Strategic Planning During a Recession

If strategic planning requires vision, strategic planning during a recession requires x-ray vision. It is critical that organizations allow themselves to see past the current economic fog through to what the world will look like on the other side.

Recently I had the opportunity to work with an x-ray vision equipped group, the Florida Center for Performing Arts and Education. It is a large scale project to bring a performing arts center to Tallahassee. The total projected cost is around 113 million dollars with a timeline of around ten years.

What I find most impressive about the Florida Center initiative is the ability of the supporters to envision the future. In a time when everyone is pinching pennies and at a time when Florida is facing state and local budget cuts in the billions on a yearly basis the board members have undertaken the challenge of convincing the community that there is a need for a performing arts center in Tallahassee. Paula Smith, the driving force behind this initiative said in a meeting yesterday, "When the economy was good we weren't in a position to demonstrate support for this project, our job now is to gain support so that when the economy does recover, we'll be in position." The idea being if you wait until the going is good, it's too late to get going.

When times are tough it breeds short sighted visions. Ideas like off shore oil drilling, cutting marketing, sales and research and development budgets seem appealing. This is the kind of vision that will absolutely derail your organizations future. There will never be perfect time, the only perfect time is now.

Don't forget to use your x-ray vision