This blog was written by Norah Kennedy, Executive Director, at Family Transition Place:
In the fall of 2022, Family Transition Place (FTP) contracted Collective Results (CR) to lead the agency in its upcoming strategic planning process. Emerging from the uncertainty of the pandemic, we knew we needed facilitators that would help us create a solid plan to guide the agency through pandemic recovery and through a time that will largely be about growth and transition.
Initially there was a little worry that perhaps CR was a little too “corporate” for the kind of agency FTP has always been. We are an agency that has a long history of grounding our work in community and specifically in values of compassion and respect. FTP has recently had a significant growth spurt and we are working to manage that growth while still holding on to the values, philosophy and approach that have been at the core of who and what FTP has been for 35+ years.
The Collective Results team very quickly learned what was important to us. They embraced the dynamic the FTP board and staff planning group brought to the process, adapting their facilitation to accommodate our mode of communication, engagement and very active participation. They responded positively to the FTP team’s ideas and with their expert facilitation, brought out the best in all of us, as we planned for the FTP of the future.
When we expressed our need to not lose the “heart” of FTP in among the deliverables and objectives of a structured plan, the CR team “got it”. We needed a plan that was rooted in our core values so CR wove them throughout, supporting each pillar and objective. The “heart” or “essence” of FTP shines through, from the “Caring Culture and Equitable and Empowering Services pillars; to Balanced Growth and Community Connectedness.
By the end of the process, we not only had a plan that will serve us well for the next three years, but the whole FTP team felt that we had new friends! So much so, that when one of the Strat plan deliverables in the Balanced Growth pillar required an organizational structural review, we immediately reached out again to Collective Results.
Lots of gratitude to Lindsay, Liz and Jennifer who have led us so ably through both these projects.
Collective Results Team: Thank you, Norah! It was a pleasure to work with you and your team on this project. Everyone we worked with at FTP embraced our process with open arms, a willingness to engage, and a clear vision of how your values guide your organization. We have no doubt that your team will do great things together over the next 3 years as you implement your strategic plan!
Here is the link to Family Transition Place’s 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Overview.