Strategic Planing
Strategic planning is a key factor to a projects success. Leaders who can utilize a well thought out plan can benefit from the clear guidelines it offers. Having a strategic plan before beginning a project ensures that everyone is on the same page, as well as sets a reasonable outline for major milestones in the project timeline.
​
Leaders who are skilled in creating and following a strategic plan are more organized, and have a clearer work ethic. Developing skills in this area is beneficial to aspiring leaders in the organizational field, as well as for people in every day life.
Artifact: Strategic Planing
The artifact I chose for this core competency is a group project I was assigned to work in last semester. In this class, we were assigned one project to work on and build for the whole semester, and then present for our final. Our group chose to preform a global analysis and inclusion plan on the well known nonprofit Make A Wish. This project was extremely important to our grade, and so we took great care in planning it out. At the beginning of the semester we met and made a rough timeline of when we wanted to have certain drafts ready for submission. Following that we met every Tuesday night for 5 months to plan in more detail the upcoming milestones. This project taught us all how to prioritize, set a timeline, meet challenging deadlines, and work together to complete our task on time.
Reflection: Strategic Planning
Strategic planning is a key component in leadership. It does not matter if the project is large or small, using strategic planning is only beneficial to the outcome. In the Organizational Leadership Program we have learned how to create practical project management plans. We have done this through study and practice within small groups and class wide projects.
Growth and Development
In this program I have seen my skills in strategic planning improve significantly. Prior to entering this program I shied away form any sort of formal planning, preferring to "wing it". After having learned about the benefits of planning, and experienced the smooth flow of events within a project when planned right, I have come to rely on planning more than before. Strategic Planning has helped me contribute to project with better quality work. It has also taken some stress out of my life, by avoiding procrastination. As a future leader, I will continue to practice these skills and utilize them every day.