I love strategic planning. A good strategic plan guides your mission, sets high-level priorities, and offers a North Star for your organization. But here’s the harsh truth: a beautifully crafted strategic plan sitting on a shelf is nothing more than a collection of good intentions…and dust. The real work – and the real impact – begins after the plan is written.
The Implementation Gap: Where Good Ideas Go to Die
Far too many nonprofits fall victim to the “implementation gap.” They invest time and energy in developing a plan, and they either fail on including an implementation plan within the strategy, or, they include implementation but lack follow-through. It doesn’t matter how promising your strategy is, or how impressive your direction looks. It is nothing without implementation. There’s a common issue I see with strategic planning processes; either, the strategic plan is ALL strategy and no planning, or the strategic plan is no strategy and ALL planning. You need a healthy balance of both to really be successful.
The 3 Pillars of Successful Implementation
- Create Actionable Plans, Not Just Ambitions: Your strategic plan must be more than a lofty vision statement and an impressive-sounding strategic direction. Break it down into specific, measurable goals with clear timelines and assigned responsibilities. Each goal should have a designated “owner” who is accountable for its success. This is also helpful in providing team members with an individual action plan; they know what their role is in implementing the plan and how it impacts the overall vision.
- Tracking Progress, Not Just Checking Boxes: Regularly monitor and evaluate your progress toward each goal. Are you on track? If not, why? (This should be a topic at every board meeting, as well) What adjustments need to be made? Have resource needs come up? Is there a staff capacity issue? And, if you are succeeding, celebrate your wins! Each step is a win.
- Adaptation is Key: The world is constantly changing, and your strategic plan should too. Don’t let it be written in stone where it can’t ever be changed or adapted based on new information, new policies, or a new funding environment. Don’t be afraid to adapt your strategies as needed. Embrace flexibility and be willing to pivot.
Why Implementation Matters (Beyond Just Getting Things Done)
- Donor Confidence: Funders want to see that their investments are making a difference. Building and following through on your implementation plan builds trust and strengthens relationships with your supporters. (PS – don’t forge to publicize your wins!)
- Staff Morale: When team members see their work directly contributing to the achievement of tangible goals, it boosts morale and fosters a sense of shared purpose. It also serves as an excellent reminder of the overall organizational impact.
- Mission Impact: At the end of the day, the true measure of your success is the impact you’re making on the communities you serve. Effective implementation translates your strategic plan into real-world results.
Throw Away the Dustbuster!
Please, please, don’t let your strategic plan become another document that’s forgotten on a shelf gathering dust. Commit to implementation, tracking, and adaptation, and watch how much impact your organization can have.