Creating Your Strategic Roadmap in Higher Education
Organizations require more than just good intentions to thrive—they need a data-informed strategic plan. But what causes some strategic plans to succeed while others gather dust on a shelf?
The Value of Strategic Planning
Despite criticisms that the world changes too quickly for long-term planning, research examining nearly 9,000 organizations confirms that strategic planning positively impacts organizational performance. Strategic planning isn't about perfectly predicting the future—it's about creating a framework that helps your organization build alignment, set proactive goals, allocate resources wisely, identify risks early, and adapt to changing circumstances.
As Henry Mintzberg notes, "Strategic planning isn't strategic thinking. One is analysis, and the other is synthesis." Strategic thinking creates a vision for the future, while strategic planning turns that vision into actionable goals.
The Five-Phase Strategic Planning Process
We think of strategy formation and implementation as following a continuous cycle with five somewhat fluid phases.
[For more , see our white paper, “Strategy in Higher Education,” available for download from our library of resources.]
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Strategic planning efforts often falter due to a lack of leadership commitment, insufficient stakeholder involvement, an attempt to do too much, a disconnect between priorities and resources, and treating the plan as a fixed document rather than a dynamic guide.
Moving from Plan to Impact
The ultimate measure of a strategic plan isn't the document itself; rather, it is the organizational capabilities developed through the planning process. One university president observed: "The plan itself isn't perfect, but the conversations we had in creating it, the priorities we established together, and the momentum we've built have fundamentally strengthened our ability to face whatever comes next."
By viewing strategic planning as a continuous process rather than a one-time event, you can transform it from a simple administrative requirement into a powerful catalyst for sustainable success in an increasingly complex world.
What strategic priorities will shape your organization's journey?
