The Greatest Race of All Time
The year is 1911.
Two of the most revered polar explorers (one from Great Britain by the name of Robert Falcon Scott and one from Norway by the name of Roald Amundsen) are engaged in an epic battle of wills and skills.
The goal?
To see who could be the first to reach the last unclaimed territory on earth—the South Pole.
Before diving deeper into the epic adventure, a bit of background is appropriate here.
These two renowned explorers were (wait for it…) polar opposites.
And yes, every pun intended.
The young, handsome British naval officer (Robert Falcon Scott) was known and admired worldwide for his toughness, his grit, and his ability to endure hardship. Scott’s approach to life was “the plan-be-damned, let’s get to it.”
In contrast, his opponent, the cerebral Norwegian, Roald Amundsen, was known for his meticulousness, his thoughtfulness, and his ability to manage the details.
Unlike Scott, Amundsen spent endless hours planning—and he left absolutely nothing to chance.
And by nothing, I mean zip, zilch, zero, nada.
In fact, Amundsen’s plan to conquer the South Pole may have been one of the most precise documents ever created.
So, with that as the backstory, in late October of 1911 (with the entire world watching in amazement), these two very different men (and their teams) began the greatest race ever recorded.
At first, each man’s approach had its merits.
Scott’s team made substantial progress (albeit labored and a bit chaotic). Amundsen’s team did the same—sans the chaos.
Now, let’s fast forward a couple of months.
Because of poor planning, Scott and his team ran out of food in a -78° blizzard (and their bodies remain encased in the Antarctic ice to this day).
Meanwhile, Amundsen quietly and systematically reached the South Pole (it would have taken Scott an additional 33 days to do this had he lived)
But there’s more.
While Scott and his men starved to death, Amundsen and his crew actually gained weight on their expedition.
The lesson for CEOs and High Impact Boards is undeniable.
Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
5 Reasons Why Planning Matters
Put simply, for best-in-class charities, planning matters for a variety of reasons.
#1: Planning Provides Direction.
A plan gives you a clear sense of purpose, acts as a roadmap to achieve your goals, and keeps your efforts focused.
#2: Planning Organizes Your Tasks.
A well-structured plan helps organize activities in a logical order, minimizing wasted time and effort.
#3: Planning Maximizes Resources.
Planning helps you identify and secure the necessary resources—like time, money, and personnel—in advance, ensuring they are available when needed.
#4: Planning Anticipates Obstacles.
By thinking ahead, your plan can help you foresee potential obstacles and develop solutions before problems arise, saving time and effort in the long run.
#5: Planning Builds Confidence.
Successfully completing planned tasks provides a sense of accomplishment, which boosts confidence and motivation.
A quick aside before moving on.
If you’ve read all these reasons before and still remain unmotivated to perfect your charity’s plan, consider the words of Lao Tzu: “Plan for what is hard, while it is still easy.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that Scott wished he had a second chance at this.
With this in mind, let’s get serious
Developing a Plan to Survive -78°
Here’s a stunner: Research estimates that the vast majority (60%-90%!) of nonprofit plans fail.
And many don’t just fail, they fail miserably (now think of Scott and his team freezing and starving to death).
To make sure this isn’t you, here are some great tips to help you maximize your charity’s plan so that you can survive hard times when they come.
Priority #1: Co-create It.
Make no mistake: It’s essential that both board and staff are involved in the planning process. By meaningfully involving both groups, research confirms that engagement levels remain high and everyone feels a shared sense of ownership on your journey.
Said differently, you do NOT want to be the only one who knows the plan when temperatures get frigid—you’ll need everyone at the ready.
Priority #2: Contrast It.
One of the most effective organizational planning techniques is a process known as mental contrasting—and Amundsen was a master at it.
In a nutshell, mental contrasting is a PROVEN planning approach that helps you think through exactly what you are going to need on your journey.
Here’s how it works:
Your planning committee begins by envisioning your charity’s desired future.
- Where do you want to be a year from now?
- How have your constituents changed?
- What does the organization look like with respect to revenue, staff, and infrastructure?
Remember, the more vividly your group can describe your desired destination (think planting the flag at the South Pole!), the more likely it is to happen.
Next, having visited your “better” future, it’s now time to “contrast” that with what’s happening in the “here and now”.
During this phase, you want to examine your present circumstances—warts and all.
- What is our current revenue situation?
- How good is our staff?
- How capable is our board?
- How good is our service delivery?
Last but not least, your final task is to capture the specific steps and resources you’ll need to take to get from the “here and now” to the “then and there”.
And this is where things get fiercely practical.
Priority #3: Compile It.
Having completed the previous two priorities, it’s time to get down to brass tacks.
Do not miss this.
When it comes to formalizing your plan into a physical document, one of the most important things you (and your board!) can do is require the following format.
Specifically, there are six key sections in a best-in-class plan:
- Section 1 contains the organization’s overall 30,000-foot vision and what it hopes to accomplish.
- Section 2 contains the organization’s three to five major goals.
- Section 3 contains the 40-60 specific steps (maybe more!) that will need to be completed in order to reach the goals.
- Section 4 contains the five most concerning obstacles that could derail the plan.
- Section 5 contains the specific actions staff will need to take if any of these obstacles present themselves.
- Section 6 contains a daily schedule of what the next 90 days will look like.
Admittedly, this format is not for the weak of heart—and that’s why it is rarely used by average and low-performing charities.
But for high-performing nonprofit organizations, it’s a very different story.
Indeed, by adhering to this format, the nation’s best nonprofits essentially force themselves to think through every single detail necessary to succeed.
Extraordinary Impact
Put simply: Planning matters!
If you are not convinced, I encourage you to read the epic account of Scott and Amundsen’s journey in Diana Preston’s remarkable book A First-Rate Tragedy.
It’s a game-changer.
But for now, here’s the $64,000 question: Will your plan enable you to survive at -78° and, in the process get stronger, healthier, and more effective on your journey to a better tomorrow?
Food for thought, indeed.
Until next time.