Adapting the strategic planning process to reflect periods of major change
When CEO Sue White joined QEC in 2017, Victoria’s largest provider of early parenting services was on the cusp of navigating the most significant period of change and growth the organisation had experienced in its 100-plus years of operation.
“Historically, QEC hadn’t always engaged a facilitator,” Sue said, acknowledging how the organisation needed to take a different approach in the follow-up to the Victoria government’s November 2018 announcement of a $150 million investment to expand and upgrade QEC’s early parenting centre network.
“It was a pivotal discussion at an important time in our history.”
QEC’s board was ready to engage a different approach to strategic planning. To bring in a facilitator that could foster big picture thinking and provide a safe platform for all voices to be heard.
“It (the 2019 workshop) certainly shaped our future and still does.”
Key outcomes
- Workshop no.1 (2019): a solid strategic plan to guide future expansion
- Workshop no.2 (2023): balanced the future focus with the here-and-now
- Workshop no.3 (2024): embraced shifting opportunities, plus new board member check-ins
I’ve seen it done well and I’ve seen it not done well. A lot of strategic planning partners come with a template. Not Helga. Her greatest strength is that she can contextualise. She adapts her process to the board. She knows when to push and when to pull. She nails it every time.”
About the Queen Elizabeth Centre (QEC)
For over 100 years QEC has supported families with children aged from newborn until their fourth birthday through a practical range of tools, services and programs.
QEC’s strategy and planning workshops
- 2019 – prepare for the Victorian government’s $150 million investment
- 2023 – consider propositions with varying degrees of risk and opportunity
- 2024 – navigate shifting opportunities
Strategy and planning workshop facilitation for organisations that need to bring their board, leadership team and stakeholders together to define purpose and priorities to develop a high-level plan.
Workshop no.1 (2019) – preparation to expand
Tools used:
- ‘What does success look like?’ template: a context tool used to hear from and understand a range of perspectives, including the peak body, clients, government and the team.
- ‘Critical thinking’ template: a deep dive into strengths/opportunities, new ideas/opportunities, difficulties/weaknesses, what is/isn’t known. This tool encourages diverse thinking based on De Bono’s Six Hats thinking.
- Purpose statement: to confirm the organisation’s vision, purpose and values.
“2019 for us was a period of significant change to our external environment,” Sue said.
“The Victorian government’s investment was the largest our sector had seen. For the first time in 100 years, it allowed for us to substantially expand.”
Preparation for the all-day workshop began well in advance. Time was taken to design the workshop and tools around current challenges and upcoming expansion plans.
“We plan together – it’s very collaborative. She sometimes says ‘let’s do this straight’ and other times she says ‘let’s be creative’.”
In light of the significant investment and ramifications for QEC’s future, the workshop held Saturday 23 March was more ‘straight’ than ‘creative’. The workshop structure and tools used focused on the serious task of reviewing and renew strategic objectives at such a pivotal time.
Workshop no.2 (2023) – balancing the future focus with the here-and-now
Tools used:
- Speed dating with the QEC executive team: an update on QEC news.
- SOAR: to set the context at the start of a workshop, focusing on the organisation’s strengths, opportunities, aspirations, results. Read the SOAR blog post.
- ‘What does success look like?’ template: this time, focusing on a ‘new opportunity’.
“We needed to have a discussion around a couple of potentially exciting opportunities with varying degrees of risk,” Sue said.
The workshop was very future focused – “as they often are when working with Helga” – yet balanced with the here-and-now.
“Helga is quite visual in the way she works.” Visual, physical and flexible. Large sheets of paper to scribble on. Prompt cards. Break-out groups. Tools and tactics that get the team moving and in a different mindset.
“This workshop happened in the middle of a building site.” Sue said. QEC’s Noble Park facility was undergoing a major overhaul as part of the Victorian government’s $123 million investment.
“Helga had us pause on discussions of the future to focus on the present. We put on hardhats and high-vis and marched around the site.” An opportunity to focus on the present and a reminder of how far QEC had come
Workshop no.3 (2023) – navigating shifting opportunities
Tools used:
- ‘Bring something in’: each workshop participant brought with them an object from home that reflected child and family engaging QEC services.
- Values alignment: exploring board cohesion with an exercise that asked directors to explore the QEC values they focus on in the boardroom and they could maximise their own value.
- Strategy review: a deep dive into ‘what do we do well?’, ‘what could we do differently?’ and ‘what’s our (the board’s) advice to the executive team on achieving these goals?’.
“The 2024 workshop was a continuation of the 2023 discussion around ‘opportunities’, but with a fresh lens,” Sue said.
The opportunities of 2023 had shifted. The environment and context had shifted.
“We made some different decisions – explored other options. Helga is really good at managing these conversations around uncertainty. Although we realise as an organisation that nothing is static, these conversations around uncertainty can be really difficult.”
In addition to creating a space where these difficult conversations could be held, the workshop used tools to engage new board members to discuss and reflect on QEC values and key aims.
“I missed this last one,” Sue said, smiling, shaking her head at the memory.
“I was unfortunately quite unwell. But they didn’t need me. Everything was prepared and already in place. Helga and I had a check-in call that that morning that everything was ready to go and then I left them to it.”
