166: This Could Have Been An Email | What Is Nonprofit Strategic Planning? with R. Perry Monastero

Your nonprofit hosted its first ever strategic planning retreat… and it was a complete disaster. So, what do you do now?? I'm joined by R. Perry Monastero, owner of RPM Consulting Group, to dig into a listener question that had us both saying "oof" out loud. A brand new board member sat through a nightmare retreat full of college-style exercises and definition debates. They want to help the board get back on track, but they don't want to step on toes as the newest person in the room. Real Listener Question: "We had our first ever strategic planning retreat, and it was a NIGHTMARE. We came up with words like 'diversity' and 'integrity' and sat around debating definitions for the entire retreat. Afterwards, the ED and president drafted a new mission statement and emailed it to the board with a litany of questions. I want to help us get back on track. What do I do?" Perry and I break down what strategic planning actually is, why this retreat probably wasn't really strategic planning at all, and how a new board member can navigate the situation gracefully. What You'll Learn: What real nonprofit strategic planning looks like versus what a lot of orgs end up doing Why a retreat without a facilitator is often a setup for disengagement Why "this could have been an email" is the millennial response to bad governance How to ask great questions as a new board member without ruffling feathers Why you don't have to do a deep-dive strategic plan every single time When to bring in outside expertise and where to find reliable nonprofit resources Bottom line: You wouldn't have your best friend clean your teeth instead of a dentist. So why would you skip professional support for one of the most important conversations your nonprofit will have? Resources from this Episode R. Perry Monastero / RPM Consulting Group: https://rpmcg.com BoardSource: https://boardsource.org National Council of Nonprofits: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org Standards for Excellence Institute: https://standardsforexcellence.org Episode Transcript: https://birkenlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/CT166_Transcript.pdf Connect with Us Jess Birken: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessbirken/ R. Perry Monastero: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perrymonastero/ Listen & Engage Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon Music Rate & Review on Apple Podcasts: Click "Ratings and Reviews" then "Write a Review" Send us your nonprofit questions: https://birkenlaw.com/podcast/#podcast-story   Stay Connected Sign up for the Birken Law Email list: https://birkenlaw.com/signup/   Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter