OGSM Church: example
explained in 5 easy steps
Although OGSM provides a straightforward approach for developing and executing a strategic plan, it may require further clarification for those who are new to the method. Many individuals seek out examples of OGSM to better understand this method. To assist you in this endeavour, our website provides a comprehensive explanation of OGSM along with visual aids. In this example we will help you with further understanding OGSM by using a church as an example.
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Index
1. Objective
2. Goals
3. Strategies
4. Dashboard Measures
5. Action Measures
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1
Church: Objective (what-by-how)
In this example, a church has set its objective as ‘Fostering a Welcoming and Inclusive Community through Warmth, Compassion, Engagement, Inclusivity, and Service to Our Local Community.’ The objective is divided into two parts: the ‘what’, which is to foster a welcoming and inclusive community, and the ‘how’, which involves utilizing warmth, compassion, engagement, inclusivity, and service within the local community. This follows the ‘what-by-how’ formula, an essential aspect of working with OGSM in a church setting. The ‘what’ defines the ultimate aim of the strategic plan, while the ‘how’ outlines the primary strategic direction, emphasizing the church’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive community through various actions.
2
Church: Goals (what needs to be true)
The Goals in OGSM for a church are measurable targets that directly stem from the Objective and are quantitatively measurable. To define these Goals, you can ask yourself: what must be true for the Objective of “creating a welcoming and inclusive community” to be successfully achieved?
In the church example, both the “what” and “how” parts of the Objective can be converted into Goals. For instance, “welcoming and inclusive community” can be measured in terms of ratings by members, membership growth and donations. Similarly, the “how” part of the Objective, which involves fostering warmth, compassion, engagement, and service within the local community, can be measured in terms of experienced spiritual growth, volunteer hours, partnership initiatives and active members within the community.
It’s important to keep the church’s focus on meeting the needs of the community and representing the perspectives of the congregation and local community in the Objective and Goals, to ensure that the OGSM plan remains outward-focused and aligned with the church’s mission and values.
3
Church: Strategies (up to 5, further elaborating the ‘how')
In the church example, your Strategies should further define and elaborate the ‘how’ of your Objective, which is to create a welcoming and inclusive community. Strategies can reflect different stages of the congregant’s spiritual journey, various strategic dimensions such as outreach, community engagement, discipleship, and worship experiences, or different stages of the plan organized chronologically. These Strategies can help the church team concretize what it means to foster warmth, compassion, engagement, inclusivity, and service within the local community.
It’s important for the church to carefully define Strategies that align with its mission, vision, and core values, and that contribute to the overall Objective of creating a welcoming and inclusive community. These Strategies should provide clear direction and guidance to the team on how to bring the desired outcomes to life and achieve the overarching Objective.
4
Church: Dashboard Measures (direct and indirect measures / indicators)
The Dashboard Measures in an OGSM-plan for a church are essentially Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that provide insights into progress, but may not be directly tied to the Goals. These measures can be categorized into two types.
1) The first category comprises ‘lagging’ indicators that are linked to the Action Measures within each Strategy. As the church deploys Actions (projects) to execute its Strategies, these lagging indicators help set targets and measure the impact of the Actions. For example, if the Strategy is focused on creating a welcoming and inclusive physical environment, lagging indicators could include achieving 100% compliance with accessibility regulations and receiving 0 complaints about the physical environment from members or visitors.
2) The second category consists of ‘leading’ indicators that measure the Actions themselves, rather than their effects. These indicators track the progress of the processes associated with the Actions. For instance, if the Strategy involves upgrading the church facilities, leading indicators could include achieving 100% upgrade works delivered in time and receiving a number of positive testimonials about the welcoming environment from members or visitors.
It’s important for the church to select relevant Dashboard Measures that align with its Strategies and Goals, and use them as a tool to monitor progress and make data-driven decisions in the pursuit of its strategic objectives.
5
Church: Action Measures (projects to reach your goals)
Each Strategy in the OGSM plan should have associated Action Measures, which are projects or initiatives executed as part of the plan. Progress and effects of these projects are measured using Dashboard Measures. Action Measures should directly or indirectly contribute to the Goals of the organization and should be connected to at least one Dashboard Measure for effective monitoring. The Action Measures column is frequently updated and should focus on strategic projects rather than routine operational activities. By aligning Action Measures with Strategies and Dashboard Measures, organizations can track progress, measure impact, and make informed decisions to ensure effective execution of their strategic initiatives in line with their overall mission.
Church: Steps
An Action Measure in the OGSM plan is a project that requires a significant amount of time and effort to execute. It’s not meant to capture every single meeting or phone call. However, larger projects can be challenging for individuals to execute effectively. To address this, Steps are used to break down each Action Measure into smaller, manageable tasks. These Steps can be assigned to team members and scheduled, making it easier to track progress and ensure accountability. By using Steps, your OGSM plan becomes a dynamic system that helps you achieve your goals incrementally, step by step. This approach transforms your plan from a static document on paper into an actionable roadmap for success.
Want more examples?
On our website you can find the best examples for your industry. We have shown a couple of example but we have a whole range of examples we can share with you. Send us a request to info@ogsmsoftware.com to get a detailed example uploaded in your trial workspace
On the OGSM Software website you will find OGSM examples explained in a unique way. By visualizing the relationship between the different elements of OGSM people get a much better understanding on how OGSM actually works and how to apply the logic themselves.
Start a free trial in OGSM Software and ask for the Church example to be included. You will get more insights in the underlying data and how the OGSM is built up. It will also give you access to other views like a timeline, a kanban and a performance dashboard.
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