SASOL Strategic Planning Workshop – Sept. 6, 2009

SASOL STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP

MASINGA DAM RESORT APRIL 6–9 2009

Introduction

The Sahelian Solution Foundation, SASOL, was founded in 1990 to assist Kitui communities address water scarcity through sand dam water storage technology. Over 700 sand dams have since been constructed thus creating a Water Platform which now needs strategies to realise it immense potential. SASOL identified the need to go through a Strategic Planning process to look at ways and means of assisting the Kitui communities and beyond realise the full potential of the water platform.

Washington M. Njuru, executive director of Debways Resources Systems Ltd was hired to facilitate the Board, Management and Staff of SASOL in the process of formulating their 10-Year Strategic Plan. He was aided in no small measure by G-C. M. Mutiso, the SASOL National Chair who doubled as a participant. Both are process technique consultants who have worked together in many national and international assignments.

The Process: Merit of the Technique

Critical to the success of any plan is ownership by those who will implement it. Critical to this ownership is the process of formulating the plan. Strategic Plans are best done through process techniques involving all the critical staff and board members. This way, consensus and ownership is negotiated and built in at every step. This may take longer than the direct approach but it builds consensus on all the otherwise disagreeable issue and planned actions. A well-managed process that ends in an agreed strategic plan validates future management actions as they work their staff towards the achievement of the plan’s goals and objectives. It is a critical success factor to the success of any organisation.

The workshop was held in the Masinga Dam Resort built in a picturesque area by the banks Masinga Dam. A good choice for an exercise of this nature though the resort seems to have known better times and is now in urgent need of repair and refurbishment. The workshop lasted three full days; made up of two half-days and two full days.

Download: SASOL 2009 Strategic Planning Workshop