Strategic Planning Sessions
Client Requests: In some cases, organizations are concerned that their abundant (and sometimes expensive) D&I activities aren’t yielding the desired results; in others, organizations require a roadmap and compass to direct them going forward. Yet others find they have made highly regarded progress but now find themselves on a plateau as they expand globally and face the challenges of understanding new markets and employees.
Strategic Planning Sessions build on the insights gleaned from diagnosis (typically in the form of Diagnostic Days or through a client’s own prior assessment work) to design a breakthrough strategy that shifts current trends and improves inclusion. Through guided brainstorming, with the support of Catalyst’s perspectives and examples of what other companies have done, Strategic Planning helps an organization articulate its vision, goals, and short- and long-term actions based on areas of focus and critical change drivers: the business case, senior leadership support, communication, metrics, and accountability systems. We don’t advise organizations to do more, but rather to be strategic and business-focused so that actions make sense within the context of global and local relationships and other organizational goals and realities.
Example:
Faced with women partner statistics that trailed its peer firms, and a concern that high-potential women associates were leaving at a higher rate than their male counterparts, an AmLaw 100 firm turned to Catalyst for assistance. The firm wanted to understand why it had not seen progress in the representation of women at the partnership level despite many years of consistently hiring equal numbers of women and men associates.
Catalyst worked closely with the firm’s Managing Partner, other partners and the directors of professional development and diversity to review HR data, and we conducted a handful of targeted focus groups to understand what was working well for the firm and what was impeding women’s advancement. Catalyst then facilitated a strategic planning session with key stakeholders, including firm leadership, during which we collectively established a shared understanding of the issues, discussed best practices, and brainstormed appropriate next steps.
Outcome:
To the firm’s surprise, data revealed that women associates were not leaving the firm at a significantly higher rate than men. The firm also learned that women and men associates were ambivalent about aspiring to partner. Through careful assessment, three large issues emerged as impediments to progress: women’s lack of inclusion/connection to influential networks and relationships; the declining value proposition of partnership; and the stigma associated with working flexibly (which impacted both men and women but seemed to have a disproportionate impact on women).
Armed with these insights, and focusing on the firm’s business strategy, the team devised a strategic plan to guide its short- and long-term actions. The team decided to focus on: 1) increasing women’s visibility and connections, both internally and externally; 2) strengthening career development processes; and 3) revising its flexibility policy and addressing its firm culture around flexibility. Catalyst provided advice about best practices from other organizations, as well as appropriate metrics and accountability, to guide action steps. Within weeks of the strategic planning session, the firm reported that its subcommittees for each area had already met (in some cases more than once), mapped out their plans for the year, and taken initial steps.
Catalyst has been an important advisor for Baxter EMEA, providing valuable insight and expertise as we developed our EMEA Diversity and Inclusion programme. Their experience and knowledge have been particularly useful in helping us build internal awareness and strategy around increasing the number of women leaders within the company with the set up of a Business Resource Group focusing on female leadership.
—Carole Le Meur, Vice President Human Resources EMEA, Baxter Healthcare SA