Purpose & Strategic Importance
A strategic planning process does not happen in isolation. The more it is connected to other National Society processes, the more effective and sustainable it will be. Taking time to plan this integration ensures the strategy can be implemented smoothly once approved.
Activities & Decisions
Key considerations for integration
- Communicating the plan
How will the strategic plan be communicated inside and outside the National Society so that staff, volunteers, members, and partners understand it? - Translating into action
How will the strategic priorities be turned into activities at both national and branch levels? - Engaging partners and mobilising resources
How will the strategy be used to influence partner support and strengthen resource mobilisation efforts? - Aligning structures and people
How will strategic priorities be reflected in organisational structures and integrated into human resource cycles? - Tracking progress
How will the National Society collect data to see how the plan is progressing? - Reviewing and adapting
How will the Governing Board review progress and make formal decisions to adapt the strategy when needed?
Implementation Notes
Dealing with messiness
No process is perfect. Particularly for National Societies undertaking their first strategic planning process, there will be gaps. It takes time for people to understand what is expected of them and to adapt to new ways of working. Once the plan is developed, the organisation must also learn how to implement it.
Examples & Learning
Our first strategy was an interim, three-year strategy. When it came to our next process, in 2022, we had much more experience. For instance, we knew we needed to make a strong link between the strategic plan and operational planning.