Anyone who has been in northeastern Massachusetts during the past week, or seen news footage of the devastating flooding in many areas, was reminded that all plans are subject to change. Tuesday night I humbly watched with fellow residents as the Ipswich River cascaded down our main streets. One hearty New Englander shook his head and said "What can you do? You just have to wait it out and then move on."

Even the best planners probably did not anticipate over 12 inches of rain this past weekend, but the best planners will adjust their plans accordingly and move forward. This issue of In the Know discusses ways to develop dynamic plans that incorporate the expected and respond to the unexpected.

Sincerely,

Tracy Filosa

The first definition of the word plan in the Oxford English Reference Dictionary is "a formulated and especially detailed method by which a thing is to be done; a design or scheme." I prefer the second definition: "an intention or proposed proceeding", because it acknowledges that even the most detailed designs are only proposals. For this same reason, I prefer to work with dynamic planning tools that analyze various scenarios and allow for shifting variables. Printed, final reports that emanate from planning efforts are recommendations specific to a particular point in time. Planning must be an ongoing effort, not a project that is considered complete when placed on the shelf after a final presentation. Things change.

Here are some strategies to develop a successful, ongoing planning effort:

Planning exercise, not a report
When you kick off a planning project prepare the stakeholders for a process, not a static outcome. Participants should be engaged and ready to investigate possibilities, not waiting for answers to be delivered in a final report. The planning exercise is as valuable to your organization as the proposed next steps. It fosters informed dialogue and prepares people to make decisions in a changing environment.

A tool to frame discussions
It would be nice if you could enter all kinds of organizational statistics into a box, press a button and receive a plan that will work. But even the most sophisticated financial planning model is a tool, not a soothsayer. Planning is an activity that requires engagement, thought and consideration of multiple options. There is no right answer, and - as mentioned above - things change. So, the most effective plans utilize tools that help you understand the impact of various decisions and consider their pros and cons..

Data should be repeatable
Since planning is an ongoing effort, you want to be able to update the data your plan is based upon each fiscal year and budget cycle. Ground your planning in data and reports that you will be able to retrieve in the future, not just one point in time. Ideally reports can be generated directly from the financial system or another administrative system. If data retrieval is too time consuming and complicated, your efforts might become obsolete, because it is too difficult to keep the plan current.

Leadership commitment
Leaders need to be committed to the future and make time for the work of planning. They need to model a habit of looking ahead. If leaders encourage staff to organize information, analyze current performance and consider the impact on future results, then planning will become part of the institutional culture. Planning will be a priority, which is conducted in the ordinary course of business; creating an agile organization that is prepared for the expected and can adapt to the unexpected. After all, the only constant is change.

Often day to day demands overshadow the needs of the future, so organizations put off planning and focus on the immediate. It can be overwhelming to launch a comprehensive, institution-wide long-range project, but ignoring the future can be catastrophic.

Some planning is better than none. Start with smaller projects and work up to a more comprehensive view. Choose one management topic facing your organization such as tuition pricing, fundraising or project financing strategies. These types of immediate business decisions provide opportunities to assess current performance and future impact. A pilot planning project provides on opening to engage the community and learn about how different stakeholders think about your organization's future. A pilot can inform other areas and be integrated with more extensive efforts in the future.

About TAF

TAF CONSULTING develops planning tools, financial reports and training programs for colleges, universities, independent schools and nonprofits.

TAF participates in a range of business projects at schools and other nonprofits including: strategic planning, management reporting, policy and procedure documentation and faculty and staff training.

Contact TAF or visit our website to learn more about our work and to read previous editions of In the Know.