Elements Of Strategic Plan

Second in a Two-Part Series

Strategic Plan
by Nancy D. Olsen and Howard W. Olsen, Ph.D. DO YOU KNOW where your church is going? What will your church be like in three years? Will you be a few steps closer to realizing your vision? If you do not change anything, will the future be any different than the past? One sure-fire way to impact your church’s future is to dust off an old tool—theStrategic Plan. No one strategic model fits all organizations, but the planning process includes certain basic elements that all churches can use to explore their vision, goals, and next steps of an effective strategic plan. WHY DO A STRATEGIC PLAN? Strategic planning is a process that helps focus on aligning the unique gifts and resources that God has given your organization to take advantage of youropportunities. Scripture says, “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity” (Ephesians 5:15–16). As you do the planning, let God do the directing. For the Christian, this is not simply projection-based planning but the realization that through prayer and obedience you can be a catalyst to help bring about a future that is in alignment withGod’s will. Through prayer, the framework for a plan can be established. We do the planning, but God does the directing. WHAT IS STRATEGIC PLANNING? Simply put, a strategic plan is the formalized road map that describes how your organization executes the chosen strategy.
22 NACBA Ledger Winter 2009

Elements of a
A plan spells out where an organization is going over the next year or more and how itis going to get there. A strategic plan is a management tool that serves the purpose of helping an organization do a better job, and it improves organizations because a plan focuses the energy, resources, and time of everyone in the organization in the same direction. Strategic planning does not have to be mysterious, complicated, or time-consuming. In fact, it should be quick, simple, and easilyexecuted. Additionally, strategic planning is not just something you cross off your list of “to-dos”—you must create a culture of strategic thinking, so your strategic planning does not become an annual retreat but, instead, a part of daily decision making. A good strategic plan achieves the following:

and vision? goals?

This is probably the most widely debated part of strategic planning.Every person you ask will provide a different answer. Ignore the semantics and focus on establishing a framework. What matters is having a combination of long-term and short-term markers to keep your church moving in the right direction. Think of the elements of a typical strategic plan in the hierarchy as outlined in Figure 1: —To define the organization’s purpose. Why do we exist? —To clarify whatyou stand for and believe in. —To assess the particular strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that are strategically important to your church. (SWOT is a filtering tool to assess where you are now.) —To define what you do best. What do you do best? —To explain where you are headed. Where do we want to be in five years? —How will you get to your vision? What is the route you will take?for achieving success. making. focused and pulling in the same direction. and a part of daily decision making. WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A STRATEGIC PLAN? There are several different components or pieces in a strategic plan. The typical questions people have relating to the elements are the following:

Elements of Your Strategy

Figure 1

Mission/Core Purpose The underlying “why” you areclimbing the mountain, why do you exist? Core Values/Beliefs Enduring core beliefs to adhere to no matter what mountain you climb. Vision (5–10 year) The specific mountain you are currently trying to climb – the “where.” Organization-Wide Strategies The route you intend to take and the general methods you intend to use to reach the top of that specific mountain. Strategic Objectives/Priorities (3–5...