A Multi-Part Series: Part 1 - An Analysis of the Virginia Tech Crisis — Observations and Recommendations

The deadliest campus shooting in U.S. history occurred this past April.

Students, faculty and staff at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University watched in horror and disbelief on April 16^th as Seung Hui Cho murdered 32 students and faculty members and wounded 25 others before killing himself. The tragedy occurred five days short of the anniversary of the massacre at Columbine High School, previously the largest massacre on a campus.

The media and public response was extensive. What made the Virginia Tech’s Public Relations Director’s job even more challenging was that the majority of the students were killed and wounded two hours after Hui Cho had killed two other people on campus.

When a crisis such as the one at Virginia Tech occurs, at the time of the crisis and during it is not the time to be thinking about a crisis plan. During such events a well-thought-out, resilient and flexible plan is critical to survive. Communications must be quick and through multiple channels, and as we will see the channels of communications vary form organization to organization.

I have been asked by numerous colleagues to provide my insights on what went right and what went wrong at Virginia Tech that day because of my background in crisis management.

However, until now I have held back my opinion because I felt that school officials and the task force set up to review the incident deserved time to do a thorough analysis of the entire situation without doing so as many pundits have. Therefore, I chose to not comment during the crisis or immediate following it, although many of my colleagues opted to comment and I respect their decision.

Now, that the task force has completed its work and the media piranhas have moved on to other fodder, I am providing these insights to my colleagues and clients. Hopefully, you will read some thoughts here that may challenge you to review and revamp your own crisis plan.

“Feeding the Bears”

Virginia Tech attempted to be transparent and open by having a number of press briefings as the event unfolded.

In fact within hours after the shootings a press briefing attended to by President Charles Steger was held. He addressed, quite capably in most cases, what information he could in a straightforward yet still quite vulnerable manner.

It must be remembered that the President, and everyone on the campus, was dealing with their own personal reaction to this tragedy and that always complicates how well a crisis can be handled.

The university’s communication team, led by Larry G. Hincker, the chief spokesperson attempted to maintain transparency hoping to leave little room for speculation and rumor.

Yet, when you rely on a QA format (never good when you don’t have confirmed information, or new information) for your press briefings, as opposed to simply making a confirming statement about facts, or providing time lines and informational handouts, you expose yourself to criticism from the media, the public and other stakeholders.

Remember you have to “Feed the Bears” as consistently, or at least as often, as you can during a crisis and if they know the feeding schedule and you adhere to it life will be easier for everyone.

Inform the key stakeholders 

Always inform your primary audiences as quickly as possible

The university sought to unite the community and their students by as promptly as possible informing students, their families and the greater community of memorial services to honor the victims and by providing counseling services for the survivors.

However, this was on the back-end of the event.

On the front-end of the crisis students, faculty, staff and the community were not informed adequately and quickly in my estimation of the possible threat. This lack of urgency, driven by the fact that law enforcement speculated that the initial two shootings were the result of a domestic dispute between the shooter and those involved, led to the loss of valuable notification time to other potential victims.

There was an hour between the first shooting and the start of classes where text messaging and e-mail could have been used as one means of informing the audiences. 

It is critical during the crisis management planning process to assess carefully, prioritize and then determine appropriate channels that will allow you to communicate to your primary audiences as quickly as possible during times of a crisis.

My friend and associate Larry Smith, President of the Institute of Crisis Management, Louisville, Ky notes (The Public Relations Strategist, Summer 2007) rightfully so that the first thing to collapse during a crisis are the telephone and computer servers because of the demands placed on them. As usual he is absolutely correct.

Yet, evolving technology and the different communications patterns of the Gen X, Y and Z folks demands that all institutions, especially colleges and universities, assess how best to utilize the systems that these students use to get information.

Text messaging is one of the primary ways that these students communicate these days and technology is now available that can reach all those who wish to be reached by texting, if, and this is a big IF planning and data basing is done in advance.

Potential users of this technology would obviously need to secure telephone numbers in advance and keep it updated — granted this is a daunting task yet one that must be part of the future planning processes.

If you question that texting is becoming the preferred mode of communications, just look at the recent revelations in the killing and wounding of the students in New Jersey. All four students were just minutes prior to their attack, text messaging one another even though they were in close enough proximity and could have talked with one another.

Always maintain control

“In the first few hours of a crisis you have no questions you can answer,” Smith says.

Although well intended, when the president of Virginia Tech opened his first press conference the best he could have done was to read a prepared statement and then notify the media when he would return.

When he opened the floor to questions to the media, he simply had no answers to share. This made him and his staff look as if they were not in control of the situation.  When given openings such as this the media will expect information that you can’t yet deliver.

Never open the floor to questions until you have verifiable information you can share.

Expect the unexpected

When the crisis hits you can be assured that the media will be there. Often times quicker than you could expect and coming from distances and in numbers you never planned to accommodate.

More than 400 outlets worldwide had to be dealt with at Virginia Tech. More importantly, traumatized students, faculty, staff and families all wanted answers quickly.

Plan length is not an indicator of anything

Too many organizations have lengthy, convoluted and hard to follow written crisis plans that they never bother to practice, or even tabletop drill. Get rid of them and start all over!

The length of a plan is irrelevant, what is important is that the plan is workable, do the people that need it have it, and have they been properly trained and consistently drilled and practiced on the plan?

Plans, frankly for the most part are meaningless, because in a real-life, real-world crisis you must be resilient, flexible and have the ability to roll-with-the-flow and most plans are not designed this way.

Planning, practicing and rehearsing plans, however, when done well and with thought forces the people that have to deal with a crisis to consider all their options and how best to organize to handle the crisis when it does occur.

A good plan is simply a road map that gets you started on the right path forward.

I will share additional insights in the next posting.

Until next time.

Dr. Darryl

L. Darryl Armstrong

ARMSTRONG and Associates

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15 “Sparks” That Turn You Into a “Fire-Starter”

Monday, August 20, 2007

“In early civilizations, fire starters taught others how to keep the flame alive. If they were successful, the tribe lived. If they were not, the tribe died. It was that simple,” says Quint Studer, author of Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference.

So, how can you apply this analogy to your organization?

When you consider this analogy in its entirety you will soon realize that the role of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) must change.

Most organizations we deal with are overwhelmed with policy and procedure manuals and endless meetings that take up significant amounts of time and return little on the investment.

For example, did you know that Warren Buffet, the second richest man in America, holds absolutely no meetings with his managers?

So, does your organization ever conceive of great ideas that get implemented, or that spark the enthusiasm, or that ignite and inspire the spirit and profit of the company in any of your meetings?

There are no “Magic Bullets” 

There are no magic bullets that will make the CEO overnight into a “Fire Starter” yet there are some overarching principles, according to Studer, that can “spark” the CEO, and other managers, into getting the process started.

Spark 1: Think of yourself as CFS…Chief Fire Starter.

It is time that you reposition the way you think about your role within the organization.

If you think of yourself as a fire starter, in charge of lighting a fire in the soul of every man and woman in your company, everything you do and they do will change.

Spark 2: Have an absolute passion for excellence and never waiver from your passion!

Having a passion for excellence can manifest itself in many ways. But one of its main hallmarks is the refusal to accept no for an answer, the refusal to look for someone to blame.

Pursuing excellence means not giving into the temptation to accept the status quo, to assume there’s nothing you can do about it. It’s important to drive hard and find out what the real problems are.

Spark 3: Don’t be too removed from the people who do the job.

Solve problems by soliciting the advice and direction of the people who do the job every day. Walk up to employees and ask very specific questions:

• Is there anything we can do better?
• Do you have the tools and equipment you need to do the job?

Even when you are too busy to walk around and talk to everyone, you can have leaders under you keep you informed about the personal details of individual employees.

That way, when you meet with those employees, the inside information you’ll possess will help you seem more visible.

Spark 4: Identify the major problems and other seemingly unrelated ones will fix themselves.

It’s funny how one thing builds on another in life. Fix one major structural problem and 10 others will correct themselves, too.

Spark 5: Work on the assumption that people want to do a good job.

Studer says he really believes that when people aren’t performing, it’s almost always because they don’t have the tools they need.

Spark 6: Make the connection between employee satisfaction and the bottom line.

Remember, satisfied employees are always better performers. When employees feel appreciated and recognized by their leaders, they seek out opportunities to do good things for the company and its customers. They think like owners, not renters.

Spark 7: Hardwire your company culture with key behaviors.

When you hardwire the right behaviors, tools, and techniques and align your focus organization wide, your company will be consistently successful, regardless of who the leaders are.

Once the systems and processes are in place to sustain service and operational excellence, an organization is no longer dependent on a particular leader to ensure continued success.

Spark 8: Get rid of the we-versus-they mentality.

It’s easy to spot a we vs. they culture. If employees love their boss but hate administration, you will know they have the we/they disease.

It’s especially obvious at budget time, when a manager comes back from a budget meeting and says, “I fought for us but this is all I got.”

Don’t let it happen in your organization.

Even though it may feel easier or more comfortable at the time, ultimately you’re dividing the staff when you should be uniting them. There is only one group, one team, and it is we.

Spark 9: Know and understand the impact of high and low performers and learn to deal with each effectively.

It is easy to spend too much time with low performers and not enough with high performers. Strive to do the opposite.

And here’s a major point to remember: you must deal with low performers.

Don’t be afraid to let disruptive people go.

If you don’t, these low performers will affect your high performers, causing them to:

1)     Leave the organization,

2)     Channel their positive energies into outside interests, or

3)     Pace themselves and slow down.

Spark 10: Create and develop leaders.

Because an engaged, aligned workforce is so critical to hardwiring excellence, Studer believes that not investing in leadership development is the equivalent of organizational malpractice.

He says that in former roles where he served as a hospital president and 20-year health care veteran, he found that most registered nurses leave their jobs because of their relationships with their supervisors.

Personally, I found that I left positions — two of them senior executive positions — not because I didn’t like the challenges but because I didn’t like or agree with the value system of my supervisors.

The same is likely true in every segment of the business world. The best thing you can do for your staff and your organization is to invest in leadership training.

Spark 11: Harvest intellectual capital.

Nothing drives individual accountability and a culture of ownership faster than soliciting bright ideas from employees. This not only drives innovation, but also can significantly impact the bottom line.

Try budgeting and rewarding prizes for the best ideas, based on a percentage of savings from the idea.

Spark 12: Manage up.

In essence, managing up means positioning people well.

It means passing along positive comments to people whenever you hear them, spreading good news around, giving credit when it is due, and ensuring that senior leaders have information that allows them to make personal connections when they meet employees.

This is an invaluable tool for getting “buy-in” for goals, creating more autonomy within the organization, saving time, and more.

The power of managing up is amazing, too, from a human standpoint.

Spark 13: Understand the power of making a difference.

Work hard to create an environment where your employees feel that they have purpose, that they have worthwhile work, and that they can make a difference.

When you create a culture that’s free of unnecessary irritations and distractions that keep people from doing their jobs, they will experience this sense of purpose and will begin to work with passion.

Then, when they see the results of what they are doing, it refuels their passion and remotivates them to persevere and seek more results.

Spark 14: Realize that little things make a big difference.

Studer says that on his first day at a new hospital, he asked a nurse what he could do to make her job better, and she said she was frightened walking to her car at night because of the tall bushes by the parking lot.

While she worked that day, Studer got the bushes trimmed and put up a small fence. Though it sounds like a little thing, to that nurse it was a big deal because it made her feel safe and, more to the point, valued as an employee and as a person.

Spark 15: Train yourself to look for what is right.

It’s a small wonder that departments have negative feelings toward each other: they hear from each other only when something goes wrong.

Focus on what’s going right and you can transform the mood in your entire organization.

It is contagious

Clearly, there are many benefits to being a fire starter.

But the best one is this: Fire starting is contagious.

Once you become a fire starter, you spark the flame in others. The flame is passed from you to someone else and from that someone to another someone. Everyone in your organization gets drawn in.

And in the end, you create a culture of excellence for everyone, which in turn creates better service for your members.

Being a fire starter really is the key to hardwiring excellence. It doesn’t matter what field you’re in or what problems your organization has. The sparks you light will make a difference, and it’s amazing how good that feels.

Source: Quint Studer, founder and CEO of Studer Group, an executive coaching firm and national learning lab.

Using Action Teams …

… to Make Quick Progress When First Starting a Strategic Planning Program 

Tuesday, August 14, 2007 

A few years ago, when I first worked at Lexington Community College in Lexington, Ky with Dr. Jim Kerley on designing a new path forward for the college using strategic planning, we came to use a concept we called “Action Teams.”

Actually, I believe I referred to them as SWAT teams — a military and law enforcement term — that denotes the use of specially focused weapons and tactics to solve a problem quickly. Yet, I suspect already you get the idea.

Action Teams are action-oriented in design and by thought.

Actions Teams are set up by charter. That is they have a clearly defined mission, set to a definitive time line, and have a clear sense of what the possible ultimate outcome could be yet they are not confined to a singular outcome.

An example charter might be: “The Action Team will review the curriculum for the nursing program and make specific recommendations on courses that can be used for CEUs with professionals in the community. The team will prepare a set of 10-12 recommendations and deliver it in a presentation to the President ‘s Leadership Team on September 1, 2007.”

Action Team members are a carefully selected group of 9-10 people (occasionally more) within an organization usually chosen by the CEO, President, or leader or “champion” of the overall strategic planning initiative.

Building the team

When choosing members for an Action Team the following positions should be a part of the team membership:

1.      The Champion. Choose a leader of the team that is also a “champion” of the strategic planning process. This is some one who understands and believes that great things can happen when plans are carefully designed, executed and vigorously evaluated. This is a person that is not afraid to question others, irrespective of their rank in the organization, and that thoroughly understands and agrees with the charter of the group. For example, if the charter of the team is to find alternative ways to reduce the carbon foot print of an organization you will want a “champion” that believes in the concept of the organization “going green”.

2.      The Expert or “Know-it-all.” Choose at least one person that will be the SME — that’s a “Subject Matter Expert” — this person knows all about the focus of the team’s charter be it a problem, an issue, or an opportunity — if it is a problem the person also will know the history of the problem or issue and how it came to be in the state it is in. This person knows most all of it and sometimes these personalities are not up to change at all. However, they are a critical component of the team.

3.      The Skeptic. Choose at least one person for the team that is as skeptical as they come. However, this person must understand at the front-end of the mission that they can’t just lob grenades across the fence and then go hide. This person must be open and willing to challenge the group, ask tough and insightful questions, pose different scenarios than those being discussed and be a part of the process by questioning the team. If the person is simply a negative personality that wants to complain and criticize the process find you another skeptic.

4.      The Recorder. This person along with an independent facilitator has “no horse in the race.” This person has good note taking skills and doesn’t edit comments, suggestions, criticisms, or language. They simply record as much of the dialogue in real-time as they can capturing as much of the actual language used as possible on a laptop computer. This file will be used by the team later to assess what is being said and what is not being said during the process. Sometimes the recorder will choose to capture the comments on flipcharts and then transcribe them “word-for-word” on to a word document file. Although this person can and should participate it must be in a neutral and limited fashion.

5.     The Facilitator. Choose a completely independent facilitator. This is someone who is trained in the skills of facilitation yet has “no horse in the race” and “no pre-determined opinions” about the path forward. This person enforces the facilitator and group proposed “Operating Principles”; keeps the group on time and engaged; helps explore differences of opinions within the group; provides a safe environment to question, challenge and discuss differences of opinion; and keeps the group focused on the desired outcome.

These are the key members of any Action Team. To this group you can and should add, members of the organization who don’t fear change, members who are constantly looking for ways to improve whatever task they under take; people who understand the political, social, media or economic environment that the organization exists in.

Other members that could be assigned include diversity of culture, gender, nationality, age, or interests. If you are working a curriculum issue perhaps you want a couple of students that have been in the program and can speak form their unique perspective. Or, perhaps, you want a younger student and an older student to show different perspectives. Or, perhaps a student that took the course on the Internet and one that sat in class.

You get the idea.

Ensuring success of the team 

Always ensure the following when establishing Action Teams:

1.      These teams are short-lived. They come together and focus on seeking a desired outcome. They are not standing committees.

2.      Ensure that every single team member can attend the meetings consistently. If there is any question about their ability to attend find another candidate to assign to the team. Attendance plus involvement will equal a desired outcome.

3.      Ensure that the team has all it needs to get the job done and a pre-determined deadline. This includes space to meet, flipcharts, fresh markers, computers, etc.

4.      Keep a record. A record of all meetings and the outcome of those meetings should be a part of the Action team record so that any future teams can reflect on what was done in the past and how it was done.

5.      Documenting. Insist on a Lessons Learned being conducted at the end of the Action Team charter. Document the good, the bad, the ugly, the positive, the deltas, the specific issues discovered and not addressed by the team because it was outside the charter. Prioritize those issues and send them up the chain of command.

Finally, have some fun at this!

The only constant — change

The only constant we can depend on in today’s society is “change” — we all must work to get over our fear of change, we must learn to embrace it and see what contributions we can make to accomplish a positive path forward.

If we don’t, we most assuredly will be left behind.

Dogs can teach us many things about ourselves and others

(Thanks to my friend and fellow dog lover Anne McDowell for sharing this.)

We feel tremendous love for our dogs, and our dogs sure seem to love us.

Yet, we must ask is a dog really capable of emotions?

Or are we just projecting our feelings onto our dogs?

Scientists tend to avoid this subject because part of what sets humans apart from other animals is our ability to experience feelings. To say that animals actually have feelings, in the same way we do, would change everything –perhaps disrupt our entire position and standing in the animal kingdom.

However, any dog owner knows that dogs love completely and have a greater capacity for love than most people.

If one were to describe the main characteristics of a dog, they would have to be:

A strong inclination to show affection
A warm attachment to those they love
And unselfish loyalty and benevolent concern for others

Wait a minute – those are the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions of love.

This is probably why the author of Dogs Never Lie About Love, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson writes, “dogs are love.”

So there isn’t a question of whether dogs love, the mystery is how they have such an enormous capacity for it.

Dogs, who are neglected or abused, still show love for their human companions and wag their tails in hope of a little affection. Dogs taken from abusive situations hold no grudges toward the human race. A half an ounce of kindness from a new person results in an abundance of affection from the formerly mistreated dog. Humans rarely have the capacity to so completely forgive and love under those circumstances.

Yet, probably the biggest reason the dog has become man’s best friend is because we know that when it comes to love, a dog can always outdo us.

The highest form of love, agape love, which is completely unconditional, is something that people often have to work at or grow into.

Agape love seems to come naturally between parent and child, but it’s more difficult between husband and wife, and harder still between friends. To love someone, regardless of what wrongs they have done you is very difficult for humans. A dog, however, is born with an endless capacity for agape love, and doesn’t even have to work at it. You can be a complete grouch, ignore your dog, and refuse him your love. When you decide you’re ready to be sociable again, your dog doesn’t pay you back by ignoring you too. He’s just happy you’re there.

More amazing still, is that the love that dogs and owners feel for each other lasts a life time. This is the ideal love humans strive for, but often fail at.

As Mr. Masson so beautifully writes , “Learning to know somebody intimately is often the beginnings of dislike, sometimes even of contempt. Among humans, love often does not survive a growing acquaintance, but in a dog, love seems to grow with acquaintance, to get stronger, deeper. Even when fully acquainted with all our weaknesses, our treachery, our unkindness, the dog seems to love strongly – and this love is returned by most dog-loving humans. We, too, seem to love our dogs the more we get to know them. The bond grows between us and our dogs.”

“This is why we need dogs. They do something for us that rarely a human companion can do. No matter how much you mess up your life, or how much wrong you do, no matter how many mistakes you make or how often you make them, regardless of your looks, income or social standing, your dog never judges you. He always thinks you are wonderful and loves you with all his heart.”

And for that I have always been grateful.

(Dedicated to my three “boys” — Stempy, Little Bit and Max.)

Dr. Darryl
L. Darryl Armstrong
ARMSTRONG and Associates

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"The hard part is over right now," Bonds said.

The hard part is over … not yet Mr. Bonds not even close

So, Barry Bonds is now even with Hank Aaron in the number of career home runs - 755.

However, that is the only semblance he has to the great Hank Aaron. No, Barry the “hard part” hasn’t even begun.

The time has come for you to come clean with whether or not you have used enhancing drugs of any kind. More importantly, the time has come for you to rehabilitate your image and that my baseball “hero” will be the “hardest” thing you have ever done.

To compare your ability and your standing in baseball to “Hammerin’ Hank” is to lessen the importance and value of baseball as a tradition to this great country — that is until you clear your name and reputation of all the lingering questions about how you achieved this goal.

Until next time.

Dr. Darryl
L. Darryl Armstrong
ARMSTRONG and Associates

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… without a vision we will simply perish

 

Whether an organization, community or a person without a vision we will simply perish

Saturday, August 4,2007

No vision and you perish;
No ideal, and you’re lost;
Your heart must ever cherish
Some faith at any cost.
Some hope, some dream to cling to,
Some rainbow in the sky,
Some melody to sing to,
Some service that is high.
-Harriet Du Autermont

For the past 30-years I have worked with a variety of organizations, communities, and individuals to help them in their strategic planning processes.

There is nothing magical or mystical about strategic planning. Strategic planning is simply a management tool.

As with any management tool, it has specific purposes: to help an organization do a better job - to focus its energy, to ensure that members of the organization are working toward the same goals, and to assess and adjust the organization’s direction in response to a changing environment.

In short, strategic planning is a disciplined effort to produce fundamental decisions and actions that shape and guide what an organization is, what it does, and why it does it, with a focus on the future.

Simply, a strategic plan is built on consensus and is an agreed upon way to move forward.

One of the first and one of the most critical parts of developing an effective strategic plan of action is to understand the importance of having a vision. A vision is what you want to be “when you grow up” and what it is you want to accomplish as you walk your path.  A vision helps you define what it is you want to be like and look like when you arrive at your final destination.

A vision is important whether you are a small firm of two people, a chamber of nonprofit association or a community of 30,000 diverse people.

A vision is developed only after there is significant conversation among the various parties that must create it and then go about doing those tasks necessary to make it a reality.

When you begin the process of strategic planning, visioning comes after this dialogue and after there is an understanding of the need for change and how difficult change can be.

 What is our preferred future?

“When we are tired enough of doing the same old thing or our pain is intense enough… we will seek change.” Dr. L. Darryl Armstrong, ARMSTRONG and Associates

When visioning change, we must ask ourselves, “What is our preferred future?”

To effectively do this we must be sure to draw on the beliefs, mission, and environment of the organization; describe what we want to see in the future; being very specific to the organization; be positive and inspiring; not assume that the system will have the same framework as it does today because change is always underway; be open to dramatic modifications to current the organization, or the current methodology, teaching techniques and facilities.

What are the key components for a vision?

“Be sure to choose what you believe and know why you believe it, because if you don’t choose your beliefs, you may be certain that some belief, and probably not a very creditable one, will choose you.” Robertson Davies, The Deptford Trilogy‘

This means is that a person should embrace ideas and beliefs that sit well with him or her at the present time, while keeping in mind that as awareness about reality expands with the advent of new experiences, so must one’s concept of reality change accordingly.

Therefore our vision must encompass our belief system. Our beliefs must meet our organizational goals, as well as community goals; be a statement of our values; be a public and visible declaration of our expected outcomes; be precise and practical; guide the actions of all involved; reflect the knowledge, philosophy and actions of all that participate; and be a key component of our strategic planning.

These are examples of vision statements:

• The Bluegrass Community & Technical College District will be the premier provider of educational opportunity and a leading force for social and economic vitality in the region.

• The Kentucky New Era will be the first choice for reliable news and information in the Pennyrile region.

Benefits of Visioning

The process and outcomes of visioning may seem vague and superfluous. However, the long-term benefits are substantial.

Visioning:

• Breaks us out of boundary thinking.
• Provides continuity and avoids the stutter effect of planning fits and starts.
• Identifies direction and purpose.
• Alerts stakeholders to needed change.
• Promotes interest and commitment.
• Promotes laser-like focus.
• Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions.
• Encourages and builds confidence.
• Builds loyalty through involvement (ownership).
• Results in efficiency and productivity.

Vision Killers

As we engage in the visioning process, we must be alert to the following vision killers:

• Tradition
• Fear of ridicule
• Stereotypes of people, conditions, roles and governing councils
• Complacency of some stakeholders
• Fatigued leaders
• Short-term thinking
• “Naysayers”

Strategic planning doesn’t attempt to make future decisions

Within our dreams and aspirations we find our opportunities.
-Sue Atchley Ebaugh

Strategic planning is about fundamental decisions and actions, but it does not attempt to make future decisions. Strategic planning involves anticipating the future environment, but the decisions are made in the present. This means that over time, the organization must stay abreast of changes in order to make the best decisions it can at any given point - it must manage, as well as plan, strategically.

Strategic planning is not a substitute for leadership

Strategic planning has also been described as a tool - but it is not a substitute for the exercise of judgment by leadership. Ultimately, the leaders of any enterprise need to sit back and ask, and answer, “What are the most important issues to respond to?” and “How shall we respond?” Just as the hammer doesn’t create the bookshelf, so the data analysis and decision-making tools of strategic planning do not make the organization work - they can only support the intuition, reasoning skills, and judgment that people bring to their organization.

Strategic planning doesn’t usually flow smoothly

Finally, strategic planning, though described as disciplined, does not typically flow smoothly from one step to the next. It is a creative process, and the fresh insight arrived at today might very well alter the decision made yesterday. Inevitably the processes moves forward and back several times before arriving at the final set of decisions. Therefore, no one should be surprised if the process feels less like a comfortable trip on a commuter train, but rather like a ride on a roller coaster. Yet even roller coaster cars arrive at their destination, as long as they stay on track!

The time is now

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
  — Margaret Mead

There has been much discussion over the years by organizations and communities about the need to create a vision and mission for themselves. Many times organizations go into retreats and hammer out such a plan and then forget about it or get tired of trying to implement it. In reality, only a small group of people will ever make a strategic plan happen. There is nothing “magical” or “mystical” about finding an organization’s path. It simply requires committed leadership that is willing to involve all the key stakeholders and a focused dedication.

Until next time.

Dr. Darryl

L. Darryl Armstrong

ARMSTRONG and Associates

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