Strategic planning and the power of no

After many years of helping facilitate bank and credit union strategic planning sessions, I can safely say one thing: people love adding to their “to do” list.

For the most part, this is a good thing. After all, that’s what strategic planning sessions are all about – making the tough calls about the right direction to take your bank or credit union for the next few years. However, it’s all too easy for well-meaning strategic team leaders to add way too much to their “to do” list, often at the expense of a realistic strategic plan.

That’s where the power of no comes into play. It’s human nature to want to add to your “to do” list. After all, the more responsibility you have the more job security you feel. But doing a good job is not tied merely to having an endless list of tasks to check. Saying “no” to things during strategic planning sessions is often in the best interest of your bank or credit union.

continue reading »