Strategic planning is an organizational activity that occurs every 3-5 years and often can take on a life of its own. Since the IHP began the process last fall of creating a new strategic plan for 2018-2021, we have worked to streamline the process, add capacity to help us be successful, and create a timeline that will not result in burden on any of the people involved in the process.
A good strategic plan is important for many reasons. It helps us set a clear direction and establish our priorities so we can focus on the areas that will have the biggest positive impact on the IHP. It aligns resources and ensure strategies are appropriately funded before considering new initiatives. And it is used as a map for making decisions and evaluating our work. In short, it allows us to decide where and how to compete, which includes choosing what to do as well as what not to do.
Last October, we engaged the consulting firm of Altshuler and Staats to help us develop a new strategic plan. Jill Altshuler and Sara Staats have a long history working with colleges, as well as Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Following several meetings with me, they met in December with the Executive Council where they reviewed the IHP’s mission, vision, and values, and discussed approaches to take in developing our new plan. In January, Jill and Sara led a retreat with the Executive Council, the Academic Council, and selected Institute leaders where we brainstormed ideas about what aspirational goals the Institute should focus on over the next four years.
In addition, there was a great turnout of faculty, staff, and students for the Town Hall meetings where you provided your unique perspectives on the IHP’s future. Additional ideas and thoughts that have been submitted to an electronic suggestion form have been added to those developed at the January retreat.
On March 1, the Executive Council will review the complete set of ideas the consultants collected, and will identify a draft of strategic priorities that will be presented to the Board of Trustees at its March 8 strategic planning retreat. Ultimately, we anticipate having our new strategic plan completed by this fall.
I want to thank all of you who have participated in this process and shared your ideas and vision for the IHP’s future. I look forward to sharing our new strategic plan with everyone in the coming months.