CEO Blog: Strategic Planning

The first element of strategic planning is a mission statement: “Here’s why we exist.” That might sound simple. It often isn’t. In my first six months with the ATA, I’ve heard many unique takes on our mission from all sorts of folks – all of whom are passionate about the ATA and our industry. That’s not unusual. It’s common to hear differing opinions on who an organization should be. I saw that in my previous work and with former clients. An organization that recognizes it must define that mission is on the right track.

Once we agree on who we are, we must define where we want to go. Often, this is the Big Hairy Audacious Goal. The vision statement that emerges can be the team’s rallying cry. It also acts as a long-range bull’s-eye we’ll target the next several years. If we pound X’s all those years, we’ll be a great organization accomplishing lofty goals!

To achieve that goal the right way, we must mutually define our core values. How do our members expect us to do our business? Beyond keeping us on track, those well-defined values can give our staff a little more autonomy. If a team member identifies an opportunity to do something new, and it serves our mission and vision while adhering to the way we expect them to do business, it’s likely they can just go do it! With solid expectations in place, we can go a whole lot further a whole lot faster.

With those tools defined, we’ll build a couple of strategic plans. A one-year plan will guide us right out of the gate. The Board and staff will know what’s expected, and how to measure success. If something new surfaces, we can check it against all of the above. If it fits, it’s wise to try moving it forward – quickly. If it doesn’t fit, we have an opportunity to see whether we should consider it at all.