When your organization is getting started with a strategic planning process, “inspiring” might not be the first word that comes to mind. But in Funding for Good’s work with dozens of organizations, we’ve found that inspiration is exactly what the strategic planning process provides. So to help inspire you, we’ve gathered some of our favorite quotes about strategic planning.
First though, if you’re struggling to get your planning process started, our guides on to How to Write a Strategic Planning RFP and How to Select and Work with a Strategic Planning Consultant can save you time and energy.
Quotes about the Value of Visioning in Strategic Planning
At the core of strategic planning is carving out time to create a vision for the future. Instead of just looking one year out, organizations often look 3, 5, or sometimes even 10 years ahead. Organizations map where they want to be, what they want to accomplish, and how they’re going to achieve those goals.
As these quotes suggest, that long-range goal-setting process often unlocks insights and inspiration and can help re-energize your team.
“Strategic planning is worthless – unless there is first a strategic vision.” John Naisbitt
“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else.” Yogi Berra
“A goal should scare you a little and excite you A LOT.” Joe Vitale
“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” Ken Blanchard
Quotes about the Strategic Planning Process
Here at Funding for Good, we think a lot about the strategic planning process. And we’re always working to ensure our approach meets each client’s unique needs. In our client work, our own favorite saying is:
“Strategic planning is a process, not a product.” Funding for Good
Leaders often find this approach helpful. It upends the idea that the goal of a strategic planning process is a single written document. Yes, a written plan is a key outcome. But just as important is aligning your stakeholders around a shared vision. The Harvard Business School and President Dwight D. Eisenhower both agree:
“Most people think of strategy as an event, but that’s not the way the world works.” Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen
“Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Quotes that Reveal Unexpected Benefits of Strategic Planning
If you’re a leader who is perpetually running from one crisis to the next, these quotes illustrate how strategic planning can save you time in the long run.
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” Michael Porter
“An hour of planning can save you 10 hours of doing.” Dale Carnegie
The prioritization that strategic planning entails also comes in handy when you’re working to accomplish ambitious goals. Especially since none of us have enough time to do everything.
“To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan, and not quite enough time.” Leonard Bernstein
Quotes about the Power of Fresh Perspectives
Another valuable part of the strategic planning process is how it creates a structured opportunity to bring in a range of perspectives. As a leader, you might hear voices and ideas you haven’t previously had the time or opportunity to consider. In our experience, this leads to a stronger plan and a greater chance of successful implementation. The experts agree.
“If you’re crafting a strategic plan for your organization and know which strategy you prefer, enlist others with differing views and opinions to help look for information that either proves or disproves the idea.” Harvard Business School
“If everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” George S. Patton
Conclusion
Finally, it can be helpful to remember that you don’t have to accomplish all your strategic goals tomorrow. Indeed, as Vincent van Gogh reminds us:
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” Vincent van Gogh
We hope you’re as inspired as we are to get working on strategic planning!
Read more: Surprising Statistics about Strategic Planning
