In my work at One Street as an on-call coach for leaders of nonprofit
bicycle organizations, I often hear frustration from jumping between unrelated
tasks. Each day, these nonprofit leaders find themselves running after new opportunities
and never get the chance to carry anything through.
In the morning, they might start on a new grant proposal
that shifts their work into the grantor’s expectations then have to dash across
town to have lunch with a potential partner who wants them to add a children’s
bike safety program to their work. Once they get back to the office, they have
to return calls and emails from enthusiastic people wanting them to improve
particular streets for bicycling or needing their help responding to a car/bike
crash. By the time they leave for the day, they’ve accomplished nothing.
Frustrating days like these turning into months, and even
years, become a recipe for burnout and are often the reason that talented
leaders leave their organizations.
Whenever I hear stories of frustration like this, my first
question is whether they have an annual plan, also known as a work plan and
budget. Most often, the answer is no. Without an annual plan that clarifies
exactly what the organization needs to accomplish that year, with no more than
three defined categories of programs, leaders and staff will be scattered just
like the scenario about. But with an annual plan, they can filter out
inappropriate grants and guide donors and supporters to help with their current
efforts instead of diverting them.
In Cures
for Ailing Organizations, I devote a section to annual planning because
of its high importance. Here’s how I start that section:
“Planning is the most important
responsibility for you and your fellow leaders because no one else will do it.
Without a plan, you will waste enormous amounts of time and money dabbling in
random activities and will likely lose many potential leaders and helpers along
the way. No one stays around long without an effective plan.
There are two types of planning
you as leaders have to engage in: long-term planning and annual planning.
Briefly, long-term planning creates a clear picture well into the future,
including what your community will look like after your work is done. Your
mission statement drives all of it. You will read more about long-term planning
later.
Annual planning, as the name
implies, takes place every year and maps out specific activities toward your
long-term goals. Near the end of each year at a special meeting, at least half
a day long, you and your fellow leaders will examine your expectations for the past
year compared to what actually happened. Using this reality check, you will
work together to develop your work plan and budget for the coming year.
Reference your long-term plan to ensure that the details you outline for the
year will follow the shortest and most effective path toward your mission and general
goals…”
Sue
