I help organizations to be prepared for and to thrive in an uncertain and unknown future, and to develop and implement a governance structure and approach that fosters a culture of continuous organizational learning and improvement. As a planner, designer and facilitator of strategic plans and planning processes, and an experienced legal practitioner, I bring an integrated set of planning, management, and governance tools together, including scenario thinking, customer-focused service, phased development, and user-friendly bylaws and policies to equip organizations with the tools and internal capabilities to develop and implement a "living strategic plan" -- a plan that remains front and center into the future and does not just sit on a shelf. These "living" plans are refreshed regularly through a disciplined process that engages an organization's board and staff in routinely scanning the horizon for driving forces in the wider world or in its working environment that could affect its customers, its business model, or the demand for its services. These driving forces are used to help imagine plausible future worlds for which the organization should be prepared, and then to support the development of responsive and robust strategies that can be tested against the various imagined futures and continuously improved. The result is organizations that know themselves well and that are resilient, revered and respected for their foresight, innovation and enduring commitment to service.
A partnership approach with the organization's executive director and board chair will determine the success of scenario thinking, living strategic plans, and governance system updates, so I seek a close working relationship with an organization's leadership. The organization's board and staff must have a strong sense of ownership of their strategic plan and governance system; accordingly, my approach is one of teaching, coaching and guiding the team in developing and practicing the skills of scenario thinking and servant leadership, always with a sense of humor, adventure, teamwork, and a passion for mission. Written work products are typically the result of shared efforts that help ensure the organization's capabilities to carry its living strategic plan forward into the future without significant ongoing external support. Engagements can range from an introductory workshop of a few hours to a full living strategic plan development process that may last from 3-6 months. Development of updated governance tools, such as articles of agreement, bylaws and policies is typically undertaken as a related but separate project once the scenario-based strategic plan is in place.
More information on our firm’s Non-Profit, Charitable, and Religious Institutions Practice Group can be found here: https://www.sheehan.com/practice-area/non-profit/.