Do the leaders expect strategic planning to work?
If they expect it to succeed it will. If they are sure it won’t succeed because of prior negative experiences, they can ensure its failure. If you answered YES to 7 or more of these questions, you are probably ready to consider strategic planning. However, #3 is a required Yes. If you don’t have sponsorship at the top of the organization, plans will not be implemented and everyone will be resistant to planning the next time. Look at the questions you answered NO to. Except for #3, all of them can be addressed through coaching, training, systems development or better information. This is not meant to discourage you from strategic planning, only to caution you not to rush into it before you are ready. Effective strategic planning can create a capacity for change that will serve your organization well for years to come. It is a vehicle for developing vision, creating team learning and strengthening leadership skills while creating an innovative plan for the future. It takes time, energy,
