STRATEGIC PLANNING –
THE ONE-PAGE STRATEGIC PLAN®

For in-depth strategic planning endeavors, Sean works in partnership with the firm One Page Solutions, which developed and is the sole provider of the highly regarded and effective One-Page Strategic Plan® framework and process for strategic planning.

We know the various reasons that strategy work often fails for nonprofits.  There is a lack of clarity (or agreement) about what we’re really trying to accomplish in the next few years, and why.  The process often captures in-the-moment brainstorming (or sometimes just the loudest voices), without a framework or the time/opportunity to consider, analyze, and improve upon ideas.  The resulting plan is too voluminous, jargony, and complex – with too many “priorities” selected at the same time.  And so the completed strategic plan sits on a shelf in a 3" binder, and no one reads it.  The plan and the process ultimately offer little if any value to management on a day-to-day basis, or to the board on a meeting-to-meeting basis. 

The One-Page Strategic Plan® process is different.  Nonprofits including the Nature Conservancy, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Building Museum, and the Cincinnati Zoo have experienced extraordinary success embracing this strategic approach – as have for-profit companies including New Balance Athletics, Dunkin' Brands, The Motley Fool, Activision, and TransUnion.  

Sean is one of only three active master facilitators in the world authorized to lead this process.   He works step-by-step with staff and board leadership to develop and articulate an impact-focused long-term objective and supporting strategies, plans, and measurable goals.  The work leads to a full complement of developed materials to help the organization achieve its objectives – including a powerful One-Page Strategic Plan® (also known as OGSP®, which stands for Objectives, Goals, Strategies and Plans) that is clear, focused, and usable in real life – giving the CEO and board an exceptional framework and tools for disciplined management and governance. 

Following is a detailed summary of the One-Page Strategic Plan® principles, tools, deliverables, process, and results.

PRINCIPLES

The One-Page Strategic Plan® approach is built around two simple principles:

  1. Clearly and simply defining WHAT success looks like and HOW the organization will deliver that success.
  2. Making real choices about resource allocation: “where you will play” and “how you will win.

These choices form the foundation of a successful strategy.  And a successful strategic plan (for the full organization or for any project, program, or department) can be effectively articulated on a single page – the  One Page Strategic Plan® (aka OGSP®: Objectives, Goals, Strategies, and Plans.)

CORE COMPONENTS

There are five overarching components to the One-Page Strategic Plan® process and framework:

  • Mission:  The clear and compelling articulation of why we exist as an organization - our purpose, our reason for being, the public benefit we exist to accomplish.  (A nonprofit mission should be rooted in a deep meaningful need that the organization is uniquely positioned to meet.)
  • Objective:  A concise description of our aspirations - a clear answer to the question, "What is success over a three-year period?"
  • Goals:  Metrics which will track progress toward the established Objective, including clear quantitative measures that can be regularly reviewed and discussed at the board and senior staff level.
  • Strategies:  The choices that clearly define where the organization will focus its effort and how it will accomplish the Objective.  Work that requires concerted effort, achieves short-term aspirations, and builds for the future.
  • Plans:  The most important projects or activities that will bring each Strategy to fruition.  Usually 3-5 Plans per Strategy, with each Plan having a single “owner” and due date.

Click to view: 
The Basic OGSP® One Page Strategic Plan® Template
A Completed OGSP® One Page Strategic Plan® for The Cincinnati Zoo

DELIVERABLES: MORE THAN JUST A ONE PAGE STRATEGIC PLAN®

Here is what you typically get with the total One-Page Strategic Plan® strategic planning process:

  • The One Page Strategic Plan® (or OGSP®) – An Effective Strategy, All On One Page
  • The Won’t Do List®:  Work to Stop, Hold, or Limit
  • The OGSP-Scorecard® to Track Goals and Strategy Measures
  • Rationale Statements for Each Strategy
  • Relative Priorities for All Plans
  • Detailed Project Summary for Each Plan
  • Resources and Barriers Analysis to Assess Feasibility of Executing the Plans
  • Glossary of Key Terms Throughout the Strategic Plan
  • Deployment Plan – Initial and Ongoing
  • Rewards and Recognition Assessment
  • Articulation of Expected Changes in Behavior
  • Appointment and Training of an Internal The One Page Strategic Plan® Process Owner
  • Quarterly Review and Annual Renewal Plan

THE PROCESS

The One Page Strategic Plan® process is custom-fit to the organization and situation at hand.  For a full-organization strategic planning process, the work group is a balanced mix of staff and board leadership.  The process typically involves three full days of meetings, with 4+ weeks between each in-person meeting.  Following is a sample of the general process and workflow.

ADVANCE WORK

  • Brief Board and Senior Staff Email Surveys
  • Advance-Reading: Basic support materials to set the stage for focused discourse and work.

WORK SESSION #1

  • Case for Why We Are Here
  • Define Process
  • What is Success for the Senior Team?
  • Summarize the Strategic Assessment
  • Affirm Mission
  • Define 3-Year Objective
  • Define Initial 3-Year Goal Areas
  • Define “Where Play”
  • Define “How Win”
  • Identify Strategy Candidates
  • Appoint Strategy Captains
  • Define the Homework
  • Appoint Internal Process Owner
  • Homework:
    • Share Objective & Goals, Refine
    • Engineer the Strategy Candidates
    • Identify Plans for Each Strategy
    • How to Measure Strategies Success
    • Begin the Won’t Do List®
    • Enroll Key Stakeholders in the Process

WORK SESSION #2

  • Refinements to Aspirations
  • Present Strategic Choices and Rationale
  • Define Plans for Each Strategy with Owner & Date
  • Review Measures for Each Strategy
  • Share Initial Won’t Do List® Items
  • Conduct Sufficiency Check vs. Defined Goals
  • Assess Relative Priorities
  • Training on Project Summary, OGSP-Scorecard®, Resources & Barriers
  • Confirm Overall Goal Areas
  • Homework:
    • Share Strategies and Rationale, Refine
    • Feedback from Middle Management on Plans & Resources
    • Complete Project Summaries
    • Quantify Goals and Strategy Metrics
    • ID Glossary Items

WORK SESSION #3

  • Review Project Summaries and Suggested Changes to the Plans
  • Confirm Won’t Do List®
  • Conduct Resource & Barriers Check
  • Build OGSP-Scorecard® for all Goals and Measures
  • Build Annual Deployment Plan
  • Define Desired Behaviors
  • Agree to Quarterly Review Process and Annual Renewal
  • Did We Meet Senior Team’s Success Points?
  • Homework:
    • Define Refinement Areas
    • Complete Glossary
    • Deploy the Plan
    • Archive all Support Data
    • Confirm the Review and Renewal “Cadence”

EXPECTED RESULTS FROM BETTER PLANNING USING THE ONE PAGE STRATEGIC PLAN® FRAMEWORK AND PROCESS

  • Higher likelihood of success because everyone is literally on the same page.
  • Improved productivity from better resource allocation & accountability.
  • More efficient deployment of the plan to the entire organization.

 

“Superior Results Through Relentless Pursuit of Clarity and Focus”