What should we do? How can we deal with the budget crunch? Where can we find new opportunities? Who else is going to cut us? Likely these are among the questions you have asked yourself in the last while. And unfortunately, we are still in uncertain times for who knows how long.
While senior leaders share a lot of the same questions, most also have experienced tough times before. We understand that nearly everything comes in cycles – from good times to bad times to the good again. It’s that way in our professional and personal lives, and we typically meet the challenges, don’t we? We do that by making tough choices while seeking new and different ways to strengthen our organizations and keep moving forward.
Is this the time to think about strategy?
Now may be the time to ensure sufficient time and energy are spent on strategy and innovation. It’s hard, I know. I have been a CEO of a social service agency and consulted to many that were facing difficult times. Funding cuts, decreased fundraising results, and uncertain tomorrows have preoccupied my thinking, too, as a senior leader in the non profit sector. But I have found and I am sure you have, that even during the bad times, there are organizations that succeed, that grow, that somehow are able to create and act on opportunities.
You know as well as I do that during hard times, funders seek out organizations that offer new or innovative approaches to producing results. They want to ensure their shrinking pot of money is honed in on top quality organizations producing demonstrable results in ways that are optimally efficient.
While funders tend to narrow their focus or scope during downturns, often they increase their willingness to forge new or changed partnerships that mutually benefit all concerned, especially the most important stakeholder: your clients.
Maybe we can help
Given this environment, is it the right time to think about your strategic framework, your vision, your opportunities for change? If so, give a thought in our direction. Over the years, I have worked with many non profits (social service, health, educational, religious) as well as government entities to not only faciliate the development of strategies and plans, but also to support CEOs in the change-making that typically accompanies a plan’s implementation.
If this isn’t the right time or you have the benefit of in house people to help you, I encourage you to take a look at some new postings (below) on the 24reasons blog about visioning, mission, and why planning goes wrong. At the very least, I hope what you find there offers you some assistance and support.
Best as always to you and your organization
Mark Holmgren
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