This title might come as a surprise, given that The Workroom specialises in developing organisational strategies. However, I firmly believe that the core aspects of strategy — the decisions and prioritisation — cannot be outsourced.

Don’t get me wrong, I believe it is crucial to bring in external expertise to steer the strategy process for organisations. It ensures that there is dedicated time and resources available, all the various processes are coordinated, consultations are facilitated professionally and most importantly fresh insights and perspectives have room to emerge.

In our work, we observe that social impact organisations, such as NGOs, social enterprises, and community-based organisations, often struggle to determine how to make decisions about their strategy. While inclusivity and participation are essential for these organisations’ integrity, they can sometimes lead to decision-making paralysis. This often results in organisations asking consultants to ‘just write the strategy’ based on the collected data and their understanding of what it should include. I am arguing that you cannot outsource the decisions on the core content of your strategy.

We, therefore, emphasise in our work right at the beginning that the three aspects below are as vital as the development of the technical content of the strategy. They will avoid decision-making paralysis and ensure that the central aspects of the strategy are decided upon by the organisation and as a result owned by the organisation. A consultant can develop brilliant ideas and strategies, but the organisation itself needs to decide which of these ideas are the ones that will carry the organisation into the future.

1. Outlining the Process

Do not take for granted that the strategy development process is understood by all. Clarify what the steps are, how detailed they should be, what type of consultations are needed, and who should be involved. The strategy development process is a project in itself, and all key stakeholders must be clear on the steps and timelines involved.

2. Expectation Management

Incorporating diverse opinions and viewpoints is crucial, but it must be understood that not all suggestions can be included in the final strategy. This should be communicated clearly at the start of the process. Explain how consultations will be conducted, their purpose, and how decisions will be made about what is included in the final strategy.

3. Decision-Making

The primary aim of a strategy is not to produce a document by consensus but rather to provide a clear roadmap for the future of the organisation. For social impact organisations, this means devising a strategy that effectively addresses the social problems it aims to impact. The strategy process combines data gathering and consultation to create a comprehensive understanding of the problems and the impact required to address those. Decisions in strategy development processes need to be based on what will be the most impactful, innovative and effective way to address the problem within the contextual framework.  So in other words, it is vital to understand the principles that will guide the decision-making process. The leadership of the strategy process needs to be clear about this aspect and whoever makes decisions in the strategy process, needs to constantly check-in with those decision-making principles.

The awareness of ensuring these three points when developing a strategy can save a lot of time and unhappiness in the process.

If you need help with strategy development, get in touch with The Workroom here.