Strategic Planning: An Interactive Process for Leaders

Strategic planning here is an interactive process in which leaders, managers, and followers create a common goal together. Ebener and Smith, using their years of experience as consultants and teachers, have distilled their knowledge into a simple step-by-step process that can be used in the three types of organizations: business, not-for-profit, and public. The importance of planning and preparation, prioritizing needs, communication, and accountability in implementation are highlighted. Introduction: Strategic Leadership Chapter 1: Set the Stage―Initiate the Interactive Process Chapter 2: Do Your Homework Chapter 3: Name Your Culture Chapter 4: Frame the Questions Chapter 5: Answer the Questions Chapter 6: Take Action Chapter 7: Lead the Vision Chapter 8: Hold Yourself Accountable †

Dr. Dan R. Ebener has been practicing leadership and developing leaders for churches, businesses, and nonprofits since 1976. He teaches leadership theory, team-building, strategic planning, and servant leadership for the Master of Organizational Leadership program at St. Ambrose University. Through Quad City Leadership Consulting, Dan has conducted strategic planning for 100 organizations and provided leadership training to hundreds of groups. He is the author of Servant Leadership Models for Your Parish (Paulist Press, 2010).

Fred L. Smith teaches part-time in the MOL program at St. Ambrose and part-time in the College of Business at Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. He works as a consultant in the non-profit, public, and business sectors and is a retired U.S. Army logistics manager. He also owns Spirit Partners, through which he provides consulting and planning services.