Like for-profit companies, associations and trade and professional societies need strategic plans to define the goals and objectives of the organization, which will lead to the fulfillment of their mission.

Most nonprofit organizations have a two- to five-year strategic plan in place. These plans are typically developed by the executive director or CEO working in close collaboration with the board of directors and often with outside help from a consulting firm specializing in strategic planning.

These partners can all play a key role in developing a sound and strong strategic plan. However, having a great strategic plan and achieving it are two entirely different things.

There are studies showing that 60 to 90 percent of strategies fail to achieve their expectations. Many reasons are cited for why these failures occur, but one of the most basic reasons is that organizations don’t evaluate their strategy before trying to execute it.

Let’s say that you’re the CEO of a successful trade association or professional society. Revenues are strong, your bottom line is positive, reserves are adequate, and you've built a well-balanced and professional staff.

Most organizations want to get to work executing the plan right away. But thinking through some big questions must come first.

The needs of the industry or professionals you represent are evolving, and you and your board have worked with an outside consultant to develop a new strategic plan. That plan identifies goals and objectives for the organization, which are designed to address these changing needs. Pretty standard stuff, right?

Most organizations want to get to work executing the plan right away. But thinking through some big questions must come first. Is your staff equipped with the right skills to take on the new programs, and is the existing full-time employee count large enough to do this without requiring you to minimize or even drop some existing work? Does your current operating budget have enough slack to build and support new programs, and if so, are you willing to tap into those reserves?

In my experience, the answers are too often: “Not really,” or, “We’ll all just have to work harder until the dust settles.”

Assess Capabilities Upfront

Organizations need to assess their capability to succeed before forging ahead to the execution stage. If you have great people who are ill-equipped to execute the new strategy, you are setting them up for failure.

Imagine that you’re the coach of a soccer team. When you’re playing a defensive position, the goal is to stop the other team from scoring. You have the best goalie and defense; however, when your team is in control of the ball, can you score? Maybe not.

It can be the same when an organization changes its goals and priorities. You have a great talent pool for what you used to do, but is it the right talent for the new task? I’m not suggesting that wholesale personnel changes are in order when a new strategic plan is developed or updated. But during the implementation phase, you need to be sure that the staff’s skill sets align with the new goals.

Maybe you can train existing staff or move people around the organization, putting them in roles where they have the best chance to succeed. Or maybe you need to make some changes. Just don’t assume your great goalie will be a great striker.

The beginning of the strategic planning process is the perfect opportunity to assess all of your existing programs, and when necessary, consider sunsetting programs that aren’t relevant to your new plan.

This might free up dollars and staff, but often it’s the hardest thing for mission-driven organizations to do. Be brave, explain to both your staff and members why these programs are ending, and then act.

When considered and addressed up front, an assessment will greatly increase your odds of positive plan execution.