Mastering Strategic Planning: Lessons from Dawn Reese's Leadership at The Wooden Floor

About the Guest:

Dawn Reese is the CEO of The Wooden Floor, a creative youth development organization that empowers young people through the transformative power of dance and access to higher education. With over 15 years at The Wooden Floor, Dawn has driven significant organizational growth, guided by her expertise in strategy, business development, and finance. Her career began in the technology sector before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, where she applies her business acumen to make meaningful community impact. Dawn is also a proponent of strategic planning and servant leadership.

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Strategy and Leadership Podcast, host Anthony Taylor sits down with Dawn Reese, CEO of The Wooden Floor. Dawn shares her incredible journey from the tech sector to leading a nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming young lives through dance and education. The episode dives into the strategic planning and leadership approaches that have driven The Wooden Floor's success. Listen in to discover how strategic visioning and a commitment to people-centric leadership can drive meaningful change in both organizations and communities.

Dawn Reese elaborates on how The Wooden Floor is more than just a dance studio; it's a creative youth development organization that supports underserved children through dance education, academic support, and college readiness programs. With 100% of their students enrolling in higher education since 2005, Dawn outlines the organization's strategic growth from its humble beginnings to its current expansive reach. The conversation delves into the importance of a long-term strategic plan that includes chapters allowing for iterative progress, stakeholder engagement, and intentional growth that aligns with the organization's mission.

The episode also emphasizes the crucial role of servant leadership and empathy in cultivating a thriving organizational culture. Dawn's dedication to fostering a supportive and accountable work environment has led to impressive retention rates within her team. She candidly shares lessons learned from past experiences and underscores the importance of living out a clear mission-driven vision. This episode is a treasure trove of insights for leaders aiming to implement effective strategic planning while leading with heart and purpose.

Key Takeaways:

• The Wooden Floor goes beyond being a dance studio, transforming young lives through dance education and college readiness, ensuring 100% of students enroll in higher education.

• Strategic planning involves a long-term vision with iterative chapters that allow for flexible and responsive growth, rather than rigid SMART goals.

• Servant leadership and empathy are key to fostering strong, dedicated teams and ensuring organizational success.

• Effective strategic planning requires strong stakeholder engagement, listening, and implementation as insights are gathered.

• Having a growth filter ensures decisions are mission-driven and sustainable, aligning with the organization's core values and strategic objectives.

1. "We inspire and transform young people through the power of dance and access to higher education." – Dawn Reese

2. "Not a lot of organizations can do a 10-year vision...we set the vision for the organization." – Dawn Reese

3. "For us, it's been really intentional about how we want it...we don't want to grow for growth's sake." – Dawn Reese

4. "If they're taken care of, then they'll take care of our mission." – Dawn Reese

5. "If I'm ever a CEO, I want to be the person that people can talk to and count on." – Dawn Reese

• Website: The Wooden Floor

• Dawn Reese on