I’ve been working with a client with a small budget and a new leader, helping them shape a strategic plan that feels both ambitious and realistic. It reminded me how much the planning process itself matters especially when funding is unpredictable.
You may not have a consultancy who are experts in strategy help you (I have used them and they have been great) or clear pathway of a five-year runway, but with the right focus, clarity, and adaptability, you can still build a strategy that inspires your team and funders alike.
When funding is uncertain, it’s tempting to delay or downsize strategy work. But that’s often when clarity matters most. A good plan doesn’t have to be glossy or expensive - it needs to be grounded in reality, co-created with your team, and flexible enough to adjust as you learn. Over the past few months, I’ve found four things that make all the difference when helping leaders rethink strategy in fast-changing environments.
Here's what I've found works:
1️⃣ Start with your Theory of Change
Spend time unpacking the need (as it stands today not when you first started). Define who you serve, and what results you can realistically deliver in the next 5+ years. Once you know the problem and the results, get clear on what your focus must be to get there and importantly who you need to work with.
2️⃣ Think in layers
You can absolutely have a 5–10 year Big Hairy Goal (BHAG) - your long-term aspiration. Then define a 3-year picture of what success looks like if things go well. Finally, translate that into a 1-year plan based on what you know and what you’ve learned.
The direction sits in the long term; the detail sits in the near term.
3️⃣ Build scenarios
Funding is rarely predictable.
Develop three versions:
- Realistic - your best working plan
- Optimistic - the case to share with funders
- Pessimistic - your “hunker down” plan
Be transparent with your board and team about where you sit - it builds trust and preparedness.
4️⃣ Don’t stop at the plan
Too many strategies end at the slide deck. You need a communication plan (to align and excite your team and partners) and an implementation plan (to track actions and accountability).
“A good plan doesn’t have to be glossy or expensive - it needs to be grounded, co-created, and flexible enough to adjust as you learn.”
Strategic plans are not static documents - they’re living conversations that help teams stay focused, aligned, and adaptable.
I’m really enjoying helping others through this work and still learning what it takes to do it well when you’re not the one in the leader’s seat. It’s a different kind of influence: quieter, more about listening, nudging, and creating space for clarity to emerge.
I’m still finding my rhythm in that, but I can already see how powerful it can be when leaders have someone walking alongside them - not driving, but helping them steer with more confidence.
If your organisation is rethinking its strategy and could use a sparring partner to bring clarity and focus, that’s exactly the kind of work I love doing through Volante.
Also - How often does your current strategy guide what not to do?
Thanks for being part of this next chapter with me.
Warmly,
Liz
Strategic Advisor | Former CEO | Founder, Volante
Based in Kenya, available globally
