Or, unfortunately, or fortunately. most organizations require proactive leaders, rather than reactive ones! Since very few individuals, in leadership positions, undergo well-considered and comprehensive leadership training, they seem unable to proceed in such a manner! A true leader consistently considers the group’s past/inherited, present, and future needs, goals, and priorities in order to create the most relevant strategic plan for the specific organization. After more than four decades of involvement in just about everything related to effective leadership, from identifying and qualifying, to training, developing and consulting thousands of actual and/or potential leaders, I am a firm believer in quality, strategy planning, you must follow 7 specific steps (at least). With that in mind, this article will briefly attempt to consider, examine, review and discuss what this means and represents, and what these considerations should be.
1. Assess history/heritage, mission, etc. – Are they still relevant and how/why?: Each group has its specific heritage and history, and it is usually important to the well-being of that organization! In many cases, these items are significant because long-time members often feel a connection to the group based on them! Before any current and/or future strategies can be properly considered, a leader must take them into consideration. Are they still relevant or does the existing mission need to be modified? Which parts need to be kept and which need modification for the group to move to its next stage?
two. Specific strengths and weaknesses of the group: How can you plan, adequately, effectively, meaningfully and/or strategically, unless/until the actual strengths and weaknesses of the specific organization are fully examined and considered? The best way forward is to effectively use and leverage each area of strength, while addressing each weakness!
3. Current address of the group / Is it growing?: In most cases, groups must consistently go through a steady state of growth or risk losing their relevance and sustainability. With an open mind, therefore, it is important to consider what is working and what needs to be changed to engage, inspire and motivate past, present/existing and future stakeholders.
Four. Demography: Does this organization, based on some combination of its heritage, mission, vision, and existing stakeholders, appeal to a specific demographic, and why? Is that the intention, or just the facts? In planning, for the future, this must be considered!
5. Can you modify the mission without losing its purpose, mission and appeal?: How essential is the group’s mission to the organization’s sustainability and relevance? Is it possible to make smart, necessary, quality modifications, without losing its core purpose and keeping the relevant components of the mission? Could this change have unintended ramifications, in its sequel, appeal, etc?
6. Zero-based budget: Maintaining, preserving, maximizing and using the funds of the organization, in the most effective and efficient way possible, to create, make the most of the money, is essential, because the best ideas, unless/until, are financially feasible,! they have little impact! To accomplish this, a smart leader considers every aspect of how the group raises revenues as well as spends, and develops a well-considered, thoroughly considered, and evaluated zero-based budget (line item). , per line – item)!
7. Strategic and action planning: It is very important to pay enough time and effort to create the best possible strategic plan! Based on zero-based budgeting, discussed in step 6, this should help you perceive and conceive, create and implement a well-considered action plan that is effective, efficient, relevant and sustainable.
If you want to be the best possible leader, dedicate yourself, to quality, to strategic planning! Are you ready to truly be one of the few leaders?