By: Judy Whalen, IOM

Smart organizations use strategic planning because it helps them:

1.    Get where they want to be. Smart organizations know that to be successful, they need to have a clearunderstanding of their current status (where they are now), a vivid vision of where they want to be, a plan for how they will reach their vision and methods to measure their progress.  Strategic planning provides the road map that guides them on the journey to their success.

To achieve success in your organization you need to produce the desired outcomes in the most efficient and cost-effective manner. Leveraging the innate strengths, talents and interaction of your human resource - the people in your organization is the key to your success. Businesses ARE people. Nonprofit organizations ARE people. Families ARE people. Being able to maximize the strengths of your human resource asset is absolutely essential, especially in this economic climate.

Are You Maximizing Innate Strengths

• Do you know the innate strengths of your leadership team? Your Employees?

• Is your leadership team a high performing team?

• Do you have the right people in the right jobs?

• Do your team members communicate effectively?

• Do your managers spend time settling disputes and conflicts rather than being able to focus on productive work?

• Does your Board interact effectively and utilize each member's strengths?

• Do miscommunications or lack of communications reduce productivity?