Episode Details

Reflections from host Sarah Olivieri ...

Who Builds the Plan Matters

When strategic plans fail to achieve lift-off, it's usually because the process that was used to create them was flawed.

I recently had a conversation about this with board and strategy expert Dr. Renee Rubin Ross, author of Inclusive Strategic Planning for Nonprofits, and it pushed me to think more deeply about something I see over and over again.

Inclusion isn't a value statement.

It's a design decision.

And it's not optional if you want a great strategy that actually gets executed.

The Real Problem Isn't the Plan

Let's ask the real question.

When a strategic plan stalls out, what's actually broken?

Not because people are bad.

Not because staff lack commitment.

Not because boards don't care.

It's usually because the people who are expected to carry out the work weren't meaningfully included in building the vision.

Renee said something in our conversation that I think is the heart of it:

"Who is involved in building the vision and building the goals really matters."

Without the right people in the room, motivation drops.

When motivation drops, capacity drops.

When capacity drops, implementation stalls.

It's not a personality problem.

It's a systems problem.

And, systems create behavior.

Deciders, Builders, and Sharers

One of the most useful frameworks Renee shared is her concentric circle model:

Deciders – the group ultimately responsible for final decisions

Builders – the group that helps create the vision and goals

Sharers – stakeholders who provide input and perspective

This framing adds clarity.

Inclusion does not mean 40 people wordsmithing a sentence.

It means being intentional about who participates at each stage AND making that visible.

More detail doesn't equal more clarity.

Clarity comes from defining roles.

And when people understand their role in the process, something powerful happens.

They lean in.

Process Builds Motivation

One of my favorite moments in our conversation was when we talked about why inclusive planning increases energy.

Renee said:

"If you feel like, wow, someone consulted me on this, I got to weigh in, so I feel more motivated."

That's the mechanism.

Motivation is not a personality trait.

It's a byproduct of meaningful participation.

When someone is handed a finished plan, they feel managed.

When someone helps build the plan, they feel responsible.

That shift alone can change your return per dollar invested in strategic planning.

Because here's the truth:

You don't need to convince people.

Let the process do the convincing!

Tell the Story of How You Decided

This is the biggest mistake I see.

Leaders announce decisions.

They rarely explain the process behind the decision.

But boards, staff, and stakeholders are not evaluating the decision itself.

They're evaluating whether the decision-making process was any good.

When people understand:

What information was gathered

Who was consulted

What trade-offs were considered

How capacity was evaluated