Is your credit union’s strategic planning process broken?

The title question may seem odd, but it is one that needs to be asked.

If we start from the premise that effective strategic planning is fueled by creative ideas, thinking in new ways, and exploring possible alternatives, then it would not be surprising to learn that the process can become broken for any number of reasons.

Among the most common ones I’ve seen in the credit union industry are:

• Meeting at the same hotel in the same room with the same set-up on the same weekend, eating the same food at the same restaurants, and sleeping in the same rooms every year.
• Following the same agenda with the same timing, the same flow of content, and the same approach to discussion every year.
• Relying on the planning session as the only venue for engaging in strategic discussions during and shifting the responsibility for identifying relevant issues to the facilitator and away from the members of the planning team.
• Sitting passively and viewing a lengthy presentation (or series of presentations) before actually engaging in the real work of discussion and debate.

A recent acticle on the CUES website suggests an alternative meeting method that I think would work well for planning sessions—particularly in addressing the third and fourth items on the above list.

The author (Ari Bixhorn) called upon leaders to Flip the Meeting.

The genesis of the idea for flipping the meeting comes from the world of academia (aka my previous life) where professors have flipped the classroom. Instead of spending class time listening to professors lecture, students watch video lectures before class, at their own pace. This frees up class time for deeper discussions and problem solving.

Take that to the business world, and you have the flipped meeting—one in which attendees read articles, review information, or watch video presentations before they come to the meeting. Then, when they walk into the meeting, they already know what questions should be raised and what points need further discussion.

Think about it this way.

What if everyone on your planning team viewed your planning session like a final exam? The work, study, and thinking get done in advance, so the planning session is focused on deeper discussion, rigorous debate, and information-based decision-making—all of which will lead to better outcomes.

Granted, it will take time to build the capacity and develop the skills of the team to do this, but imagine how much more expansive the thinking of the team would become as a result of the process.

My take: This could be a game changer for your credit union, because it shifts the role of everyone to thinking strategically throughout the year, not just at the planning session. AND, it refocuses the work of the board on the big picture strategy issues versus the day-to-day concerns where planning sessions often get bogged down.

It’s important to recognize that the role of the facilitator changes significantly under this approach. The facilitator becomes more of a teacher—the person who facilitates and guides the learning that leads the team to better decisions.

I know some of you are reading this thinking about reasons why it wouldn’t work for your credit union. Perhaps you even think that your planning team is too stuck in their ways or too busy or lack the technical savvy to pull it off.

My recommendation: Change your thinking and consider how they could and what it would do for your planning process.

Here’s how you can get started:

1. Create a central location where everyone on the team can share information—a folder on a server, a section of the company intranet, or private webpage everyone can access.
2. Develop video-based presentations of the critical material the team needs to review. Don’t over-complicate this step—just record voice narration over the presentation or create an audio that can be listened to while viewing the presentation. Better yet, deliver a series of webinars leading up to the planning session and record them so everyone can view them at their leisure.
3. Assign a deadline to have all presentations and other resources loaded so everyone has time to view them, make notes, and do additional research if they feel the need before the planning session.
4. Send out periodic reminders that guide the planning team through the material and support sharing of ideas and insights along the way.
5. Expect the team to show up to the planning session prepared to discuss real issues and make important decisions.
6. Rinse and repeat (improving wherever possible) in subsequent years.

Action Advice: Even if this idea feels foreign or out of reach, consider the impacts it might have. Identify small steps you can take, such as sharing a series of articles on a critical topic before your planning session. Commit to develop the capacity of your planning team to engage at a deeper level by flipping the meeting (and in the process fixing your broken strategic planning process).