Work to bring together a diverse array of individuals and perspectives: meaning staff from different departments in various roles, Board members and even a key partner or major donor. Being inclusive opens-up valuable dialogue to think through situations from a more holistic viewpoint, generates buy-in, and truly fosters creative problem-solving. Identify the triggers and read the signs. As you shape your response plans, identify the external changes that would trigger your response should a given scenario come to pass.
For example, for a job training organization, news that a major local employer is about to make drastic layoffs could prompt action for targeted outreach and development of partnerships with other employers. Match possibilities in the future with actions in the present : As you think about future actions you might need to take, you should also think about present actions you should definitely take.
Identify measures now that will position you to your greatest advantage for each development you anticipate. If those events come to pass, you will be thankful you ramped up that online platform, launched that emergency fund, or entered into partnership with that fellow nonprofit. One guideline here is to look for threads of certainty that can help ground and simplify your plan.
Revisit and revise the plans. Like strategic planning, a scenario plan is a living document to be revisited and updated as situations evolve. As unfolding events reveal some outcomes to be unlikely and suggest new alternatives that demand your attention, you need to update your plan accordingly. In the face of the extreme uncertainty and volatility that exists today, it would be all too easy for you and your organization to become paralyzed, waiting for clarity before taking action—or to move too brashly.
Both these alternatives, however, are full of risk. The step-by-step process of scenario planning offers an answer, empowering you to map a flexible plan of attack and giving your organization a degree of control in creating its future.
You could say that good scenario planning creates great possibilities. You could even say it provides you with a sort of superpower. Scenario Planning Now Of course, scenario planning is not new. What if you see a sudden surge in the need for your services? What if relevant government policies change, impacting how your organization can operate? As you consider using a line of credit, how certain is your payback plan? As more unknowns become known, and more knowns shift into the unknown, you will need to revise your plan.
Eliminate those scenarios that are unlikely to be useful. Identify new scenarios to explore. Your leadership team should be clear on who is helping to inform the plan and who is making decisions, especially to the people on your team who will be responsible for activating and implementing the plan.
As this process directly impacts your financials, your strategy, your programs, and how you engage with your community, the board should be involved in some capacity while still allowing the staff to revise and make decisions as needed. Planning for a future with so many unknowns, especially when people and communities depend on you in some way, is hard and draining work.
However, onward is the only way out. Hopefully this template can provide you some scaffolding for exploring the many possible paths that lay ahead of us. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
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Kate Barr May 5, About The Author. Who Decides? Upcoming Webinars Group Created with Sketch. Human Resources as a Justice Partner. Group Created with Sketch. Should Your Budget Balance? By Kate Barr.
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