Why Most Strategic Plans Fail (And How to Fix Them)
We all want to grow — to make our organizations more effective, more agile, more resourceful, more impactful. And we often believe that if we just had something to tell us where to go, we could pull that off.
That’s why some nonprofits pay upward of $50,000 (although not to me!) to bring in an army of Ivy League-educated consultants to build a 50+ page strategic plan chock full of metrics, KPIs, OKRs, and elaborate details and timelines. Don’t get me wrong, they’re probably brilliant plans — they probably even have graphs — but guess what? Most organizations won’t get past the first strategic objective. Why? How can such a thoughtful plan, developed with such care and intentionality, never translate into change?
As a 6 Levers implementer, I talk a lot about organizational operating systems — the set of fundamental principles, processes, and practices that guide how an organization functions. And just like their tech-related counterparts, functional organizational operating systems are essential to making anything else possible.
It’s far more important to build a healthy institution than develop strategy for an unhealthy institution.
If you don’t have a working operating system on your computer (e.g., MacOS, Windows, etc.), you can’t actually do anything with the hardware you have. You can’t download other programs, you can’t even open up a document or spreadsheet. You can try — you could even write all the code, line by line, for the coolest, fanciest app ever — but guess what? You’ll never even be able to install it. A team without direction, without clarity, without healthy rhythms, etc. is just about as useful as that iPhone “you dropped in a puddle” (it’s okay, we all use our phones on the toilet).
It’s far more important to build a healthy institution than develop strategy for an unhealthy institution. The best way to demonstrate why this is true is to use the 6 Levers framework itself:
Identity: Think of this as the DNA of your organization. If your team isn’t dialed into what it is and what it stands for, how can it build a plan that truly represents the heart and soul of your nonprofit? And if team members aren’t connected to that core, there’s less personal investment in making sure the plan works out.
Focus: Ever tried doing everything at once? I have. And it’s a recipe for chaos. A team that can’t prioritize or stay on track will end up with a strategic plan with 1,263 objectives that are all over the map. And when it’s time to put that plan into action, there’s a good chance of chasing after the latest shiny object instead of sticking to the game plan.
Cohesion: It’s all about teamwork. If your team isn’t on the same page or, worse, if they’re at odds, misunderstandings can derail the planning process. When it’s go-time for implementation, these gaps become even more apparent, leading to missed opportunities or conflicting directions — only exacerbating frustration and burnout.
Leadership: If the helm of your ship isn’t strong and the captain isn’t equipped, well, you’re not just going to drift; you’re going to sink. Leadership isn’t about barking orders; it’s about empowering your crew. It’s about clarity of vision, consistency in action, and a culture of accountability. A strategic plan is only as good as the people leading the charge. So if your leadership isn’t ready to spearhead transformation, that painstakingly crafted strategy will be about as useful as a screen door on a submarine.
Rhythms: Let’s talk cadence, the unsung hero of organizational health. Do you have regular check-ins, planning sessions, and reviews? Are you in sync, or are you in a constant state of frenetic reactivity? Rhythms are like your organization’s heartbeat. A strategy won’t solve an arrhythmia; you’ve got to get the basics right first. When the seas get choppy — new regulations, economic volatility, changes in leadership — rhythms keep the ship steady and on course.
Momentum: In many ways, momentum is the secret sauce. It’s the gas in your tank, the wind in your sails, the caffeine in your coffee. Momentum is what takes all the other levers and supercharges them. You could have the clearest identity, laser focus, a team in perfect harmony, leadership akin to Winston Churchill, and rhythms like a Swiss watch, but without momentum, you’re a sports car stuck in the garage. Momentum is the forward motion that turns plans into action, objectives into achievements, and small wins into bigger wins.
Before you even think about drafting that next three-year strategic plan that’s thicker than the Systematic Theology sitting on my bookshelf, it’s worth taking a step back and reflecting. How are you really doing across the six levers? If the answer is “not so hot,” well, my friend, you’ve got an operating system to install.
We all need to get our houses in order before we start buying the furniture. Brilliant strategy is only as good as the organization wielding it. So before you take on the important task of strategic planning, check your levers. Make sure they’re not just present but thriving. Then — and only then — you’ll be ready to plan and execute in a way that truly changes the world.
Ready to build your organizational operating system? Grab the Strategy Accelerator package or schedule some time on my calendar.
