028. Strategic planning when your CSO faces fundamental uncertainties: Dave Algoso, facilitator & consultant

Summary

• How has strategic planning changed during the pandemic?
• What are general blind spots when it comes to strategic planning in our social sector?
• What are jazzy new approaches to strategic planning that civil society organizations should consider?
• And what are the warning signs, as a strategy consultant, that tell you you should not get involved?

In this podcast episode, I discuss with Dave Algoso, strategy facilitator and consultant 'par excellence', how civil society organizations (CSOs)  have changed how they go about strategic planning in this very uncertain world.

Dave Algoso’s Bio

• Independent consultant at Open CoLab, Dave's consulting company 
• In-house Organizer at Civic Hall, NYC (2017)
• Managing Director at Reboot (2013 - 2015)
• Program Manager at MercyCorps (2010 - 2013)
• Senior Analyst at Advisory Board Company (2005 - 2007)

We discuss: 

• What makes strategic planning in the social sector different from  the private sector (where much of the publications on strategic planning originates)?

• How has strategic planning changed for nonprofits and social enterprises in the pandemic, and what kind of blind spots does Dave see?

• How can facilitators of strategic planning processes work around any attempts by participants to primarily protect self-interest or turf, that may muddy a good process?

• How can we avoid  a strategic plan merely ending up on a shelf, collecting dust, never to be used again?

• Why do some nonprofits show little discipline in making sure a newly formed strategy is ‘cascading’ down in the organization and translated into real direction setting and consequences for everybody - and what can be done about this?

• What's the latest and greatest in strategic planning? And what are ‘classics’ that still merit using?

Quotes

“I am skeptical about using private sector strategic planning tools in the social sector”

“A strategy should not fall prey to irrelevance by being just a shiny PDF”

“In terms of strategy tools, I am still a stickler for the good old 2 X 2 matrix”

Resources:

LinkedIn

Company Website

SSIR article by Dave (contact Tosca at tosca@5oaksconsulting.org if you want access to an 'ungated' copy)

Dave's article on Medium

Twitter

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