Strategic priorities are goals and objectives that organizations use to guide planning initiatives. They can be developed through focus groups and should be periodically re-evaluated to ensure they align with the organization’s mission and changing needs.
Strategic priorities are classified as organizational goals and objectives. These can include generalized mission statements such as ethical guidelines and more specific goals, such as interacting more with the community. All planning initiatives take these priorities into consideration and work to achieve them through a variety of tools. They can be a topic of public discussion and debate in documents such as annual reports, mission statements and similar materials provided for informational purposes.
There are a number of approaches to be taken in developing strategic priorities. Organizations can think about their current state and where they want to move in the future, taking into consideration topics such as what they produce, the types of services they provide, and ethical concerns. Some companies may be interested in environmental sustainability or respect for religious values, for example, and may prioritize these strategic priorities. Other organizations may be interested in community engagement and looking for links between their work and community needs, such as pharmaceutical companies that supply medicines for compassionate use.
Focus groups of executives and other staff can work together to create strategic priorities for an organization such as a university, corporation or government agency. With these clear goals in mind, you can begin developing a long-term plan to support them. This may include more explicit articulation of goals. A company that says it wants to be greener could set a goal like becoming carbon neutral within a set number of years or reducing packaging by 50%.
When considering how to allocate resources, strategic priorities come into play. The most important priorities require the most funding and attention to ensure they are achieved, without neglecting the others. Sometimes it may be possible to achieve multiple goals through the same initiatives. A college that wants to be more involved in the community and also wants to sponsor social justice initiatives, for example, might get involved in community activism or charitable organizations to provide services to people who need them.
These objectives can also be subject to periodic re-evaluations and discussions. People who meet to discuss long-term plans, funding, and new initiatives can determine whether they mesh with strategic goals. If not, this may be a result of mission creep and it may be time for the organization to refocus or change its goals if they no longer fit the times. Organizational change occurs in response to changing needs, social pressures, and other factors, and the ability to move with this can be important for longevity.
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