What is Strategy? Part IV

Strategy is an integrated explanation of how an organization is going to guide its performance into the future.

In Part IV of “What is Strategy?” we put everything together.  You have chosen your future with your Vision & Strategic Goals, and you have discerned your SWOTs.  Your Strategy answers the question “How do we get from there (your Current Reality) to here (your Ideal Future).”

Here is how you answer that question.

While looking at your goals, take each SWOT item by item.  Ask “What Strategic Action can we take regarding this SWOT to move us toward our goals?”

For each Strength, ask “What Strategic Action can we take to Leverage this Strength and move us toward the goals.

For each Weakness, ask “What Strategic Action can we take to Fortify this Weakness and move us toward the goals.

For each Opportunity, ask “What Strategic Action can we take to Seize this Opportunity and move us toward the goals.

For each Threat, ask “What Strategic Action can we take to Block this Threat and move us toward the goals.

You are now entering the most creative part of the strategy development process.  Crafting the Strategy requires you to look at your lists of Strategic Actions to discern which ones are most important, and which you need to take early on.  You will realize that some Strategic Actions are actually more “strategic” than others.  You need to figure out which Strategic Actions will really move you forward most effectively.

Look for connections between the Strategic Actions and figure out how the sequencing will flow from one to another.  As in chess, every action you take affects the whole board.  You need to weave these various Strategic Actions together to identify your most important Strategic Themes that result in your Strategy Narrative.  A Strategy Narrative is an explanation – or story – of how you are going to Leverage your Strengths, Fortify your Weaknesses, Seize your Opportunities, and Block your Threats to move you forward.

If we were sitting in your office I could work through some examples with you to show you more clearly how this works.  But this is the best I can do in a blog!  There are more examples in the Mission Impact book, of course, and there is an example in my Breakthrough Strategy Workbook which you can download from my web site at no cost.

If you follow the process in these four recent blogs then you can craft a Strategy that makes a Breakthrough Impact in the difference you make for others.  Good luck!

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.

What is Strategy? Part III

Strategy is an integrated explanation of how an organization is going to guide its performance into the future.

In Part III of "What is Strategy?" we consider your current reality.  Once you have identified the future to which you are headed (e.g., Vision, Goals) then the obvious question is “How are we going to get there?”  But don’t start brainstorming just yet.  Before doing this, you need to make sure that you have a clear and accurate understanding of your current reality.  Only in this way will you be able to create a strategy that fully leverages your resources.

SWOT analysis is the most traditional part of strategic planning – and the part most often done poorly.

First, I recommend doing SWOT analysis AFTER an organization has identified the future it wants to pursue.  This is opposite of how SWOTs are usually done.  By doing SWOTs toward the end of the process you allow yourself to follow your dreams and aspirations rather than to be constrained by your environment.  See my blog about how SWOT is “Better Backwards” at this link.

When you do SWOT analysis at this stage, you are asking yourselves “What are the most relevant Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that we need to keep in mind as we pursue our Vision and Strategic Goals?”

Next you have to actually identify the “correct” SWOTs that are most important in getting you to your Vision and Goals.  And that proves to be very challenging for organizations.

Let’s start with the analysis of internal Strengths & Weaknesses.  So often this is not done with much thought or very systematically.  I recommend using an organization assessment tool for this process, such as the VPP/McKinsey OCAT.  It is also important that you have a culture of actually telling the truth to one another about your Weaknesses.  If you don’t have that, then you are going to make strategy errors.

The same goes for an analysis of the external Opportunities & Threats that the organization needs to be aware of.  Organizations need to cast a wide net, collect data, involve stakeholders, and find out what possible Opportunities are out there and what Threats they need to be aware of.

Getting the SWOTs wrong – missing any of the SWOTs – can totally thwart an organization’s strategy development process.  If you do not understand the “hand you have been dealt” then you cannot “play it” effectively.  If you miss the Aces you are holding or, worse, confuse Deuces for Aces, then you are in trouble.  For example, if you think that you have a Strength with a “Board that cares” and you need to raise lots more money, then it may really be a Weakness if this Board does not have access to funds.

Get the SWOTs right and then we will move on to writing an integrated strategy narrative in the next installment.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.

What is Strategy? Part II

Strategy is an integrated explanation of how an organization is going to guide its performance into the future.

In installment #2 of “What is Strategy?” we consider an organization’s future.  If Strategy guides performance “into the future,” then an obvious question is “Where are you going?”

To answer that question, I first suggest that an organization identify its Mission Gap – which is essentially a statement of unmet mission needs.  For example, if your mission was to eliminate illiteracy in your county, then your Mission Gap would be the number of people who are currently not literate.  Click here to learn more about Mission Gap.

Next, ask yourself “What would our organization need to look like ideally in order to close our Mission Gap as effectively as possible?”  This is time to dream!  Dream a Vision of what your organization would look like if you could have it any way you wanted it – with no constraints.  Most visions are incremental and adapt themselves to current reality.  Click here to learn more about aspirational visioning – including my $100 Billion Challenge exercise.

To finish off the “Where are you going?” question it is time to set Strategic Goals.  I recommend setting Strategic Goals five years into the future which inspire you and which you think will catapult your organization toward closing your Mission Gap as effectively as possible.  I encourage organizations to set specific Almost Impossible Goals.  Click here to learn about this powerful way of setting goals that leads to Breakthrough Performance.

Once you have dreamed and are in touch with your highest aspirations for those you serve, then it is time for the next step.  For the next installment we’ll talk about getting clarity on your current reality.  And from there, we will be able to chart the strategic course toward your future.

For more ideas on how you can lead breakthroughs in your organization, follow this blog and check out my web site at www.SheehanNonprofitConsulting.com   You will find free resources you can download, including a Breakthrough Strategy Workbook that you can download at no cost.  You can also check out my book, Mission Impact:  Breakthrough Strategies for Nonprofits, and buy it if you are interested.  And you can follow Sheehan Nonprofit Consulting on Facebook.