Maintaining Quarterly Check-Ins

At the end of the strategic planning session, it is important to determine how the team will keep the momentum moving forward and stay focused on the plan. A great way to do this is to conduct quarterly check-in meetings. Schedule the meetings in advance, and allow at least two hours for each. A suggested agenda for these meetings is presented below.

STAGE 7 WORKSHOP | Strategic Plan Quarterly Review

Reference Document: One-page summary of the plan, including the Vision elements, the key Strengths and Challenges, and the Strategic Directions.

Review the Vision
As a District Arts Team we are responsible for making sure this plan happens. Take turns reading Vision Elements aloud. Discuss the following questions:

  • What has become clearer? In your opinion, which element has become most important to us?
  • Which element captures your attention or inspires you?
  • Which element seems farthest away?
  • Based on how the plan is unfolding, is there anything missing from our vision?

Review the Challenges

  • Where have we run into one of these challenges in the last three months? How did we address it?
  • What challenges seem to have decreased, gone away, faded?
  • What new challenges have arisen?

Review the Strategic Directions

  • Which strategic direction(s) currently have the most momentum?
  • Which are having trouble getting off the ground? Why?

Review the Action Plan/Calendar for the Recent Quarter

  • List accomplishments to date. (record on chart paper)
  • What has not been accomplished? (record on chart paper)
  • What are the obstacles? (record on chart paper)
  • What have you learned about how we work together?
  • What are the practical implications for next quarter? For the rest of the year?

Confirm a New Action Plan/Calendar for the Next Quarter

  • Check off points accomplished in the previous quarter.
  • Which actions need to be moved to another quarter?
  • What do we need to do in order to move forward on things not accomplished?
  • Any need to further develop actions in small groups while everyone is still together?
  • Review original plan for the next quarter. Is it still on target?
  • Any new accomplishments that need to be added?
  • Clarify and confirm on who is responsible for each element.

Closing Conversation

Objective Level:

Think back over the last 90 days.
What work have you been involved in? What was the setting? Who else was
involved?
What did you accomplish?
Name one thing in the plan for which you are responsible, or in which you have been involved.

Reflective Level:

What are you particularly proud of? What excited you about the work?
What irritated you about the work?
What do you find most challenging?

Interpretive Level:

What insight are you having regarding the progress of this organization?
What are our vulnerabilities?
What are our strengths?

Decisional Level:

What needs to happen?
What can we do to leverage our organizations goals?
What new values will we need to enable that?
What next steps do we need to take to move forward in our strategic directions?