Paper
The Strategic Visioning Process
Published Apr 1, 1994 · J. Finaly
Public Administration Quarterly
11
Citations
0
Influential Citations
Abstract
The "Strategic Visioning Process" is a series of activities which can effectively push a group of leaders of an organization to an inspiring, rich, and beyond-the-present paradigm view of a positive future for their organization. In this situation we might define vision as that most desirable or ideal state which we would like our organization to achieve at some time in the future. The process is based on the wisdom of Peter Senge (1990:206): "Few, if any, forces in human affairs are as powerful as shared vision." The following steps indicate the procedure for each activity in the Process of Strategic Visioning. INTRODUCTION The introduction can take any of a number of forms. The author would recommend that the senior organizational leader speak about the need for improvement/innovation in the future. It might be particularly useful to do this activity at the beginning of a planning event or towards the end of a ritual of completion, such as when the organization conducts an end-of-year assessment. Whatever the occasion, assigning Mapes' (1991) "Foresight First" article is recommended as a preprocess assignment.(1) Joel Barker's (1990) "The Power of Vision" videotape is recommended as a thought/idea starter. It is most important that participants begin the activity with a positive, future-oriented mindset to gain the most value from the process and Barker's tape helps to create that atmosphere. The tape helps people viewing it see how a positive, far-reaching vision of the future can provide direction and a sense of purpose in the present. GUIDED IMAGING The facilitator of the strategic visioning activities should cause the participants to relax and clear their minds. It is recommended that they shut their eyes and either lay their heads on the table in front of them, lean back or lie down, excluding any distractions, so that they can devote full attention to the experience. The facilitator should then read (or play a prerecorded message) causing participants to think about what their organization could be in their ideal future. A five or ten year outlook might be most appropriate. Participants should be asked to take along a "mental notebook" and write down (in the mental notebook) the thoughts that occur to them as the message is delivered. The message should cause participants to think about critical aspects of their future such as: 1. The users of services and their satisfaction; 2. Employees, their behaviors, pride, and satisfaction; 3. Accomplishment of organizational goals; 4. Relationships with organizations; 5. Image in/of the community; 6. New Services; 7. New programs; 8. New thrusts; 9. New responsibilities; and 10. Expansion and growth/resizing (as appropriate for the organization). After the message is completed, the facilitator should gently bring participants back to the present. BRAINSTORMING The facilitator should pass out pads of gummed-back notes or small cards and ask participants to write down all of the ideas from their mental notebooks from the guided imaging step, one thought per note or card. After all writing has ceased, the facilitator should use a nominal group technique to gather each idea from participants, one by one, and place the notes in random order at the center of the table or on a large paper attached to the wall. This activity should not be allowed to end prematurely. There is typically a large number of initial ideas, followed by a plateau when few or no new ideas are presented. The facilitator should advise participants to continue thinking, including "stealing" or building upon their own and/or others' initial ideas and write more notes, moving into a second level of brainstorming. AFFINITY DIAGRAM The facilitator should first explain the affinity diagram process as one which will enable the group to organize this large amount of data in a logical and useful manner, then lead the participants through the affinity diagram steps: 1. …
The Strategic Visioning Process effectively creates a positive future for organizations by encouraging leaders to visualize a future they desire.
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