The Value of Strategic Planning

John Dolan OBEFocus, Funding and Futures: Libraries Adapting to Change

Library Association of Ireland / CILIP Ireland11 April 2013

About

Strategy

What is strategy? A cynical take?

• Military associations• Greek – “Art of leader; office of general

command” Wikipedia• Plan to achieve (more) goals• Insufficient resources• Advantage over adversaries through

exploitation of emergent possibilities rather than committing to any fixed plan at the outset”

What is strategy? For businesses

• “a pattern in a stream of decisions” Henry Mintzberg

• “Desirable ends with available means” Max Mckeown

• “determination of basic long term goals and objectives of an enterprise, [sic] and the adoption of courses of action and the allocation of resources necessary for carrying out these goals” Chandler 1962

• from Wikipedia

What was…

… my strategy in going to Wikipedia?

• To get as much and do as little as possible• (output)

• To amuse• (outcome)

• To promote Wikipedia• (objective)

What is strategy? Military

• “the utilization during both peace and war, of all of the nation’s forces, through large scale, long-range planning and development to ensure security and victory”

(Random House Dictionary)

What is strategy? Military

• “the utilization during both peace and war, of all of the nation’s forces, through large scale, long-range planning and development to ensure security and victory”

(Random House Dictionary [quoted in

Wikipedia])

Let’s take a closer look at that…

• Large scale – Aspiration and Circumstances

• Long range– Forward-looking– Realistic– Ambitious

• Planning– Action oriented. Change making

• Development– Change and innovation

• Security– Sustainability

• Victory– For subject and for you

About

Libraries

Attitudes?

Them • Low awareness• Haven’t got time• Opening hours• Valued v funding • Narrow stereotype• Nostalgia support• New Technology

Us• Talk to each other• Modest self-esteem• Self critical• Victim culture• Slow to change• Hide our light• New Technology

But … look what libraries bring to the table

• Collaborative culture– Is that so? Sometimes…

• Enormous market– Millions of (registered) users

• Massive assets– structural, physical, virtual, human

• Committed Trained Workforce– Thousands of people. Tons of experience. Close to

communities• Library Information and Knowledge

– the most 21st century profession

The Library Idea … is everywhere!

Early years

School Academic … Further & Higher Education

Research and innovation

Business, commerce

Entrepreneurs and Industry

Health, Wellbeing, Care

Banking, Finance, Law

PublicSpecial and Third Sector

Government and Public Administration

and …

has been everywhere

http://www.culturelabel.com/agency/

http://www.culturelabel.com/agency/

http://www.culturelabel.com/agency/

http://www.culturelabel.com/agency/

http://www.culturelabel.com/agency/

About

Strategic Plans

SCONUL

Our strategic priorities for 2012-2015• Collaboration and shared services• Performance and quality• Academic Content and Communication• User experience and success

Trinity College Dublin

Provost’s Foreword iiiValues ivVision and Mission vExecutive Summary vii1. Trinity’s Strategy for the Future2. Education3. Knowledge Generation and

Transfer 4. Student Experience5. Engagement with Society6. Enabling the Strategy7. People8. Place9. Information and the Library10.Implementing the Strategy11.Acknowledgements

Information and the LibraryAs a learning organisation, we fully support the sharing of information for the benefit of the entire community ……..• publish an information strategy• Establish a virtual learning environment (VLE) and a virtual research environment (VRE)• Transform campus experience with mobile web• integrated communications technology Platform•Develop the Library and College archives

Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association

Our mission is to:* independently represent, promote and support owner managers of small & medium enterprises.* be vigilant, decisive, and direct in promoting and defending the interests of all small and medium businesses.* help members better manage and grow their business through the provision of excellent information and services.* reduce members’ costs through the co-ordinated strength of the sector.

Our mission is to:* independently represent, promote and support owner managers of small & medium enterprises.* be vigilant, decisive, and direct in promoting and defending the interests of all small and medium businesses.* help members better manage and grow their business through the provision of excellent information and services.* reduce members’ costs through the co-ordinated strength of the sector.

•4 part mission …

•They do what it says on the lid

•That’s small businesses

About

strategic planning

Elements of strategic planning

External • Political• Economic • Social• Technological• Legal• Environment • Education

Internal • SWOT• Research / Evidence of past

achievement • Unique qualities (USPs)• Consultation; engagement• Partnership potential• Assets • Resources

Vision. Aims. Objectives. Desired outcomes

Intrinsic v Instrumental

Intrinsic• Historic legacy• Books only • Valued • Victorian; associated with

archives, museums• Collections • Nostalgia value • Not enough on its own• New technology

Instrumental• Literacy• Learning• Information • Knowledge • Children/ Young People• Community• Diversity • Recessionist• New technology

360° Strategy

Futures

Thr

eats

Opportunities

Baggage – Legacy

Competition Divided Failure

to change No/Low Impact

Uncertain market

Dated image Invisible

Inconsistent Limited evidence

Leadership Partnership

Collaboration Skills

Passion More ideas &

resources Huge Market

National network History

Nostalgia

About

our Skills

• Ethics and Values• at the centre

• Key knowledge and skills• make our profession unique

• Professional expertise and strategic skills• in the wider library, information and knowledge sector context • wider organisation and environmental context• maintain current awareness and understanding of the wider profession• for knowledge of the world outside their own workplace

Professional Knowledge and Skills Base

Professional expertise: Make more of our professional assets, our skills

Skills of Strategy – 1. The wider perspective

Skills of Strategy – 2. Generic. Powerful

PKSB: Generic skills- Skills of strategy

• Wider Organisation and Environmental context• Wider Library Information and Knowledge Sector

context• Leadership and Advocacy• Strategy, Planning and Management• Customer Focus, Service Design and Marketing• IT and Communication

9. Leadership and Advocacy

Provide active leadership by inspiring and managing themselves and teams, both inside and outside the organisation and by promoting the positive value of library, information and knowledge services across the organisation and society. Includes leading and inspiring teams, influencing key stakeholders and understanding external frameworks

9. Leadership and Advocacy

Provide active leadership by inspiring and managing themselves and teams, both inside and outside the organisation and by promoting the positive value of library, information and knowledge services across the organisation and society. Includes leading and inspiring teams, influencing key stakeholders and understanding external frameworks

10. Strategy, Planning and Management

Setting long-term goals and objectives, and managing their planning and deliverywithin financial and legal constraints, while ensuring that strategies and prioritiesare in line with and support business objectives. Includes knowledge of business, operational and financial planning and management.

10. Strategy, Planning and Management

Setting long-term goals and objectives, and managing their planning and deliverywithin financial and legal constraints, while ensuring that strategies and prioritiesare in line with and support business objectives. Includes knowledge of business, operational and financial planning and management.

11. Customer focus, Service Design and Marketing

Understanding user needs, shaping library, information and knowledge services to meet those needs and using appropriate methods to inform customers of accessibility, value and benefit of the resources and services. Includes knowing the customer, identifying and communicating with stakeholders, designing and promoting services and evaluating the outcomes.

11. Customer focus, Service Design and Marketing

Understanding user needs, shaping library, information and knowledge services to meet those needs and using appropriate methods to inform customers of accessibility, value and benefit of the resources and services. Includes knowing the customer, identifying and communicating with stakeholders, designing and promoting services and evaluating the outcomes.

12. IT and Communication

Using a range of electronic information resources and systems, including databases, catalogues, Web resources and software. Includes new internet applications and social media tools and providing user-friendly electronic resources and tools. Communication skills include oral, writing and presentation skills, networking andrelationship building and working effectively with individuals and groups.

12. IT and Communication

Using a range of electronic information resources and systems, including databases, catalogues, Web resources and software. Includes new internet applications and social media tools and providing user-friendly electronic resources and tools. Communication skills include oral, writing and presentation skills, networking andrelationship building and working effectively with individuals and groups.

What more do you need?

Make your own tomorrow!

or…

… make tomorrow your own!

Thank you

John