Leaders - for an impactful 2023, take this one action

Happy New Year! How is 2023 going so far?

You may be hearing a lot about resolutions, fresh starts, turning the page, finding new directions, continuing on the path, taking a nap for the next few weeks…or doubling down on your efforts.

(Full disclosure, we are guilty of this too – in fact we got ahead of the curve since we sent out our planning template a few weeks ago!)

The choices may feel overwhelming: three-day planning retreat or five-week nap?

Cutting through the noise, here is one action that you can take as a board or staff team that will set you up for an impactful 2023:

Figure out who you are.

Ah, the existential question. This is daunting for many individuals and organizations. However, understanding this is the key to aligning your actions with your values. Knowing who you are is fundamental to any other goal setting or subsequent achievement.

You may be asking: How do we do that?

Notice and acknowledge the best work you are already doing and figure out how to do more of that.

How?

The best way to do this is through

1. Telling stories; and

2. Looking at how funds are flowing through your organization.

Why this combination of stories and funds?

Stories help team members understand one another’s values and perspectives.

A fiscal analysis grounds the process in truth.

Not long ago, we worked with a team who saw themselves as building a healthy, sustainable organization where everyone thrived. This was key to their organizational identity. But when we did a fiscal analysis and staff survey as part of a strategic planning process, we learned that staff members often did not have the time to do their work effectively, including sharing learning across departments. One of the strategies that came out of this process was to do more hiring and reallocate funds so that the organization could enact their values through their organizational structure.

Charting new territory.

Sometimes strategic planning clients struggle to know who they are because they are a new organization.

In this case, we encourage founders to share the reasons that the organization was founded and some areas in which the organization is already having success.

Blown off course.

We have also worked with organizations that have been around for a while, but have “lost the thread” due to changes in their work and offerings.

In these post-pandemic times, many organizations have lost some focus or clarity.

In this case, storytelling and fiscal analysis are critical. Both of these can be used to explore:

—Where did we start?

—How has our work changed?

—What needs are we now seeing that we are responding to, or should respond to?

A recent client, an organization that supports educators, went through this process, learning that community needs had grown significantly due to the challenges of the pandemic, although their funding had not increased much. The subsequent discussion focused on whether they would be able to either expand their funding or focus their efforts – because they could not meet their original obligations without additional resources.

Potentially, you can do this with a trained facilitator or as an internal conversation.

At The Ross Collective, we do the same process that we design for our clients:

We are a consulting firm that designs and leads equitable, inclusive strategic planning processes for nonprofits and funders. Our highest value activities, in terms of serving our community and financial return, are facilitation, speaking and writing - so we’ll continue to focus on those activities in 2023.

A conversation guide:

Below we have listed some questions to guide a conversation to help you figure out who you are.

Take the time to earnestly answer them, because, though this seems to be a short survey, it is the start of self-discovery to kick off the year on the right foot for your organization.

Storytelling

• What part of our work are we feeling most proud of?

• What activities cause our community to rally around us?

• Where are we contributing something needed and unique?

Fiscal Analysis

• How are funds allocated in our organization?

• What are our major areas of revenue generation?

• What budget areas have changed the most over the past few years?

Overall

• What activities have the most financial value?

• What activities have the most value in terms of serving the community?

We look forward to hearing what emerges!

Learn more about nonprofit strategic planning:

1. How to hire a strategic planning consultant that is an excellent fit

2. How much does nonprofit strategic planning cost?

3. Who needs a seat at the table in planning?

4. Planning Questions: Who are we in the context of our community and environment?

5. Planning Questions: What do we do best and feel pulled towards?

6. Planning Questions: Given the questions above, what will we do now?