Most nonprofits are so focused on projects lying ahead that they forget to reflect on their successes. Yet, acknowledging triumphs can energize the team to surge ahead in the New Year with renewed vigor.
So, as each year draws to a close, many organizations look back over the past months and make a list of their accomplishments.
It doesn’t have to be a formal strategic plan, although that is always critical to long-term success. A simple reflective process can be the secret to replenishing your momentum. Here’s how this simple, effective, five-step process works.
Step One: Gather Your Team
Don’t do this alone. Others on your team will benefit from this vital process, too. Invite board members, staff members, and volunteers to an informal gathering. A cross section of stakeholders always produces a wider scope of ideas and builds a more cohesive team.
Create a welcoming atmosphere by serving a beverage and snacks, and play a little upbeat background music. Start by asking each person to describe what draws them to the organization’s mission. This is a powerful way of helping team members get in touch with their deep commitment to your work.
Kathryn Westland, the new executive director of Friendship Center, recently led an annual planning session with board and staff members.
“I wanted to conduct this planning session in October, so we are ready for the new year without impacting the holiday season,” Westland said. “This coming year will see changes in some programs and operations, so it was great to get everyone together to develop an actionable, measurable plan to keep us on track with fulfilling our mission.”
Step Two: Review the Year
Ask everyone to brainstorm a list of all the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, big ones and little ones. Remember the main rule of brainstorming: There are no bad ideas. Let occasional silence encourage timid ones to speak up. You may be surprised at the long list you create.
Now ,make a list of any lessons learned. What would you have done differently? What has this past year taught you?
Even though the pandemic is mostly behind us, its challenges taught us a lot about creativity and possibilities. Celebrate all the ways you have pivoted during this last year.
Step Three: Celebrate Together
Now it’s time to celebrate your successes. Don’t forget that lessons learned are successes, too. Make your official “celebration list.”
Assign a theme for the past year and choose something to represent the theme.
One organization proclaimed it their year of “building our foundation” because they finished reviewing and revising all their governing documents, refurbishing their board membership, and restructuring their committees. They gave each person a small ceramic brick to symbolize their theme and to remind everyone to celebrate their accomplishments.
Review this celebration list at the next staff meeting and at the next board meeting. Watch as it re-energizes everyone.
Step Four: Set Your Intentions
Pull out your organization’s goals, review the progress made and the multitude of ways you changed direction to rise to the challenges of this past year. Simply acknowledging your positive movement forward will give everyone a sense of accomplishment.
Next, peek into the future. Look at each goal individually and list all actions necessary to complete it. Identify the gap between where you are today and where you want to be.
Make a list of who needs to do what by when. Then create a simple matrix clarifying roles, responsibilities and timelines. Develop a plan to help each person be successful in meeting their assigned tasks.
Some organizations use an outside consultant to help shepherd the goals through to completion.
If there are goals that never seem to be accomplished, identify potential obstacles, and make plans to remove the barriers. Some goals may need to be changed. These goals made sense at the time you created them, but no longer serve the organization.
Flexibility and keeping your mind open to new possibilities are key to this step.
Step Five: Conduct an Annual Review
At the end of the year, review all organizational documents to identify any that need revision or updates.
Look at documents like bylaws, strategic plan, emergency response plan, financial policies, board handbook, board evaluation tool, ethics and conflict of interest statements, confidentiality statement, succession plan, safety plan, compensation and benefit structure, insurance and contracts, and committee structure.
Prioritize these documents according to their need for modification, and schedule them on a calendar for revision during the coming year. Decide which revised documents will be presented at your annual board meeting for approval.
Get Ready for an Energizing Year
The secret of this process is a cross section of organizational stakeholders reminding themselves of all they have accomplished in the past year, revisiting their beloved mission, and clarifying their intentions for the coming year. This simple practice will reinvigorate your team and focus their energy on greater triumphs for the coming year.