Setting strategic priorities: what should you focus on?

As you develop a strong guiding vision for your guardian program, the next questions are: how are you going to achieve your vision and what should you focus on?

You can’t do everything all at once, so now is the time to figure out where your program can have the most impact. Like the visioning process, setting strategic priorities needs to involve the right mix of people to ensure buy-in, support and accountability for your program as you move forward.

To identify the strategic priorities and focus areas for your Indigenous Guardian program, consider exploring these areas and questions:

• Strategic alignment. Can the work of the guardian program support other big push efforts or issues being pursued by your organization, Nation, community?
• Quick wins. Where are there opportunities that can be acted on quickly to help build momentum and support for your program?
• Key areas of strength. Where do you have existing experience, expertise, and capacity?
• Critical or urgent priorities. What must be addressed now and what can wait?
• Doing more with less. Where are there opportunities to partner or leverage the impact of your work?
• Resourcing. What financial, human, technical and other resources are available to support the work?

A good strategic priority is clearly linked to your vision, and is something that can be realistically achieved by your team.

Someone (or a group of people) should be accountable and committed to achieving the priority.  A strategic priority is essentially a "chunk of work” and needs to be focused enough that it is clear what needs doing, but not too broad that someone can’t realistically make it happen.