The Context:
Foundation is a charity, based in Leeds. It works with people who may face social exclusion such as offenders, the homeless, domestic abuse victims and young people at risk. Many of its staff work out in communities delivering service at the sharp end. The charity has a three year strategic business plan, updated every year, and engaging all its staff in developing strategic priorities and initiatives.
The Issue:
All staff had taken part in local workshops giving their thoughts to 4 questions developed by the senior management team (SMT). The workshops were designed to generate new ideas and opinions. The SMT wanted to make sense of the vast range of responses and build a shared view that it could take forward in developing the strategic plan.
The Solution:
Using the structured thinking process, called Logo Visual Thinking (LVT), the SMT spent a day reviewing the material from the staff workshops. Then they developed their view of the strategic priorities and initiatives for the next 3 years. The LVT process encouraged participants to share their thinking and debate the material. They ended up with a high level of consensus, so aiding a clear way forward.
The Results:
The SMT of Foundation UK now has a clear way forward in preparing its 3 year strategic plan and has found an engaging method to help build that shared vision.