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Strategic Thinking

August 15, 2011, 1:30 pm

By Gene C. Fant Jr.

For those of you pondering a move into an administrative position, from department chair up or in any kind of staff position with supervisory functions, it’s important to scout the institutions where you are applying before going too far in the process. I have recommended in the past an extensive Web search of things like the IRS Form 990 for private institutions (financial snapshots), in-depth analysis of rankings such as those by the U.S. News & World Report, and even Google searches (especially in the “news” mode). I have not, however, mentioned another document that is exceptionally helpful: the institution’s strategic plan. The higher level the position, the more important it is to access this information.

Many institutions now post electronic copies of strategic plans; if you are able to access more than one plan for the university, it’s easy to see the arc of the institution’s trajectory and priorities. If the plan is not on the Web site (some view it as a semi-confidential document), it’s a good idea to ask for a copy if invited for even a phone interview. It’s helpful to know how the unit into which you might be placed is situated within the future plans. If the position seems to be a strategic one to you but is not included in the published plan, that’s a pretty significant signal that there will be frustration ahead. If you ask for a copy of the most recent plan and one doesn’t exist or hasn’t been updated in more than five years, that’s an entirely different problem that bears consideration.

Have you ever investigated a strategic plan as preparation for an interview or in the decision-making process?

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  • 900484393

    This is an essential part of preparing for any exploratory conversation about a leadership position at any organization. Because truthfully, most strategic plans I’ve read are neither “strategic” nor “plans.” It’s hard to align oneself with a vision in such cases, but of course it’s impossible to do so if one hasn’t even read the document. In addition to the content, I believe you learn a lot about an organization by what they choose to include and omit from their planning documents. If a commitment to diversity is in your DNA but doesn’t earn a mention in the subject college’s plan, that should stimulate some questions. Frankly, I’m constantly amazed by how little pre-work many candidates do, sometimes asking questions that blatantly betray the fact that the candidate didn’t even pay a visit to the institution’s web site. I approach such opportunities like an investigative journalist. The more I know about the institution, its values, its people, and its culture, the better qualified I am to determine if (a) it’s the right place for me, (b) what kind of value I can bring, and (c) how I might expect to grow if I join the organization.

    Nice article, Dr. Fant. Thanks for the perspective.

  • bizdean

    If you’re moving up within the same institution, then definitely.
    If you’re coming in from the outside, often it’s to fix or turn around a school that’s in trouble. The implication is the strategic plan ought to be tossed, and a new one created. Still helpful to read the one that didn’t work, though.
    If you’re being hired specifically to execute an existing (usually a recent) plan, the hiring committee will tell you that explicitly.
    Nice to see this re-affirmation of the value of university strategic planning, after the recent attack on it in these pages.

  • 12080243

    Interesting report, Mr. Fant. Thank you. A strategic plan can be quite revealing. We, at usmnews.net, recently ran a series of reports about our strategic plan at the University of Southern Mississippi. They began with the following paragraph: “An intriguing book by Benjamin Ginsberg, The Fall of the Faculty, occasions a review of USM’s most recent ‘Strategic Plan.’ First and foremost, USM’s Strategic Plan is noteworthy for what has been omitted as much for what is included. Part 1 of this series begins with a glaring omission. And, the omission echoes throughout the Plan and signals the status of ethics at USM and of President Saunders and the administrators with whom she surrounds herself. A number of readers and contributors have commented that the omission is stunning. Whether it is an unintentional omission says as much about USM and the status of its ethics as if it was an intentional omission…” http://www.usmnews.net/usmnews%20STRATEGIC%20PLAN%20AT%20USM%20Part1.pdf

    BTW: Honesty, integrity, and truth (reliable observations) were missing from USM’s Strategic Plan.

    Chauncey M. DePree, Jr., DBA, Professor, School of Accountancy, College of Business, University of Southern Mississippi, m.depree@usm.edu

  • barbarashell

    Have I investigated an SP as prep?  Sure. Did it help? Not really.  I interviewed at one college and in a short time it was clear I knew more about their SP than they did. That’s the problem: the degree to which plans are viewed as the Holy Grail or Dust Collectors depends on the institution. There is no “one size fits all” with SPs in higher education. My advice, since this is a Hiring Advice column, is to become familiar with the SP and then when the search committee offers you the opportunity to ask questions have several ready that refer to the SP. You will learn a great deal about how the staff views the importance of Strategic Planning very quickly.

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