Strategic Planning The Path to the Future 1

Strategic Planning The Path to the Future 1

Why do we need a plan? • Provides a direction for all to follow. • Provides certainty and consistency for staff, board, patrons, funders. • Is a leadership document. • Provides continuous focus to all. • A plan provides guidance to the current and future boards and staff. • It is the blueprint for the goals and objectives of the library. 2

Where do we want to go? 3

Or? 4

Where do we go, and how do we get there? “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? ” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to, ” said the cat. “ I don’t much care where, ” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go, ” said the cat. From Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol 5

Who Should be Involved? • • • Board Staff Patrons Friends of the Library Funders 6

How often should the plan be done? • If you don’t have one, immediately. • If you do have one, review it annually. • Make your new plan at the end of the time period for your current plan. • And don’t forget, your plan is a living document. 7

The Process • Conduct a SWOT analysis – Strengths – Weaknesses – Opportunities – Threats • • Review the vision and mission of your library. Set key strategic goals for the next 3 -5 years. Set strategic objectives for these goals. Develop tactical plans for each objective. 8

The Vision • Vision – A written statement that reveals “What we want to become. ” • A possible and desirable future state of an organization that includes specific goals. • Should be short, preferably one sentence. • Let’s quickly do up a vision statement for a generic library… 9

The Mission Statement • Mission – An enduring statement of purpose that distinguishes one organization from other similar organizations. – A mission statement reveals what an organization offers, to whom and in what way. – The statement addresses the basic question that faces all organizations: “What is our business? ” – It is a declaration of an organization’s reason for being. • Let’s quickly do up a mission statement for our library… 10

Goals • Strategic Goals – A statement defining how we will make the mission statement real. – Let’s try to define three strategic goals for the library. • Keep your goals from 3 -5. • Let’s set one goal for our library… 11

10 Rules of Goal Setting 1. Decide – Every decision you make affects what you become and starts you on a path to a destination. 2. Focus – A goal becomes a magnet pulling you towards it. The more focused you are, the more power you generate 12

10 Rules of Goal Setting Plan – Strategize how you’ll attain the goal. Planning also helps you to deal with roadblocks. 4. Talk – Tell people about your goal. Welcome feedback, suggestions and criticisms. This provides a level of accountability. 13

10 Rules of Goal Setting Write it down – Goals not written down are forgotten. 6. Act – You must act or a goal becomes a series of postponements, delays and missed opportunities. 7. Remain flexible – Change the goal if needed 14

10 Rules of Goal Setting Use Positive Talk – Use “ We will” or “ We can” to bolster confidence. 9. Measure – What gets measured gets done. 10. Celebrate – Recognizing achievements guarantees repeat performance. 15

Determining the Right Goals • Goals are the bridge to realizing the vision of the business. • They clearly articulate the key results required after a specific period of time. • There are short term ( less than 3 years) and long term (greater than 3 years) goals 16

Determining the Right Goal • Goals must be SMART – Specific • What are you going to do and how? • What is the expected outcome? • How will you know when you’ve reached your goal? – Measurable • How can the outcome be graded or evaluated? 17

Determining the Right Goal • Actionable – Take steps to complete the goal – Define action items • Realistic – Set goals that are within your capabilities and promote your vision – Don’t try to achieve too many goals at once 18

Determining the Right Goals • Timed – How long will it take to achieve the goals? – What is the target date? – How much time will I spend working on these goals? 19

The Right Goals • • • Specific Measureable Actionable Realistic Timed 20

The Plan • Strategic Objectives – Measurable targets for achieving Strategic Goals – Must also be: • • • Simple Measurable Attainable Realistic Timed 21

The Plan • Tactical Plan – Specific actions needed to meet Strategic Objectives – Must include: • • Timeline Accountability Mechanism for Support Mechanism for evaluation 22

Objectives • Strategic Objectives – Measurable targets for achieving Strategic Goals – Must be: • • Simple Measurable Attainable Realistic • Keep the number of objectives to 3 for each goal. • Let’s set one objective for our goal… 23

Work Plans • Tactical Plan – Specific actions needed to meet Strategic Objectives – Must include: • • Timeline Accountability Mechanism for Support Mechanism for evaluation • Keep work plan items to 3 for each objective. • Let’s set one work plan item for our objective… 24

And remember… • It’s not always about reaching the summit; it’s also about the climb. 25

And one more thought… • Change thinking; change the action. 26

And some more thoughts… • Improvement is not mandatory… but then neither is survival. —Deming • Anything worth doing well… is worth doing slowly. —West • Rowing is the only activity where you can sit on your backside, look backwards, and still make progress… • How many board members does it take to change the board? Only one, but the board has to want to change… 27

And Don’t Forget • “ Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It’s the person who gets out of the shower, dries off, and does something about it that makes a difference. ” 28

The Final Step • Set a date for your strategic planning workshop for your library. • It will only be as complicated as you make it. 29