Strategy Formulation Seminar for Nonprofits

12 May Strategy Formulation Seminar for Nonprofits

Strategy: noun, a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim. A master plan, grand design, game plan, plan of action.

You say you knew the dictionary definition of “strategy” because, well, you run a nonprofit, you are a board member, or a key player in an organization with vision. Got to understand the lingo to execute, right?

But what if you found out you were not doing strategic formulation at all, that you were simply doing long-range planning or had jumped headfirst into tactics and labeled them strategies? What if  it turned out you not helping your organization make its best guess as to how to create and sustain a unique position in the market to retain a competitive advantage?

Enter Ron Gager, an organizational consultant who, since 1987, has run Gager & Associates, a Boulder, Colorado consulting group specializing in organizational development, quality improvement, and strategy formulation.

Among other assignments, Gager has served as Manager of Organizational Effectiveness for Xerox Information Products Division, Director of Organizational Development for Stearns-Roger, an engineering & construction arm of Air Products & Chemicals, and as Program Director for the Colorado Outward Bound School.

Gager retired (well, sort of) in 2014 and is now leading the adaptation of his firm’s Strategy Formulation materials to the world of non-profit organizations. He regularly conducts “briefings” on strategy for Colorado non-profits, and occasionally serves as lead consultant for non-profits who elect to use an external consultant to work with his models and tools. He has recently led Strategy Formulation sessions for the Colorado Outward Bound School, the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra, the Association for Experiential Education, Roaring Fork Leadership, the Association for Fraternity/Sorority Advisors, Telluride Mountain School, Aspen CORE, The Colorado High School Cycling League, and for the Aspen Center for Living Peace.

And now Ron Gager is coming to a venue near you.

On Thursday, May 21, Gager is a guest of the Telluride Foundation, leading a free “Strategy Formulation Seminar for Nonprofit Leaders. The event is sponsored by the Foundation, Patagonia and Telluride Mountainfilm and takes place in Mountain Village at the Madeline Hotel & Residences, Idarado Ballroom, 568 Mountain Village Boulevard.

The focus of Ron’s talk is about  the HOW-TOs of strategy formulation, which just might be the primary and decisive difference between sustained success and unrelenting struggle in any business, for profit or not-for-profit.

What will you take away if you show up at Ron’s talk? At the very least an understanding of the tools and concepts involved with effective strategy formulation. In addition, if you complete his pre-work assignment and actively participate in his exercises during the session, you will have taken a huge first step at setting a new strategy for your nonprofit. At the end of the session, Gager will share a Strategy Formulation Tool Kit that includes simple, clear instructions for utilizing these concepts in your organization.

Seating is limited, so please RSVP to April Montgomery by May 4, 2014 at april@telluridefoundation.org.

To learn more, click the “play” button and listen to my conversation with Ron Gager.