thank you all (Kerry, Ralph, Lisa, Peggy, Larry, David...) for your comments - I have read your stories with relish and have put together a process for strategic planning that includes a journey (before and after) with those who will be responsible for implementing - it includes OS and other types of gathering (action planning and writing up results) - trying to entice the (new-to-planning) ngo into a more meaningful process rather than 'getting a plan' to present to funding sources etc - so, let's see how the Spirit works on this one
peace and blessings Brendan PM 09-08-02 -0400, you wrote:
Brendan: Well, yes and no. I wouldn't necessarily call OS a strategic planning process per se, but it certainly is the substance for strategic planning. The best combination I have found is to gather as large a group of stakeholders as you can, do and OS on the subject at hand. And then ask (at the OS event) who would like to do further work on developing a strategic plan out of the proceeds of the OS. We are currently doing this with health care in Peoria. Our intial two day OS took place in April 2002. We since ther have had an ongoing group meeting monthly to refine and shape all of the good information into a direction that we want to pursue. Thanks, Dave Koehler
