Our Partners Strategic Planning Approach and Experience

Definition #1: “Strategic planning is the process of being clear about where you want to go (vision, mission and values), where you’re at (current state assessment), and how you want to get there (strategic goals and initiatives).” - John Gavares

Definition #2: “Strategic planning is a comprehensive, 

systems-approach to lead, manage and change one's organization in a conscious, well-planned and 

integrated fashion.” - Farnum Alston 

"If we don’t change the direction we’re going, we’re likely to end up where we are headed.”  - Yogi Berra

Typical  goals of these efforts include alignment and support to the strategic plan, team building, leadership development, inter-group partnering, and the establishment of strategic goals, prioritized strategies/initiatives, and implementation plan. 

Some Terminology

• Vision, Mission and Values:  Development or clarification of these are powerful team building and alignment activities. 

• Strategic Goals/Objectives: Emerge with clarity as to the top strategic areas of focus (Goals and objectives). These address the challenges and opportunities on the horizon.  

• Strategic Initiatives: Create 1 to 2-year S.M.A.R.T projects for each strategic goal to help achieve them. 

• Implementation Plans: Develop action plans and SOPs for successful follow-through and monitoring. 

• San Diego Convention Center
• Orange County Sanitation District 
• United State International Univ. (USIU) -Kenya
• Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD) 
• City of San Diego’s Public Utilities Department 
• San Diego Metro Commission / JPA 
• JFK Memorial Hospital 
• Padre Dam Water District 
• California Association of Sanitation Agencies 
• Water-Reuse Association of California
• Water Conservation Garden 

Examples of Reports

• Coachella Valley Water District (2014, 2015, 2016-2021) (Copies available upon request) 

• City of San Diego Public Utilities Department (2016-2021)  (Copies available upon request) 

• Water Conservation Garden (Copies available upon request) 

“If you don’t know where you want to go, it doesn’t matter which path you take to get there.” 

- The Caterpillar to Alice, in “Alice in Wonderland”