We are happy to share what we learn, and we do this as workshop instructors, by developing curriculum for the Maine Association of Nonprofits and individual clients, and by offering advice on our Starboard blog. Take a look. You just might find the guidance you need!
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Over the years, we’ve seen well-intentioned people cause strategic planning sessions to grind to a halt as they try to bend the group to their personal definitions of “mission” and “vision.” Somehow the words and concepts have become jumbled, and the result is that way too much time is wasted on terminology rather than on …
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Why do some businesses thrive during challenging economic times while others fail? “In our business we plan to succeed.” That’s how Denis St. Peter, President of CES, describes his firm’s approach to strategic planning. It is that commitment to planning that positioned CES, an engineering firm headquartered in Brewer, Maine to expand its business to …
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We find the biggest obstacle in the way of embarking on a strategic planning process is the last strategic planning process. Too often the last planning process took too long, involved way too many meetings, and resulted in a plan that has been sitting on the shelf ever since. Add to this the reality that …
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For some, the word “retreat” is a dirty word. It too often means a day (or more) spent in a windowless room engaged in conversations and discussions that rarely seem to do much to advance the organization. Even the word “retreat” suggests going backward instead of forward. Should it surprise us then that nonprofit board …
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I recently came across an essay by thought leader, surgeon, and author Atul Gawande: “Top athletes and singers have coaches. Should you?” In it he describes his own experience working with a coach and comes to the conclusion: “Coaching done well may be the most effective intervention designed for human performance.” Wow! If good coaching …
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In the workshops we lead, there is always an evaluation form for attendees to fill-out at the conclusion. We get immediate feedback on our performance and use that input to refine the curriculum and improve our presentation for future sessions. It isn’t always easy to read, but that constructive feedback is essential if we really …
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