Strategy

Episode 5: What is your North Star? Finding Strategy

Imagine if everyone in your organization had their eyes on the same destination. That’s what a strategy gives you. While a strategic plan too often sits on the self, a strategy gives you a practical tool to make decisions and move forward with your board and partners. 

Questions to reflect on before you listen:

What does your organization currently have in terms of a strategy or a strategic plan? Do you have a plan that you use? Do you have a plan that you don’t use or that is out of date? How would you describe your organization’s culture when it comes to being strategic? 

Discussion questions:

  1. What resonated with you about this conversation? What would you like to take back to your organization?
  2. Sarah gives three steps for building a strategy: identify your values, set an internal process of decision making, and list your priorities. Which of these steps would be most helpful for your board to discuss? Why? 
  3. Part of building a strategy is determining what you should be doing and what you should NOT be doing. Think about everything your organization is doing now. What would you put on to “do” list and the “don’t do” list?
  4. We end this conversation by talking about “radical partnerships.” These come out when organizations set aside competition and build trust around important work that needs to happen. What radical partnerships have you seen? What partnership might you strike up that would be radical yet impactful?

Word of the Week:  Strategy
What does “strategy” mean to you and your organization right now?

What do you think?