There are numerous reasons to engage in a strategic planning process, but only one reason not to; and that is if the plan turns into a cumbersome process and document that provides little strategic direction for the organization and is ultimately ignored.
It is Summit’s goal to assist our clients avoid that trap and develop a dynamic strategic plan and process that will continue to serve your needs for several years into the future.
According to the NHPCO manual on hospice operations a well-constructed strategic planning process provides direction for the organization, establishes priorities, and generates support from those who are necessary for successful results.
It facilitates thinking strategically and shaping the future rather than merely reacting to it.
One of its chief values is the process itself, in that it is a structured, systematic way of involving a number of people in thinking about the future.
A well-formulated plan conveys the mission, vision, and program goals of the organization that inspire people to work hard and give generously of their time and their recourses.
In recent years, we have noticed that our strategic planning clients have less time to commit to the planning process than what was once the case.
Staff is challenged by an increasing array of demanding issues, and board members are torn between wanting to participate thoroughly, but also having to respond to the demands of their own jobs and families.
To respond to this organizational juggling act Summit has devised a four-part planning process that is thorough, data dependent and respectful of the commitment that developing a strategic plan can place on a hospice’s human and economic resources.
We will ask the hospice to provide certain data related to program, patient statistics, financial performance and human resources.
We will also provide a Hospice Market Atlas™ for the most recent year available, and a national and state cost report comparative analysis.
This data provides these consultants and the planning participants with a basic and equal understanding of the hospice’s performance.
One or more Summit consultants will be on site for up to three days interviewing board members, hospice staff, and community leaders.
Additionally we will interview other providers and referral sources including hospital and nursing home administrators, physicians and discharge planners.
The results of these interviews, together with the data from Part One form the basis of identifying the organization’s strengths and challenges, opportunities and weaknesses as well as the expectations of the various stakeholders.
The term, “planning retreat” can conjure up in people’s minds long weekends at a distant resort in the mountains or along the shore line where hours are spent talking about “what we should do in the future” broken up by meals, and organized activities.
We’re sure such opportunities for strategic planning still exist and we are not trying to disparage the value of such opportunities, but more often than not our challenge has been to find board members and executives who are willing to commit a few hours to the planning process, not days.
Consequently, we suggest an evening meeting followed by a six-hour retreat of board members and senior managers.
The evening meeting often starts with a reception and/or dinner followed by a review of the data that Summit has pulled together about the hospice.
The next day, we facilitate a planning process that uses the data our interview responses to create a series of priorities for the hospice, usually over the next three years.
We also identify certain 3-year strategies to advance the priorities of the hospice.
These retreats are generally very well focused, with little opportunity for lengthy, off topic discussions.
We also do not engage in so-called “team building activities,” not because we do not appreciate their value, but because there simply isn’t time.
Developing trust in fellow participants and approaching the task with a certain level of honesty and respect for the process and others is an expectation of the process.
Nevertheless, if management identifies team building opportunities as critical to the planning process and its likely success we are more than capable of adding this dimension to the model and would be pleased to do so.
The final part of Summit’s planning process is the development of annual objectives that move forward the strategies of the plan and eventually the organization’s priorities or goals.
Generally, we consider the development of annual objectives to be the responsibility of the executive and senior management, working with other members of the staff.
Generally, we will assist the staff in developing the first year’s annual objectives, and completing the development of the strategic plan.
We provide the report in a bound copy as well as in a CD-ROM for ease of sharing and updating.
One of the hallmarks of a Summit facilitated strategic plan is that every goal, strategy and objective has somebody assigned to be responsible for that part of the plan and to answer at least quarterly the question, “what progress has been made?” A successful plan requires this kind of regular monitoring and a commitment to review and revise the plan as goals and strategies are achieved and as the environment changes.
