Strategic Planning the Goldilocks Way Part 2 — Building a Plan That’s Just Right

In Part 1 of this series, we looked at how to recognize when it’s time to start thinking about a strategic plan. From outdated roadmaps to shifting environments, leadership transitions, and board/staff misalignment, the signs are often clear — and if you’re seeing them, it’s probably time to act.

But here’s the catch: the biggest mistake I see is organizations jumping straight into hiring a consultant or scheduling a retreat before they’ve had the right conversations internally. That’s like asking a builder to design your house before you’ve even decided whether you want a cottage, a farmhouse, or a brownstone.

That’s where the Goldilocks principle comes in. Before you begin, you need to think carefully about what kind of plan is “just right” for your organization — not so elaborate that it drains energy, not so bare-bones that it provides no real guidance, but balanced to fit your size, capacity, and goals.

What to Discuss Before You Start

A strategic plan that fits begins with conversation. Before you bring in a consultant or map out a process, gather your board and senior staff to work through these essentials:

• Why now? ⏰
  Every plan has a story. Are you coming out of drift, welcoming new leadership, or preparing for expansion? Naming why now gives the process urgency and focus.

• What’s in and out? 📋
  Without boundaries, planning becomes a catch-all. Decide what must be included — fundraising, program focus, leadership transitions — and what can wait. Clear scope = usable plan.

• Who is it for? 🎯
  Plans serve different audiences: staff, board, funders, partners. Decide the primary audience early — it sets tone, length, and detail.

• What questions must be answered? ❓
  The best plans focus on the three to five big questions that will shape your future. Define them up front to avoid getting lost in minutiae.

• What does success look like? 🌟
  These conversations set realistic expectations and protect you from plans that are overbuilt or underwhelming. Picture in detail the following three scenarios and don’t be afraid to have a hearty debate on what these look like:

  • Superlative Vision ✨: If this plan exceeds all expectations.

  • Minimal Profile 📄: The bare minimum version of this plan that is still worth doing.

  • Goldilocks ⚖️: The balanced outcome you’re truly aiming for.

• What will it take? 🛠️
  Strategic planning takes bandwidth. Will board members engage, or will it fall to staff? Do staff have time, or are they already stretched thin? Surface these realities early so the process is realistic, not aspirational.

Who Should Answer These Questions — and How? 🤝

Getting the who right is another Goldilocks challenge: too few voices and the plan is narrow; too many and it stalls. The goal is a “just right” mix of people and roles — enough diversity to bring perspective, with enough clarity to keep decisions focused.

• Board and Senior Staff: Core voices for strategy and operations.

• Consulted Stakeholders: Donors, partners, community reps. Invite them later to inform, not decide.

• Facilitator/Consultant: Bring them in with a clear charge: respect the parameters already agreed on.

And remember: not everyone does everything. A RACI analysis (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) clarifies how each role participates. It ensures broad input without overload, clear accountability, and forward motion.

The method matters too. Structured formats — retreats, workshops, surveys, or working groups — keep contributions focused and productive.

How to Stay Accountable 📝

Accountability has its own Goldilocks problem: too little, and plans drift into wish lists; too much, and you create paper tigers — elaborate reports that weigh people down, especially staff with limited bandwidth. The aim is accountability that’s “just right”: strong enough to keep people aligned, but light enough to keep them motivated.

Three practical ways to strike that balance:

• A Planning Charter: Capture your early agreements in a short brief (no more than 2–3 pages), then refine it into a final charter that sets scope, roles, and milestones. Treat it as the compass for the process.

• Check-in Milestones: Build in regular pauses to ask, “Are we still aligned with the charter? Have circumstances shifted?”

• Stakeholder Alignment: Make sure all stakeholders (board members, consultants, staff, etc.) use the charter as non-negotiable guardrails, not just background.

Accountability done well isn’t a burden. A Planning Charter keeps the process anchored, milestones keep it honest, and alignment ensures it stays practical, energizing, and just right.

Wrapping this 2 Part Series Together

In Part 1, we explored how to know when it’s time to start strategic planning. In Part 2, we’ve focused on the first steps — the conversations about purpose, scope, audience, and success that need to happen before the work begins.

Taken together, these steps help you avoid two common traps: the dreaded black hole of endless planning and the useless paper tiger that sits on a shelf. Instead, they set you up for something in between — a Goldilocks strategic plan that’s practical, energizing, and just right for your organization.