All Hands On the Plan

This Business Officer article is by Jeffrey S. Pittman:

While boards of trustees and senior leaders always influence the strategic direction of a college or university, campuswide involvement is a critical element for creating the kind of momentum that fulfills institutional mission. When everyone sees the big picture, competition among departments and divisions, whether real or perceived, is more likely to give way to consensus. Rather than asserting, “I must have this for my department,” people who engage in an ongoing, organizationwide conversation are more likely to step out of their silos and say, “We as an institution need this even more.” And, when all agree on “who” you are as an institution, mission focus becomes second nature.