Articles
Strategy
January 16, 2023
Why Staying ON Mission May Not Keep You IN Your Lane
One of the challenges in strategy development is that there are no fixed definitions of the fundamental concepts of strategy. Consequently, key terms are used interchangeably (or worse, randomly), thereby draining them of their value in shaping strategic thinking. For the purposes of this article, let’s agree on a vocabulary for the fundamental elements of […]
November 29, 2022
“You Are Here…For Now”: The Changing Focus of Nonprofit Strategy
Michael E. Stone, Ph.D., Stone Consulting (This article is based on the author’s latest book, “Nonprofit Strategy: A Phase-Based Approach to Relevance, Impact, and Sustainability”). There is one lesson about nonprofit strategy that stands above all others: there is no there. That is, there is not a point at which a nonprofit can say, “we […]
November 14, 2022
A Better Mousetrap? How About Better Strategy!
Build a better mousetrap, the saying goes, and the world will beat a path to your door. Perhaps, if what the world needs is to catch mice. But the best mousetrap in the world is of no value if what the world needs is a better way to trap bears. We have a mousetrap problem […]
July 13, 2022
Are We as SMART as We Think We Are?
Who doesn’t like a pithy mnemonic to help remember important concepts? The kiss principle reminds us that simple is always better than complicated, while the fictitious Roy G. Biv helps us remember the colors of the light spectrum. One enduring mnemonic in my domain as a nonprofit strategist is the SMART goal. Although there is […]
February 20, 2022
Let’s Get Philosophical…About Strategy
If the title of this article took you back to Olivia Newton John getting physical in her leggings and head band…well, that is on you. What I am offering is something a little deeper for you to consider. To paraphrase the philosopher-theologian Soren Kierkegaard, life must be lived forward but can only be understood backwards. […]
January 11, 2022
Stating the Obvious is Not Strategic
Recently, I read a strategic plan from a nonprofit that was built around the following four strategic imperatives: Increase awareness of your organization through a comprehensive marketing plan. Ensure fiscal sustainability by diversifying revenue sources. Strengthen community and partner relationships. Enhance impact by expanding the range of services offered. My question to the nonprofit – […]
September 08, 2021
Strategy and the “Rule of Three”
The rule of three may be the most prevalent phenomenon that you didn’t even know was a thing. Basically, things that come in threes are believed to be funnier, more memorable, and more satisfying than any other number. Marketers employ the rule regularly as do comic writers (the next time you a watch a sitcom, […]
August 26, 2021
When is it Time for A New Strategic Plan?
Imagine this exchange between a nonprofit CEO and a strategy consultant: CEO: “We need a strategic plan.” Consultant: “Why do you need one now?” CEO: “Because our current one expires at the end of the year.” Let’s unpack this. First, strategy does not come with an expiration date. Nor is progress toward a strategic vision […]
August 11, 2021
“Don’t Just Do Something…”
There is a conundrum of sorts surrounding strategic planning; First, nonprofits need to be strategic. Second, organizational planning is important. And yet, strategic planning is ineffective for many nonprofits. Why is this so? I argue that it is because most strategic plans lack a mechanism for categorizing and sorting the various activities that will move […]
July 20, 2021
Strategy as Governance
“Tell me and I will forget. Teach me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand.” Typically, board training focuses on the first two parts of this ancient wisdom. We tell board members what they should do, which they are likely to forget. Or we teach them best practices that they are likely […]
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