Envisioning an enriched future: View the future through a different lens to produce creative processes and outcomes.

AS A NEWCOMER TO THE STAFF OF THE INTERNATIONAL PSYCHOGERIATRIC Association, Northfield, Illinois, in September 2000, I faced a special challenge in planning our biennial board of directors retreat scheduled for the following September. (IPA's board meets twice a year and holds a board retreat every other year.) With 25 members from 19 countries, sensitivity to cultural differences is crucial and English is not the primary language for many members. Accordingly, communication and activity must be kept relatively simple and clear. And, of course, as a small association with six staff supporting 1,400 members, we must accomplish the event with a limited budget. The 2001 retreat, held in Nice, France, for example, did not have a budget for hiring a facilitator.

Perhaps even more important, the organization had reached a point where more sophisticated and creative goal setting was needed. Since I had participated in visioning activities both as staff and as a board member in other organizations, I suggested that it might be an effective approach for IPA--and I got the necessary support to incorporate the process into this particular retreat. While it was a bit risky to try something quite different from anything the board had done before, we found that visioning resulted in the development of creative new ideas and strategies that have energized the organization.

Preparing to move forward

Prior to the 2001 retreat, IPA's board had been focused on the formalization and fine tuning of the association's processes, having developed an organizational strategic plan during its previous board retreat and proceeded with its implementation. During its meetings in 2000, the board revisited and refined our mission statement and tag line, making them shorter and more representative of the organization and its core constituency--the elderly who face mental health issues.

It quickly became clear that the next step should be to identify specific organizational goals and activities and translate them into an organizational action plan. It was important that we develop the processes so that they would result in direction and actions to confirm the validity of the work, take advantage of the time with the board, as well as to give us the basis to develop three-year and five-year targeted goals. The organization had clearly been effective since its inception in 1982 in educating the health care community about psychogeriatrics--through training programs; developmental tools for trainers; and other materials, publications, and meetings. Now, to maximize the use of our limited resources, we required a comprehensive approach to envisioning a dynamic future for IPA and assigning priorities to the resulting activities.

Using my background in visioning, I identified six retreat goals, which I shared with IPA's executive director, a board member chosen to facilitate the retreat, IPA's volunteer president, and president-elect. With input from both staff and volunteer leadership, we agreed on these goals:

1. Develop an IPA visioning statement.

2. Identify specific actions and goals that support the IPA mission and vision.

3. Prioritize the actions and goals.

4. Strengthen board member commitments.

5. Foster collegiality among the board members.

6. Enhance the communication and work processes of the board.

Coming up with a game plan

Our leadership team then identified a number of activities to accomplish the retreat goals. To make best use of the limited time during the retreat, which lasted one full day, we urged board members to think about IPA goals and visions before the meeting. Additionally, we planned retreat activities that would have perceived value, facilitate creativity and ownership, and result in organizational direction.

To begin the process, we sent an email message to the full board. While we did not attempt to explain the visioning technique in this early communication, we did ask members to do some advance preparation by considering our current activities, and then to identify directions in which they would like IPA to focus its energies and resources. Each member was charged with writing headlines about IPA activities--reflecting what they would like to see developed within the next five years--and e-mailing them to me. The resulting headlines ranged from the relatively conservative to the extremely ambitious, and all of them demonstrated not only creativity but an enthusiasm for high-level activity. (See sidebar, "Headlines Predict IPA's Future," for examples of the board's thoughtful creativity.)

While board members were writing their headlines, other organizational planning was taking place to set the stage for the retreat.

Defining visioning

I took on the task of introducing the visioning concept as the framework for the retreat. To do that, I used both my prior experience in visioning and numerous materials that I found through researching the topic (see sidebar, "Venues for Learning About Visioning") to consider how to apply this method of forward thinking to advance our organization, the board, and our constituency. The result was the identification of the following visioning statements to share with the board at the outset of the retreat:

* The vision of a not-for-profit organization is the guiding image of success formed in terms of a contribution to society. If the strategic plan is the blueprint for the work of an organization, the vision is the artist's rendering of the achievement of that plan.

* A vision statement should challenge and inspire the organization to achieve its mission, and be an agent for change.

* Visioning means starting with a blank sheet of paper. It is about visualizing a future desired state--a picture of where and what we would like the organization to be in the future, without being constrained by such factors as funding or resources--and then working backward to develop an action plan to get us there. It is about imagination and discovery versus analysis and forecasts. (For more information on using the visioning process, see sidebar, "The Basics of Building a Vision.")

Setting the scene

For the meeting site--which accommodated 27 attendees--we decided to enlarge and post throughout the room the headlines written by the board members; the visioning statements; IPA's mission statement and tag line; and our meeting rules. We produced laminated signs that were secured on the walls with removable hooks.

This was done for a variety of reasons--to show that the work the board had done on the headlines was relevant and valued, to focus retreat participants on the practice of day-dreaming and brainstorming during the meeting to facilitate visioning, and to inspire creativity along the way.

The night before the retreat, we met with the president-elect who was to chair the meeting and the board member who had agreed to act as facilitator and walked through the agenda for the following day. They had received the game plan in advance and had provided input throughout the planning process.

We reviewed activities that the board planned to conduct either individually, in small groups, or together as a full board during various parts of the agenda. Accordingly, we reviewed the attendance list to place the board members into effective small groups, using criteria that included the seniority of the members (pairing new people with senior people) as well as language skills and preferences (since English is not everyone's first language, we wanted to be sure that each group had members who could accurately capture their discussions). We also scattered the officers among the various groups.

Conducting the visionary process

At the opening orientation session, board members introduced themselves and briefly discussed their reasons for taking on board roles. IPA's president gave a short presentation on the board's recent work redefining IPA's mission and tag line, as well as the outcomes from the 1999 and 1997 board retreats. This presentation helped to bring the new board members up to date on recent IPA activities that would affect the visioning process most. The president-elect then explained the goals of the retreat and introduced the concept of visioning, after which the member-facilitator reviewed the activities scheduled for the day and the processes planned for achieving the goals.

After the orientation, board members took some time to read and review the statements posted throughout the room. We then separated into the predefined small groups of three, and each group was charged with the task of writing down at least four activities they would like to see IPA take on. The activities could be new to IPA and/or could include enhancements of current activities. The activity statements could be as descriptive and detailed as necessary.

As the groups completed their tasks, we gathered for an informal lunch. To keep participants engaged in creative work, IPA staff had developed an IPA crossword puzzle, using concepts and words that could be found on our Internet site (www.ipa-online.org). Board members worked on solving the puzzle, and the next day we awarded a prize to everyone who successfully completed the puzzle.

Immediately after lunch, we reconvened as a full group, with a spokesperson from each group reviewing the results of their discussions and posting their identified activities on the wall in the front of the room. After these reports, the moderator facilitated a group discussion and review of the activities, grouping them into a number of categories that shared similar characteristics. As expected, these discussions generated even more activities, which were added to the list or put into a "parking lot" of overflow items for future discussion.

After all activities were addressed and grouped, we drafted goal-oriented, descriptive titles for each category. The categories became the following IPA visioning statements:

* Multidisciplinary links. IPA will focus on its commitment to linking and working with all professionals involved in improving the mental health care of the elderly.

* Regional representation. IPA will work toward increasing the regional representation of its membership and its leadership, as well as Increasing the dissemination of needed information to all regions of the world.

* Consultancy. Recognizing that the members of IPA are among the most knowledgeable on the issues and are the opinion leaders in their field, IPA will develop consultancy programs for governments, caregiver groups, consumer groups, universities, and others.

* Dissemination of information. IPA will continue to increase its work to disseminate knowledge and information about mental health care issues for the elderly around the world. The projects will take many different forms--from distance learning to face-to-face learning, to train-the-trainer programs.

* Technologies. IPA will focus on the use of technology to disseminate information, increase the interaction between professionals in the field, and provide educational programs.

* Internal/operating issues. The leadership of IPA will continue to focus on operating issues to ensure that the management of the organization is streamlined, responsive, and fiscally sound.

* Service provisions and guidelines. IPA will focus on providing the health care community with the service provisions and guidelines to enhance the mental health care of the elderly.

* Links with patients and caregivers. IPA will focus on providing information and assistance to patients and caregivers.

During the afternoon break, each person was given colored self-stick dots to place on the posted statements that described best the actions that they felt were most important in accomplishing the articulated visions. When we returned from the break, we reviewed the votes and prioritized the actions based on the votes. The top actions, which follow, were identified and briefly discussed:

1. Develop a formal regional representation structure.

2. Promote useful technologies.

3. Provide a forum for multidisciplinary information sharing.

4. Lead IPA to become the premier informational resource for patients, caregivers, and consumer groups.

The facilitators moderated a short discussion focused on setting priorities for our identified visions and activities. This discussion was continued during the more formal board meeting the following day. As a result, the board made a commitment to develop a more formal prioritization plan that will govern our decision-making process regarding activities and use of resources. Board members now realize that they have identified specific directions and goals and that IPA does have limited resources both in staff time and budget. Hence, it is imperative that we evaluate activities in terms of how they support IPA's mission, vision, and goals. The formal discussion also helped to confirm that the time spent at the retreat was valuable for the organization and should not be quickly forgotten.

Based on the evaluations, board members found the retreat productive. They could clearly see the purpose for the session; they noted that the retreat generated and developed useful ideas; and they felt the process made effective use of their time. Board members felt that the visioning technique helped them clarify the specific purpose for the retreat and facilitated creative and forward-looking ideas. Plus they felt that they were all a part of the process.

Following up

We have taken a number of steps to ensure that our work at the visioning retreat will not only be used but will continue to be developed.

1. Discussed retreat results at the annual IPA business meeting, a general membership meeting that updates members on IPA activities and invites their involvement.

2. Shared retreat results with the wider membership by printing an article in our quarterly newsletter and also posting it on the Internet site.

3. Are including the IPA vision and action statements in all of our publicity materials, media activity, and sponsorship contacts.

4. Talked about the visions and actions at each subsequent committee meeting, identifying how the committees will contribute to the visions and actions goals.

5. Added the visioning statements and actions to our project approval process and forms so that support of the visions will be identified and weighed whenever projects are approved.

6. Are developing a more formalized prioritization process for board consideration and approval in 2002. The visioning statements, actions and goals, and IPA mission will be used as criteria for the prioritization process.

7. Are using the visioning statements and actions in the development of our three- and five-year action plans.

8. Captured everything in the parking lot of additional ideas and are following up with committees, as appropriate, regarding those items.

What's next?

We are working on the development of some processes for the board as they begin doing work on the IPA values and philosophy--our next step in the development of a comprehensive identity that will incorporate into one document the IPA mission, visions, strategic plan, action plans, history, achievements, and so forth. The IPA identity components and documents will be helpful to us as we seek funding, orient new board members, inspire members to become more active, and determine new membership development activities. In this way, we will build on the visioning process to shape the future of the organization and ensure that we focus on resulting priorities.

RELATED ARTICLE: Headlines Predict IPA's Future

To launch the visioning process for the September 2001 retreat of the board of directors of the International Psychogeriatric Association, Northfield, Illinois, staff leadership asked board members to submit headlines that reflected their future vision of IPA. Here are some examples of what they hoped to see the organization accomplish.

* IPA's 13th Congress Sees 200 Specialist Nurses Submit Scientific Papers

* IPA Organizes Platform for Elderly Patient Groups Worldwide

* IPA Community Care Model for Elderly Individuals With Dementia Introduced in 20 Countries on Four Continents

* IPA Reaches Out to Another 1.5 Billion People

* Membership in the International Psychogeriatric Association Reaches 10 Million

* International Medical Society Improves Mental Health Care for the 5 Million Aging Patients in Africa Via Network of Professionals

* September 2006--IPA Educational Programs Facilitate the Growth of Psychogeriatrics Profession in the Developing World

* The International Psychogeriatric Association Receives $25 Million From Microsoft in Support of IPA's Global Education Initiative. Programs To Be Downloaded to Personal Digital Assistants.

The Basics of Building a Vision

Before initiating the visioning exercise, it's important for participants to understand what they will gain, to outline the criteria for the process, and to recognize behavior that is likely to derail the activity.

BENEFITS OF VISIONING

We explained to the board the reasons that we had decided on the visioning technique as a basis for our retreat.

1. Breaks us out of boundary thinking.

2. Provides continuity.

3. Identifies direction and purpose.

4. Alerts us to needed change.

5. Promotes interest and commitment.

6. Promotes laser-like focus.

7. Encourages openness to unique and creative solutions.

8. Encourages and builds confidence.

9. Builds loyalty through involvement and ownership.

10. Results in efficiency and productivity.

VISION CRITERIA

To provide the proper context in which to project ideas about IPA's future, we outlined some criteria to apply to the visioning process. We decided on the following descriptors for the process.

* Future-oriented. The vision should be based on reasonable assumptions about the future--not just a projection of the status quo.

* Utopian. It is acceptable to consider possibilities that lead to the best future for IPA.

* Appropriate. Any vision should be consistent with IPA's history, culture, and values.

* Reflect high ideals. A vision of the future should include increasing IPA's standards of scientific excellence.

* Clarify purpose and direction. The vision should be consistent with IPA's mission.

* Inspire enthusiasm and commitment. Visioning should be of a nature that the leadership, the membership, the scientific community, and potential new members can embrace the ideas with passion.

* Reflect the uniqueness of IPA. The vision should make clear what IPA stands for and what makes the organization different from the rest.

* Ambitious. The vision should push the envelope, inspiring members to make a difference.

* Viable and feasible. The bottom line: is the vision possible?

VISION KILLERS

Participants in the visioning exercise should be taught to recognize the kind of behavior that can inhibit or even totally stop the process. Here are some common inhibitors.

* Tradition that restrains change.

* Fear of ridicule.

* Stereotypes of people, conditions, roles, and governing councils.

* Complacency of some stakeholders.

* Fatigued leaders.

* Short-term thinking.

* Naysayers.

Venues for Learning About Visioning

If you're interested in using the visioning techniques described in this article, check out the following resources.

CONSULTANTS

* Katheryn Heidrich, president, CenterPoint Institute, New Lenox, Illinois, [e-mail].

WEB SITES

* www.grove.com. The Grove Consultants International home page provides information about visioning and strategic planning.

* www.nsba.org/sbot/toolkit/cav.html. Identifies the benefits of visioning as well as situations and dynamics that are vision killers.

* www.allianceonline.org/faqs/spfaq7.html. This site provides good descriptive information and guidance for introducing the visioning process.

* www.mapnp.org/library/plan_dec/gen_plan/gen_plan.htm. The Management Assistance Program for Nonprofits, St. Paul, Minnesota, provides an extensive overview and game plan for strategic planning. The site also includes links to more information. Take the time to investigate.

* www.improve.org/stratpln.html. Printed with permission by an organizational consulting group, this Web page provides a short description of a 10-step method for strategic planning.

* www.nonprofits.org. Find frequently asked questions and answers on governance, leadership, and many other issues of the nonprofit organization on this site posted by The Evergreen State Society, Seattle.

* arts.endow.gov/pub/lessons/lessons/adams.html. The article that appears on this Web page is written by Don Adams, a consultant for various cultural organizations and agencies, and highlights the pillars of planning: mission, values, and vision.

* berlin2000.de/change/vision.htm. The article appearing on this site is part of the "Change Management Toolbox," developed by consultant Holger Nauheimer of Berlin. Nauheimer draws on Peter Senge's concept of learning organizations and describes processes for looking at your organization's future.

* www.prosci.com/visions.htm. This tutorial series presents straightforward information about visioning and the processes of strategic planning.

Diane L. Nickolson is deputy director of tile International Psychogeriatric Association, Northfield, Illinois. E-mail: [e-mail].