Common Mistakes Organizations Make in Strategic Planning

If you're the leader of a nonprofit organization, you no doubt face a constant barrage of demands and opportunities. And the more successful your organization becomes, the more demands you need to field. For example, your clients want you to provide more or different services; other groups ask you to partner with them; staff members suggest new program ideas and priorities. As a result, you are flooded with new possibilities, and at the same time, you have your own ideas for opportunities to create and seek out.    Although this is an excellent problem, you can't do it all—and it can be challenging to consider all the options. So how do you decide which opportunities deserve the valuable time of your staff, board, and volunteers?   This is where strategic planning comes in. A strategic plan enables an organization to function from an intentional and active place rather than a reactive one. It streamlines decision-making and acts as a road map for realizing the organization's vision.    I witnessed the benefits of strategic planning for nonprofits constantly while delivering training for several nonprofits on team building. Yet, I am always amazed at the sector's general fear of nonprofit strategic planning. I get it; strategic planning has traditionally been done so badly that many have given up on the idea. But that's a mistake.   You are just spinning your wheels without a long-term strategy for what your nonprofit is trying to accomplish and how you will marshal people and money to reach it.   Rather than be feared, I invite you to see it from a different perspective. In this Podcast episode, we will discuss the common mistakes when preparing a nonprofit strategic plan.    I can assure you that the time we spent doing strategic planning will contribute to your success story. Betina Meyer Pflug is an entrepreneur, a business and life coach, a marketing and CRM specialist with a passion for supporting nonprofit professionals. She has a degree in hotel management, received her MBA from Rotman School in Canada, and has completed three different coaching certifications, including a specialization in facilitating nonprofits, life coaching, and biopsychology to promote positive mental attitudes for mental and physical wellbeing. If you want to know more about her work, visit the website https://wity.tech/nonprofits/ and schedule a quick call if you are interested in having a mentor. How to contact Betina Pflug? Send us an email at [email protected] www.wity.tech https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCecY-EZfztdnHutFJ70Teqw https://www.facebook.com/wity.coaching https://www.instagram.com/wity.coaching/ https://twitter.com/witycoaching https://www.linkedin.com/in/betinapflug/   How to contact Carl Hamilton? Use her contact form on her website  www.gracesocialsector.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-hamilton-0052b71/ Free resources: http://www.gracesocialsector.com/resources.html Podcast Mission: Impact Podcast - http://www.gracesocialsector.com/missionimpact Download a free resource on strategic planning: http://www.gracesocialsector.com/store/p13/strategic_plan_mistakes.html