Have You Got a Plan for 2023?

We are just at the start of 2023

How did last year go for you?

Did you achieve all that you hoped?

Did you finish all the projects you started?

Did you avoid getting sidetracked on things that sucked up a lot of time and didn't really help you move forward?

Nope? - Me Neither.

Don't feel bad about it. Things happen. Nothing ever goes exactly the way we hope and that's ok.

But you can try and make this year better.

A little less chaotic

A little less unfocused

and a little more successful.

If you write a plan for the year!!

Gulp!!

"Aw no Kevin, that's sooooo boring"

Well yes and no

Put it this way.

Would you get on a bus that had no number or destination on it?

Of course not - you don't know where it's going!!

So how can you expect your staff, volunteers, donors and board to get on board with your organisation if they don't know where you're going?

"but plans are boring"

Don't be ridiculous.

A 70 page document that shows off how clever and important the author is while rambling on and on about nonsense is boring.

Put that's not a plan - Those documents are ego trips.

Here's how to write your plan for 2023!

Get a notebook or copy (as pictured) - Open it up and start writing these questions and scribble as many answers as possible

1. What are we trying to achieve in our organisation?
2. What have we done so far?
3. Where are we now?
4. What do we need to do this year towards our goal?
5. What will it take to do this?
6. What resources do we have (people, expertise, space, time, money)?
7. Are there things we do that take up resources that don't bring us closer to our goals? - Can we stop?
8. What extra resources do we need?
9. How will we go about getting these resources?

Break the answers to 9 into separate projects/ campaigns / events

Are any of these projects not focused on helping you hit your goals? - If yes don't do them (even if the chairperson things it would be good for our image)

Spread the workload among the different people who need to lead on each project and make sure that you consider the time frame of each so you don't find you're running a conference, a fundraising campaign and recruitment drive on the same weekend.

Make a list of all the tasks you and your team need to complete to make sure you hit your goals.

Transfer all these answers and scribbles into a spreadsheet or something you can keep up to date

Start ticking off the task list

Keep checking back

Now this is by no means a complete guide to planning for 2023 but it's a solid start. As you work through this you'll come up with lots of little extra things that you need to allow for

but that's the whole point.

Taking time to think through the year will make you consider all the opportunities and obstacles coming your way. That way you can be prepared.If you carry out this simple exercise you'll already be in a better place than many other organisations.

If you hit any roadblocks or would like some help please get in touch kevin@academystreetworkshop.com

Best of Luck for 2023

Kevin