How a Consultant Can Help

The director and board of your organization may very well have experience and expertise in strategic planning. What they don’t have are objectivity and time to follow through. Here are some of the benefits of using a consultant for your next strategic planning effort or review.

1.  Perspective. The consultant is a neutral observer, and as such, can bring “fresh eyes” to your organization’s structure, challenges, and decision making. She may also be able to acquire sensitive or confidential information and share it in a way that preserves confidentiality or anonymity.

2.  Independence. Is there an elephant in the room? As an outsider, the consultant can often say things that an insider cannot. He can help the leadership and staff challenge sacred cows, and tell the truth that may beg to be told.

3.  Organization. The consultant will help you design your planning project, breaking it down into manageable steps. She can also shepherd you through the process, helping everyone stay on track for a successful completion. 

4.  Experience. The consultant can bring experience from his work on many other projects. While every project is unique, there will be common threads. The consultant may identify strategies or best practices that have been successful elsewhere and that can be adapted to your unique environment.

5.  Facilitation. Bringing consensus among stakeholders with different points of view requires facilitation and group management skills. The consultant not only brings that expertise, but also has the benefit of being disinterested (but not uninterested!) in the outcome.

Lest this sound like a panacea, note that there are some things a consultant cannot and should not be asked to do!  They include:

• Taking full responsibility for the plan
• Deciding on the organization’s mission, vision, goals, or objectives
• Explaining the value of planning to your board, funding authorities, or stakeholders
• Generating enthusiasm for change

What experiences have you had with a strategic planning consultant? What do you see as the benefits of using outside assistance?

[Thanks to Richard Mittenthal’s article, “Don’t Give Up on Strategic Planning: 10 Keys to Success,” in the May-June 2004 issue of Nonprofit World, for many of the ideas in this post.]