The Strategic Plan that Died in My Filing Cabinet

Nearly two decades ago, I made a rookie mistake that taught me a valuable lesson about organizational planning.

As a new nonprofit leader, my Board directed me to create a strategic plan under a very tight deadline. Starting my role meant moving my family to a new city, creating an unavoidable delay. "No problem," said the Board chair. "Write it before you get here." Not wanting to start off on the wrong foot, I foolishly accepted the challenge.

The strategic plan I presented was comprehensive, with S.M.A.R.T. goals and visual appeal. Everything seemed reasonable apart from the fact that it hadn’t come from our organization's staff, stakeholders, or key partners. Despite its professional appearance, the plan was destined to fail.

The Board approved it anyway!

I wrongly assumed staff would embrace my ideas, that my timelines were realistic, and that the budget would support everything. Worse, I hadn't recognized that the Board was even more disconnected from daily operations than I was.

That experience taught me that in strategic planning, you have to slow down in order to speed up. Momentum comes from collaborative preparation. Ideas developed with insider input—from staff, clients, and those who truly know your landscape—will move forward. The others simply won't.

Maybe you've experienced it: a strategic, business, or operations plan forgotten by the next quarter.

The Warning Signs Your Plan Is Stalling:

• Team members refer to the plan with air quotes

• Progress meetings keep getting rescheduled

• The goals feel like "extra work" rather than core priorities

• Quarterly reviews show little to no movement on key initiatives

The greatest tragedy isn't a poorly written plan – it's a good plan never implemented. Unused plans breed staff cynicism and erode leadership credibility.

What if there is a better way?

In my years guiding organizational planning across Canada and abroad, successful implementation depends on three factors:

1. Authentic engagement from those who will implement it

2. Practical accountability systems that make progress visible

3. Integration with operational rhythms so strategic work doesn't feel "extra"

   
   

As your guide, I'll help bridge the gap between ambitious planning and practical execution, turning your strategic plan into a roadmap for meaningful progress, not a dust-collecting document.

Schedule a free 30-minute discovery call to discuss how your organization can move from planning to progress.

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P.S. The best strategic plans aren't in pristine binders – they're dog-eared, coffee-stained documents that teams reference constantly. If your plan still looks untouched after six months, we should talk.