Christian Childcare International

Challenge

The Board of CCCI saw the need for a strategic plan since it seemed that many of the activities of the organization were disconnected; there was a lack of collaboration between offices and many staff were unaware of the organization’s direction.

Solution

It began with a four-day public workshop on Appreciative Inquiry—a strength-based approach to strategic planning. This enabled participants to learn how they might use this positive approach for their upcoming strategic-planning session. During this session, staff and other stakeholders engaged in data gathering and highlighted the many strengths, resources and assets of this highly valued organization. A new vision of the future was forged. After mapping the social architecture for CCCI, innovation teams gathered to begin the work on developing strategic objectives. With the introduction of a project-management tool, all of the organization’s projects were mapped and contingencies were identified.

Results

As a result of the positive approach used, staff felt a real connection to the organization’s purpose and mission and recommitted their enthusiasm and support for turning their vision into reality. New relations were forged and innovation teams began their work. These teams continue to implement and deliver on their innovations. As a result of this process, the organization saw the value of this positive approach to strategic planning and began to investigate ways to also use this approach in their community-development work in developing nations.

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