Practicing Strategic Decision-Making

What can you do with just one piece of paper?

I promise this isn’t a joke about nonprofit resource issues – this is an actual exercise I use in workshops I facilitate – so just stick with me.

Pull out a piece of paper and ask yourself: “What is the highest and best use of this paper?”

You could:
→ Make a paper airplane.
→ Create a card for a loved one.
→ Cut the paper into strips and weave it into a basket.

Or you could:
→ Write a solicitation or thank you note to a donor.
→ Articulate your values and the behaviors that align with them.
→ Document your strategic identity and ethos.

It may seem like the second set of options is obviously better.

But the truth is that “highest and best use” is completely subjective.

To make an informed decision about the “highest and best use” of any resource, you need to know:
→ The situational context
→ Your goals
→ Your identity & values
→ The trade-offs

If you’re entering a paper airplane competition, a donor solicitation letter is not going to help you win. If you’re looking for a way to improve organizational decision-making to ensure it aligns with your values, a beautifully woven basket is not the answer.

Other times, though, the decision becomes more complicated.

And what you choose to use the paper for – knowing there are trade-offs, that the paper can no longer be used for other purposes – that right there is strategy.

Put simply, strategy is a series of choices about what we will – and won’t – do to achieve our goals.

So, the next time you have a decision to make about how to use your resources, walk yourself through the exercise above.

Or you can hire LaFemina & Co. to facilitate a conversation with your team about strategic decision-making.

Have you ever used an exercise like this with your team? Join the conversation over on LinkedIn.