Flexible strategies, an approach that sticks

From my early days working as a consultant, I’ve observed several top-tier consulting firms employ extensive frameworks with technical jargon and terms too complex to be understood.

This would always lead to the organization struggling to apply it all the moment the consultancy leaves. 

In the end, a new consultancy proposal would have been put forward to support the operational aspects of the created strategy.

1+1, another project that is being sold…

I always felt this was an overexploitation of resources — time, human and financial. Business as usual. 

Why do we need all the strategic frameworks if the implementation is that complicated?

Working with NGOs has made me even more aware of it. 

First, forget about ten-year plans. Or that huge mapping that covers up all the opportunities and a pretended future for your organization. 

Make it shorter. Not only because it is more simple, but because I can always use the information at my disposal to make strategic decisions. 

New information or progress that my organization made could change it entirely. Thinkers like Stephen Johnson’s Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation highlight the adjacent future we have to work with. 

The concept is that the range of possibilities — for everything — is determined by the cutting-edge of existing knowledge or prevailing thought. 

Ideas that lie close to this boundary are within the realm of possibility today; as the boundary of knowledge advances, it creates the way for the emergence of fresh ideas tomorrow.

Strategic plans that are more aligned with this path, will definitely boost the organization’s decision-making process.

Improved decisions would lead to better outcomes and set off a positive chain reaction.

Understanding this concept will not only advantage the organization you are collaborating with, but it will also enable staff or team you are working with, to confidently use the plan as a living document. 

Lantuna, a Cape Verde-based NGO focusing on the conservation of Praia ecosystems, has reached out to Chameleonic to develop a strategic plan for the upcoming years.

We have reached a plan for the next two years (2024–2026), shaped by valuable insights from our co-working sessions. This plan will allow for a sharper focus on strategic priorities.

Ultimately, the goal of this strategic plan is to enhance impact. By streamlining the content and emphasizing key changes, the strategy will become more than just a lengthy document tucked away in a drawer or presented to donors — it will be a functional tool for achieving meaningful progress.

“The team grasped the concept and collaborated intimately with the consultants from Chameleonic. The final outcome encompasses a refresh of their mission, vision, and values; the creation of KPIs to ensure development is effective; and the co-creation of essential activities, both current and future, to be executed over the next two years,” said Daniel Mendes, a consultant-creator at Chameleonic.

Further efforts included governance and fundraising; by creating a future organizational chart and identifying current and potential donors as well as exploring new fundraising possibilities.

“Without a doubt, Chameleonic’s support in developing it was very helpful and will serve as a guiding framework for Lantuna’s next steps,” remarked Ana Veiga, the Executive Director of Lantuna.

In today’s fast-changing world, with multiple crises going on, smart flexibility is better than extensive planning. Organizations that can adapt to changes outshines those burdened by lengthy, detailed plans. 

Complex strategic frameworks can alienate the majority of the workforce. A straightforward, co-created and clearly communicated strategy aligns everyone towards common goals, enhancing efficiency and organizational performance.