Just as the popular television show series "CSI" has sparked an interest in the science of forensics, attending this workshop on strategic and business planning can provide the DNA and investigative tools one needs to implement a successful strategic and business planning process.
Every organization, from the smallest to the largest, needs to make decisions about what it can or cannot do, where it wants to go (the future), and how it’s going to get there. Healthcare and public health organizations in particular, are experiencing increased competition for attention (by the media or policy makers), funds and other needed resources, such as volunteers. Having the most effective strategic approach to setting organizational priorities, therefore, will bring success. This success, in turn, means the organization will enhance the lives of the people we serve and make an even bigger impact on how society views public health and social services.
Steve Notaro, Ph.D., MAPA, CAWA and Nancy McKenney, MNPL, CAWA saw a need to develop this workshop. "In my career in healthcare and not-for-profits, I have witnessed that organizations that plan strategically for their future are more successful, raise more funds, and are more able to adapt to a changing environment", states Notaro. The question then arises; why don’t more organizations put more effort into planning? Notaro has found the answer may be very simple, "It appears that most professionals simply are not sure how to plan for the now and for the future".
This planning seminar provides attendees the key tools to revitalize their agency’s planning efforts. "A key ingredient to successful planning is that the leaders of organizations must have a clear vision of the future of the future and a real passion for getting there. But how does a leader create a shared vision of the future that the board, staff, volunteers, and supporters all endorse? How does a leader prepare an organization for the planning process? And how does a leader use a strategic plan to move an organization to new heights in the face of a chaotic and changing environment? When there is disagreement on these questions many organizations simply give up on their planning efforts. However, this is the time when organizations most need to plan. An executive or board chair, with the right knowledge can move beyond these problems," Notaro explains.
This session includes the basics of how to write good goals and objective statements and discuss the higher level steps to incorporating the plan and strategic thinking into the organization. Worksheets will provide attendees the opportunity to learn how to draft these statements and serve as a guide to take back to their organizations.