rather than destructively.Someone with specific organisational expertise is available to raise issues andprevent the organisation/project from avoiding difficult issues.Someone with extensive experience is available to offer insights, ideas and anoutside perspective.Disadvantages have mainly to do with cost. However, provided you get the right person,the investment should be cost-effective in terms of results.On the next page you will find a checklist to help you choose the right external facilitatorfor your strategic planning process.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)8
Strategic PlanningCHECKLIST FOR SELECTING AN EXTERNAL FACILITATOR:Look for the following: an understanding of development issues generallyan understanding of organisational issuesinsight and empathyauthority/credibilityexperience in running strategic planning processesa good reputation with previous clients (check this!)conflict management skills and confidence about handling conflictable to help you clarify your outcomesa commitment to helping you reach your desired outcomeshonesty and fairness (don’t look for total objectivity – anyone worth using willhave opinions, you just want him or her to make a clear distinction betweenopinions and facts) logic, self-discipline and the ability to operate systematically commitment to deadlinesverbal and written skillsa style that suits your organisation, andreasonable rates, measured against market prices.Once you have found the right person, agree on a clear, written brief so thatthere is no miscommunication about what is wanted and expected.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)9
Strategic PlanningINPUTBecause a strategic planning process looks at the big picture, it is useful to get externalinput into the process. It is easy for those of us who are involved in the work of theproject or organisation to lose sight of the overall picture and to think about the issuesfrom the point of view of our own work only. Getting someone in with a wider view andwider concerns may open doors to new ideas and ways of thinking. This helps to keepan organisation at the cutting edge of development work. The external input should makeit clear what the opportunities, challenges and threats in your organisation’s externalcontext are. (See also the toolkit: Overview of Planning and the section on a SWOTAnalysis).Organising external input should be the work of the group or person planning theprocess.Who should give input?You are looking for someone who understandsdevelopment, has particular insights into thesector of development in which you are involvedor are planning to be involved, and who hassome understanding of the kind of contribution anorganisation or project such as yours couldmake. It is also important to have anauthoritative person – someone who is respectedin the sector and whom your staff and Board willtake seriously.You could have more than one person. So, forexample, you might have someone giving agovernment perspective and someone elsegiving a community perspective.What should be covered in theinput?When should you organisethis?Sometimes a Board member, or even aparticularly well-informed staff member can givethe input. It is usually, however, a good idea toget someone in from “the outside” as well.By the end of the input you want everyone tohave a comprehensive understanding of thecontext and some new thoughts to inform yourstrategic planning process.Make sure that you cover the three mainingredients of the context: development globallyand nationally, your sector globally, nationallyand locally, your area of expertise (e.g. training,drilling wells, etc.) globally, nationally and locally.Try to get an overall perspective – not just fromone point of view – either by having more thanone speaker or by inviting a speaker who is ableto give an overall view. Remember that no-one isneutral – people have opinions and you need toassess these in the light of a number of differentopinions.As soon as you have a date for the strategicplanning process and at least two weeks inadvance. This will make it more likely that youwill get the person or people you want, ratherthan just someone who happens to be available.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)10
Strategic PlanningWhat should the brief say?The brief should state clearly what the venue willbe and the time you want the speaker to arrive.You want him/her to hear what goes beforehis/her input.Make sure your brief includes the following: The purpose of the input – what you hopewill happen as a result of the input. How long the input should be. What the speaker should cover in content,information, etc. How the input will fit into the strategicplanning process. How interactive/provocative you would likethe input to be. Whether or not you are hoping that thespeaker will take part in any other part ofthe process.Remember to find out in advance whether the speaker needs any special equipment –from a flipchart and markers to a computer and screen for a Powerpoint presentation.Most people involved in development will be prepared to give their time free if yourorganisation or project has credibility or potential to make a difference to a problem thatconcerns them. However, your organisation/project should pay for transport,accommodation and so on. It is also customary to give the speaker a small gift as atoken of appreciation for giving up his/her time.Do not rely totally on external input. Make sure that the important statistics, policies,stakeholder information that affect your work are available, possibly even as a handout.Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org)11
Strategic PlanningPREPARATORY WORKThere are two important tasks that need to be done before a strategic planning process: A review of your organisation’s work; andA review of your organisation’s internal functioning.The review of the workThis can be done by: An extensive external evaluation before the strategic planning process in order tofeed into it;A departmental/project/unit level analysis of the work done, includingachievements against targets and indicators of impact (See also the toolkit:Overview of Planning, the section headed Tools 1: Structuring the Work ProgressAnalysis);A management team review of the work done across the organisation, includingachievements against targets and indicators (see Glossary of Terms) of impact.Even if you have an external review, it is useful if the teams have done some internalreflection as well.The review of the internal functioning of the organisationThis can be done by: An external review conducted by someone with an in-depth understanding ofdevelopment and non-profit organ
Strategic Planning Toolkit by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org) 4 Planning for a strategic planning process A strategic planning process is not something that can happen in an ad hoc way, at a regular planning meeting or during a staff meeting. It requires careful planning to set it up so that the process is thorough and comprehensive.
What drives CIVICUS’ work? How does the strategic planning translate into an organisation-wide accountability framework? How does CIVICUS monitor progress against set objectives and what are lessons learnt? (Cluster A, 1.1.-1.4., 2.2.) CIVICUS’ vision is “a worldwide community of informed, inspired, committed citizens engaged in
Strategic Planning Toolkit 4by Janet Shapiro (email: toolkits@civicus.org) Planning for a strategic planning process A strategic planning process is not something that can happen in an ad hoc way, at a regular planning meeting or during a staff meeting. It requires careful planning to set it up so that the process is thorough and comprehensive.
strategic planning and have them master the mechanics of strategic planning for their school or educational organization. Course Objectives: To define strategic planning and determine the rationale for developing strategic plans To identify the key steps in strategic planning To manage the strategic planning process
Strategic IT Planning Provider Case Studies 2015 1 1 Introduction the leadingage center for aging services technologies (cast) is pleased to provide the following six case studies on strategic Planning and strategic it Planning. We hope they will demonstrate for providers the benefits of strategic Planning and strategic it Planning.
CIVICUS has, in the period in question, devised and revised planning and learning systems, restructured staff structure and reformulated projects. It has introduced a range of new
CIVICUS has produced several toolkits to enable organisations to improve their capacity in a number of areas. From communications and planning skills to writing funding proposals, CIVICUS hopes it will give useful tips, tools, and
About Strategic Workforce Planning 1-1. Learning More About Strategic Workforce Planning 1-2. Related Guides1-2. Administering Strategic Workforce Planning . Setting Up Your Application. Implementation Checklist2-1. Creating an Application2-2. Familiarizing Yourself with Strategic Workforce Planning . Navigating in Strategic Workforce Planning 3-1
Alex’s parents had been killed shortly after he was born and he had been brought up by his father’s brother, Ian Rider. Earlier this year, Ian Rider had died too, supposedly in a car accident. It had been the shock of Alex’s life to discover that his uncle was actually a spy and had been killed on a mission in Cornwall. That was when MI6 had
