Often, when friends and family travel with me for the first time, they are surprised to learn that I’m not big on itineraries. Many see me as someone who loves a plan and always knows what I want to do next.
And while that is true, I’m also someone who prepares to adapt to the world around me. If I wake up and feel a little off, I don’t want to have to push through a tour and be miserable the entire time. On the other hand, if an exciting opportunity arises to try something new and unexpected, I want the freedom to follow that inspiration. I often have a list of things I would like to do in a place, but I then allow the days to unfold as they will, shifting here and tweaking there to adapt to what I learn in each moment. I have a clear idea of how I want to feel, the kind of experiences I want to chase, and trust my intuition to lead me.
It is in this same spirit that I have approached any kind of business planning.
Especially in moments of great change and instability, it can feel counterintuitive to create a plan. The metrics, goals, and budgets can feel nonsensical: who knows what tomorrow will bring, so why bother to try to build a structure for the future?
But it is in these moments that we need some kind of loose plan the most. We need to have a clear sense of what we are trying to achieve, a shared menu of values from which to make decisions, and options that we can swap in when things go sideways.
This is one of the reasons that we focus more on Operations Planning than a more robust Strategic Planning at Benvenuti Arts.
Wikipedia defines Strategic Planning as “the activity undertaken by an organization through which it seeks to define its future direction and makes decisions such as resource allocation aimed at achieving its intended goals.” While it defines Operational Planning as “the process of implementing strategic plans and objectives to reach specific goals.” We define Operations Planning a bit differently. For us, Operations Planning is the creation of a clear set of goals and objectives, along with corresponding tools, within a flexible framework that ensures planning is a core and flexible part of daily operations within an organization.
Strategic Planning is incredibly important, especially for groups that are growing or shifting in some way. The process should be extensive, pulling in stakeholders from all parts of the organization to understand who your audience is, what your true strengths and weaknesses are, and what your organization should be in the future to serve that audience. If you browse through the case studies of a company we love, P.S. 314, you will see that robust strategic planning can include a number of very detailed processes: stakeholder interviews, feasibility studies, org assessments, landscape analysis, fundraising planning, and more. We believe that, to do a real strategic plan well, you must give it the attention and investment it deserves.
(BTW we do Strategic Planning at Benvenuti Arts, too, with a focus on a process that can be adapted for smaller groups – let us know if you want to learn more!)
With many of our groups, they do not yet have the strong foundation of reliable resources needed to enter Strategic Planning from a position of strength. These include, amongst other things, operating reserves of three to six months expenses with a formal and clear use policy; an active Board that participates in fundraising and governance; and staff time and capacity to focus on the planning and implementation process.
So instead of locking these groups into a laborious process that may not be implementable with their current resources, during Operational Planning we focus on a more flexible plan that helps them build the resources and structure they need to get to the next level. We create an outline of what we need to achieve, and build the internal skillsets needed to adapt based on the future that we find ourselves in.
So how do we do that? Well, you can join us for our Summer Sessions, where for just $500, we will walk you through the process, along with other small cultural organizations, and provide you with Consultant support the whole way. Or, if you want Benvenuti Arts to do this for you, you can reach out to learn more (Operational Planning contracts are typically $3,500 to $5,000 depending on the size of the organization).
No matter how you work with us, our process looks much the same:
- We start with dreaming big, to find out what you really hope for in the future. We may put restrictions around this later, but in the beginning, we want to know where your passion is pushing you.
- Next, we take that dream and try to find practical ways to make that dream come true – or at least, to bring you a little closer. These goals might be artistic, financial, producorial, or fit into other areas.
- Once we land on those goals, we break them down into annual goals. If you want to grow from one annual production to two in three years, what needs to happen each year from now until then to get us there?
- At this point, we begin to bring numbers into the equation. These goals may seem realistic individually, but once we build an annual budget that includes all of them together, we can see that there is prioritization and shift that needs to happen. Building rough budgets often changes our goals.
- Finally, we break out our year one goals into quarterly metrics, giving you benchmarks to check yourself against throughout the year.
As we do this work, we are talking with our clients about how to upkeep the plan and adapt to changes. Perhaps the funding landscape changed and you don’t have as much money as you thought: using the multi-year layout, we can shift and adapt, moving some things back and maybe even moving others forward. Or maybe, you get an unexpected, major grant! This plan then shifts so you can invest sooner in different areas, and you have a clear sense of where those investments need to go because of the work you‘ve done. A good Operations Plan is a roadmap that allows you to shift, selecting different routes when needed, but generally keeping you headed in the right direction. Like my loose vacation plans, it should allow you to feel grounded in your decision making, no matter what is happening around you. I hope you’ll let us join you in building your map!
