A road map to success: The importance of planning in Native organizations
Does your organization ”plan” for success? Business and organizational plans are a very important part of an organization’s development and success. As we embark on a new year and all the potential that comes with it, it may be a good time to think about planning out our activities to determine what we hope to accomplish in the upcoming year. Some people are natural planners; they faithfully establish and document their personal resolutions and goals every year. Unfortunately, some of us are not that organized. We rarely plan out our day, much less a whole year’s worth of activities.
For Natives, most long-term planning is not one of our priorities. We focus on just trying to survive on a day-to-day basis. For some Native organizations and businesses, the concept of planning may come as an after thought. Or, particularly in government, the planning process is merely seen as a formality. We sometimes neglect to see the value of actively documenting our pre-determined goals and operational activities for the purpose of progressive development.
There are definitely many benefits to planning and even some crucial elements to documenting business processes. Some important reasons for planning include the following: 1.) It documents important aspects of a business or organization; 2.) it allows a business to evaluate and assess its purpose; 3.) it helps to keep focused on an organization’s growth and development; 4.) it gives stakeholders a clear understanding of a business; 5.) it is required for most funding opportunities; and 6.) it is your ”game plan” or ”road map” to success.
In business, there are many types of plans including operational plans, business plans and marketing plans, to name a few. However, the plans that are most commonly used for goal setting are short-term plans. Usually referred to as ”strategic plans,” they are developed for the purpose of documenting an organization’s short-term goals and activities – usually for one year.
Although all planning is import, strategic planning can be of particular value to us, as it allows us to establish our progressive goals and objectives. We determine specifically what we hope to accomplish in a certain period of time and how.
Think of it in terms of taking a trip. If we decide to go on a trip, we usually have some idea where we are going and how we plan to get there. We don’t just jump in the car and drive. We determine some of the logistical information ahead of time, such as: purpose of our trip; our destination; who we will take; time of arrival; and any money involved. This process is similar to the process of strategic planning. We take into consideration where we want to go, and then we ”map out” how we’re going to get there.
When developing a strategic plan you should include the following:
“A review of an organization’s mission and vision. This helps to adhere to the organization’s overall purpose.
“An assessment of the current operational environment or what is referred to as a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis. This will help to evaluate some key factors that may help or hinder reaching some of your set goals and objectives.
“Goals and objectives for a short period: 6-months to 1-year. This will give a breakdown of exactly what you want to do in the next 12 months, with realistic and achievable expectations.
“A work task list (who will do what). This will clearly identify, who, in your organization will be responsible for a certain task.
“A timeline for task completion. This will give a scheduled time as to when the task should be completed and it should be reviewed and modified periodically.
The planning process should involve the whole organization. It can be helpful in allowing employees and members to engage in an import business process that will involve their support and commitment. In most cases, employees will be responsible for carrying out important tasks. In addition, your strategic plan should be a ”working” plan; it should be reviewed and modified on a regular basis, to assure that you are following your identified goals.
As American Indians, historically, having carefully developed strategies were necessary for some undertakings. Because of the challenges we faced and our limited resources, our most successful leaders understood the importance of planning out our actions. This is how they were successful in protecting their communities and family units, as well as preserving the culture.
In our modern environment, learning to practice good planning skills can not only be useful, but even critical to the progressive development of our Native businesses and organizations. We must learn to become more proactive and respond assertively to our own destiny and success. Our modern businesses and organizations play an invaluable role in successful tribal development. By becoming successful businesses, we can help to the ensure survival and prosperity of our Native nations.
Lucinda Hughes-Juan has many years of teaching and training in the fields of business and management, with a focus on the cultural dynamics in Native businesses and organizations. She is an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation. She holds an MBA in global management, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate in business and organizational management. E-mail her at MLS8090@aol.com.
