“We are going to keep seeing patients. Today, that’s our job. To just keep seeing patients.”
A CEO of a large mental health organization said this to me recently regarding how they are navigating the uncertain federal and state funding waters right now.
She mentioned this as we are launching a strategic planning process with her staff and board.
But one might wonder how can any organization create a strategic plan if they don’t know which end is up right now?
It’s a great question.
Some non-profits don’t know what their budgets will be from one day to the next. Others are developing contingency plans, but still not certain how they will respond to substantial cuts that may emerge. Many board and staff leaders are expressing anxiety about what the future will hold.
So what does being strategic look like in shifting sands?
The good news: Strategy is not just about long-range planning.
Strategy is not just about looking into the horizon and building a big vision for the future.
Sometimes, strategy is about getting your house in order to prepare for a bigger vision down the road. Sometimes, it can mean rebuilding after significant organizational restructure. Or sometimes, it can mean simply asking, How do we organize ourselves right now to get to the outcomes we want?
Even if we don’t have all the information or answers we need to develop a comprehensive plan for the future, there are still dialogues we can have and questions to consider in order to ensure we are thinking as strategically as possible.
For example:
- What is our next right move, knowing what we do know today?
- What short-term goals can we work on for the next 3-6 months?
- What values or principles do we need to stick to, no matter what?
- What does it look like to care for our people through challenging times?
- What if our most important strategy is flexibility? What does that point to in terms of giving us the greatest number of options going forward?
- What haven’t we considered as far as how our mission might evolve from here?
The only certain thing is that the path forward is likely to be uncertain.
These times remind me of that 1970 claymation movie “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.” Just like the song said, “There is a good tail wind blowin.”
And that tail wind is blowing many non-profits and their communities around.
But just like Kris Kringle taught the Winter Warlock how to navigate his own change, we need to: “Just put one foot in front of the other.”
Like another inspiring character Dory in the great animated movie Finding Nemo, we need to “just keep swimming.”
Doing what is in front of us.
This is how many non-profits made it through COVID and the last five years—doing the next right thing, taking it one day at a time. Opening our minds to new questions and possibilities.
And in many cases, by doing this, organizations emerged stronger and more powerfully than ever before.
Strategic thinking is more than just having a plan – it's about seeing the bigger picture and positioning your organization for long-term success. This month, we'll explore how thinking strategically can transform your organization's future, providing you with practical tools for lasting impact.
