Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is one of the most challenging and exciting exercises an organization can undertake. Strategic planning allows an organization to make fundamental decisions or choices by taking a long-range view of what it hopes to accomplish and how it will do so. A strategic plan is built on a thorough analysis of the organization’s existing structure, governance, staff, program or service mix, collaborations, and resources (financial, human, technical, and material). This analysis is vital because it allows an organization to perceive which of its above aspects it must change in order to achieve its goals.

A well-developed strategic plan serves as a blueprint for making these changes because it describes the following:

A vision for the future;
Mission Statement – Why does the organisation exist? What is its mandate?
Core Values – Describe how the organisation relates with its Stakeholders;
Strengths, weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats facing the organization;
Political, Economic, Social Cultural, Technological, Ecological and Legal factors that affect or are likely to influence the Organisational decisions in the future. This is because no organisation exists in a vacuum.
Detailed Analysis of its Stakeholders;
The nature of the changes contemplated for future sustainable growth and development
The sequence of these changes
Those who are responsible for guiding change
The resources required, whether they currently exist within the organization or must be generated from external sources.
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Strategic Plan.

Benefits of Strategic Planning

Staff Motivation. Thinking about the future is a stimulating and energizing process. It creates a shared vision, with concrete ideas about how to surmount obstacles in order to achieve that vision.
Building a planning team with a common vision. The strategic plan that emerges from the process is generally more realistic and achievable, and working or interdependent relationships within the organization are strengthened.
Confronting key issues and solving problems. Strategic planning sets in motion a dynamic process that allows the organization to continually reassess, confront change, and grow within an agreed-upon framework.
Good strategic planning is a time- and labor-intensive process.
Defining roles and responsibilities. Measurable performance objectives are set
and the person(s) who is responsible for specific activities is identified.
Challenging the status quo. The process creates an open atmosphere, stressing the interests of the whole organization. It often answers the question “How can we do things better?” in a more systematic and thorough way.
Allowing busy managers and policy makers to concentrate exclusively on the organization’s future for a short period of time, meaning that they will be able to focus their expertise and insights on self-assessment and planning future directions.