During this pandemic, and because of continued contact with our CEO placements, we recognize that leadership transitions are even more complex today. For many organizations, the combination of COVID’s impact, a top leadership change, and unresolved organizational issues can create an unsettled landscape.
Instead of new CEOs immediately diving into full-scale strategic planning for the future, “we’re seeing that organizations need a modified approach, a Stage 1 Strategic Plan, designed to first address any obstacles in order to wipe the slate clean to be fully ready for comprehensive strategic planning,” says Tuft President Jill Christie.
In a Stage 1 Strategic Plan, the focus is first on identifying critical, immediate priorities and unresolved problems that a new CEO can work through with the Board and his or her new staff. “These are issues, internally or externally, that just stand in the way of taking a fresh look at the organization’s future,” says Christie. The key is to clear away obstacles in order to move ahead more easily and effectively to build a comprehensive strategic plan for the future,” she explains. The Stage 1 approach also enables new CEOs to gain immediate experience working with the Board and the staff on short-term, goal-focused initiatives.
“Our team is in a unique position to assist with strategic planning in new ways that respond to the demands of our challenging environment,” says Christie. “We all have deep experience in executive leadership and, as part of our search work, we gain in-depth knowledge of the organization. We’re more than ready to help our client associations and societies respond successfully to this ever-changing environment.”
To learn more about Tuft support for strategic planning, please contact Jill Christie, Tuft & Associates, at 312.642.8889.
