Strategic Planning II
Yesterday I shared kind of the foundation for strategic planning. I think of this in terms of church, but it’s the same process for anything – a business, your life, personal finances, or your marriage. I shared about needing to first know your core values, mission, and vision. Only then can you really ask the how question that strategic planning answers.
When you’re there, and ready to start planning, here are some questions that help developing the strategy:
- Whom are we trying to reach? (This is huge! For instance, a lot of churches try to copy the strategic plan of another church, but don’t realize that they’re not trying to reach the same people. That people in Iowa are different from those in Atlanta, and those differences can change your strategy.)
- What are we attempting to do for/with them? (Understanding the core of your “business” is critical. Too often we fall in love and commit to methods, rather than to the mission. Like, for a church, what you’re attempting to do isn’t a Sunday morning service or small groups – that’s your method. What you’re attempting to do is help people become committed followers of Jesus.)
- Who will do this for them? (This is about your team. Who do you need to turn the vision into reality?)
- Where will this take place? (What facilities do you need to accomplish the mission? How can you make those facilities best work for you?)
- How much will it cost? (What resources are necessary? How much will it cost to get those resources? How will you make that happen?)