Overview of Planning Process Slide 3 Slide 4 The conversation - PDF document

Slide 1 Introduction to Strategic Planning Do not remember the former things, or consider the things of old. I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Isaiah 43.18-19 Slide 2 Overview of Planning Process Slide 3

Slide 4 The conversation enables people Benefits to identify and claim who they are • Gets people talking and thinking about their and what they are to do as a faith identity and purpose community—this brings a • Allows a congregation to identify and claim its own story congregation’s identity into focus • Offers a very diverse group of people a way to negotiate their racial, ethnic, cultural, and It allows a congregation to identify multigenerational differences and claim its own story People of faith need to find new paths and practice new behaviors to make a difference. Offers a very diverse group of people a way to negotiate their racial, ethnic, cultural, and multigenerational differences. About discernment, not perfection.. The process of planning encourages the congregation to discern: What are the congregations’ strengths? What incompleteness does the congregation need to accept? What is strategic planning? Slide 5

Slide 6 The operational definition of Operational Definition: strategic planning is a structured • A structured conversation about what a group conversation about what a group of people believe God calls them to be or do of people believe God calls them to be or do. Slide 7 The three fundamental questions of Three fundamental questions: congregational formation that rest at the heart of congregational planning are: Who are we? This is the identity question . who we currently are and who we have been in the past. - Clear and honest self- knowledge is a mark of personal maturity Slide 8 What has God called us to do ? Three fundamental questions: This is the purpose question - Based on what we know about ourselves and our situation, what do we believe we are called to do? How are we to develop and mature?

Slide 9 Who is our neighbor? Three fundamental questions: This is the contextual question. Where do we live in time and space? Who is our neighbor? Slide 10 Planning doesn’t need to be complicated—simplicity is actually better Slide 11 If the planning program is overcomplicated and overwhelming. gathering too much data or addressing too many questions in search of the perfect congregation can sink a planning team into a swamp of information that overwhelms rather than providing helpful focus.

Slide 12 A common failure in strategic planning is twofold: 1) copying the plans of others. This process simply does not work; no one else’s calling is like ours. This looks good on paper yet proves to be fruitless. Slide 13 2) The plan is never really implemented. Instead, all focus is on the writing a strategic plan document resulting in a new vision and/or mission statement. Too often, the plan as well as the vision/mission statement sits collecting dust on a shelf. The following guidelines will help to ensure the planning process is carried out and implemented completely. If you choose to deviate from these guidelines acknowledge this and manage accordingly. Slide 14 Involve the right people in the Guidelines for successful planning: planning process : • Involve the right people It’s critical that all parts of the congregation are represented and work at exchanging feedback in order to function effectively. Get input from everyone who will be responsible to carry out parts of the plan, along with representatives from groups who will be affected by the plan. Of course, people also should be involved if they will be responsible to review and authorize the plan.

Slide 15 What kind of criteria do we use in selecting the right person for the right job at the right time? Slide 16 Building a Planning Committee Guidelines for successful planning: Size • Involve the right people Ideal size is 5 to 7 persons, • Building a planning committee including the pastor – Size • Ideal 5-7 persons (including pastor) Maximum size is 9 persons, • Max 9 persons (including pastor) including the pastor

Slide 17 People Not to Invite Guidelines for successful planning: People who would slow the • Involve the right people process down (too detail- • Building a planning committee oriented, focused on the – Size • Ideal 5-7 persons (including pastor) past, oppose the pastor, • Max 9 persons (including pastor) – People not to invite have pet projects, inflexible, etc.) Slide 18 People to Invite Guidelines for successful planning: Active in the congregation, • Involve the right people with a voice, flexible, open • Building a planning committee to new possibilities – Size • Ideal 5-7 persons (including pastor) • Max 9 persons (including pastor) – People not to invite – People to invite Slide 19 Who should be the Chairperson? Guidelines for successful planning: Someone from the • Involve the right people congregation who is known and • Building a planning committee respected and listened to – Size • Ideal 5-7 persons (including pastor) • Max 9 persons (including pastor) – People not to invite – People to invite – Who should be the Chairperson?

Slide 20 Communication is key—in multiple Guidelines for successful planning: forms, and frequently, especially as • Communicate, communicate, communicate things change Slide 21 Goals and Objectives Should Be Guidelines for successful planning: SMARTER: • Communicate, communicate, communicate SMARTER is an acronym, that is, a • Goals and objectives should be SMARTER word composed by joining letters from different words in a phrase or set of words. In this case, a SMARTER goal or objective is: Slide 22 Specific: S - Specific A goal that is concrete is easier to visualize and get motivated about. It’s also easier to know when you’ve reached it. “Losing 20 pounds” is more specific than “losing weight.”

Slide 23 Measurable: S – Specific M – Measurable Again, if something can be measured, we know when we are there—20 pounds can be measured, we know when we are halfway there, or have reached the goal. Slide 24 Acceptable: S – Specific M – Measurable But there has to be a buy-in—I A – Acceptable need to be convinced I need to lose 20 pounds. Maybe it’s an intermediate goalpost to losing 50 pounds, or my risk of developing diabetes will drop by some percentage? Slide 25 Realistic: S – Specific M – Measurable Even if I do accept responsibility to A – Acceptable pursue a goal that is specific and R – Realistic measurable, the goal won't be useful to me or others if, for example, the goal is to "Lose 20 pounds in five days".

Slide 26 Time frame: S – Specific M – Measurable It may mean more if I commit to a A – Acceptable realistic goal to "Lose 20 pounds in R – Realistic T – Time frame two months". However, it'll mean more to others (particularly if they are planning to help me or guide me to reach the goal) if I specify that I will exercise 30 minutes five days a week for each of those eight weeks with a goal of losing ten pounds per month Slide 27 Extending: S – Specific M – Measurable The goal should stretch the A – Acceptable performer's capabilities. For R – Realistic T – Time frame example, I am more interested in E – Extending losing that weight in the spring before summer shorts weather (such is vanity!) Slide 28 Rewarding: S – Specific M – Measurable I'm more inclined to lose the weight A – Acceptable if I feel I will be rewarded in some R – Realistic T – Time frame way for losing the weight—better E – Extending health, easier movement, clothes fit R - Rewarding better, etc.

Slide 29 Plans should have built-in Guidelines for successful planning: accountability—who is responsible • Communicate, communicate, communicate for what, with goals and objectives, • Goals and objectives should be SMARTER due dates, etc. Responsibilities • Build in Accountability should be included in policies, procedures, job descriptions, performance reviews, and so on, where appropriate. Slide 30 It's OK to deviate from the plan. Guidelines for successful planning: The plan is not a set of rules. It's • Communicate, communicate, communicate an overall guideline. As important • Goals and objectives should be SMARTER as following the plan is noticing • Build in Accountability • Note Deviations deviations and adjusting the plan accordingly. Slide 31 During the planning process, Guidelines for successful planning: regularly collect feedback from • Communicate, communicate, communicate participants. Do they agree with the • Goals and objectives should be SMARTER planning process? If not, what don't • Build in Accountability • Note Deviations they like and how could it be done • Evaluate Planning Process and Plans better? In large, ongoing planning processes (such as strategic planning, business planning, project planning, etc.), it's critical to collect this kind of feedback regularly. Do this during implementation, too.