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Unsuccessful strategic planning meetings often fall apart because the group gets ahead of itself. This kind of misstep is common in organizational change efforts, where organization development practitioners are trained to help groups surface unspoken dynamics, acknowledge history, and create the conditions for authentic dialogue.
Often, a leader has pushed the group toward a vision or action when they haven’t had time to digest the past or present. This is especially difficult when the group or organization has experienced significant conflict or change and, from a psychological standpoint, simply isn’t ready to move forward.
A well-designed meeting follows an arc. In other words, each part of the meeting builds on the part before it. The outputs of one activity flow into the inputs for the next. Understanding this basic premise is truly one of the keys to designing meetings that work. Designing meetings with intention is a foundational skill in organization development, where facilitators help groups align around purpose, process, and participation. Strategic planning plays an important role in the Organization Development and Knowledge Management (ODKM) program at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, particularly as a tool for supporting leaders in navigating change and shaping effective change management strategies.
In strategic planning meetings, we borrow ideas from Future Search, a meeting design book written by Marvin Weisbord and Sandra Janoff in 1999. In its most simplified form, the Future Search model can be thought of as working from past to present to future and ending with action. This simple workflow is great for strategic planning sessions because we have to come to terms with the past before we can agree on current realities. We learn from current realities in order to envision a new future, and we plan action based on this vision.
Future Search is a strategic planning and group facilitation process designed to help organizations and communities address complex issues and create a shared vision for the future. The process consists of six essential steps:
- Get the right people in the room.
- Understand the history, current situation, and key dynamics of the system or issue at hand.
- Identify common ground.
- Create a shared vision.
- Develop action plans.
- Commit and follow up.
Done as intended, Future Search is a conference model that takes two and a half days involving a diverse group of stakeholders in a facilitated workshop. Multiday conferences away from the office help groups step out of working “in” the business and take time to learn from and work “on” the business, a principle from the book The Primes written by Chris McGoff.
Past, Present, Future, Action
If you don’t have two and a half days, do some of the “past” and “present” work ahead of time through a premeeting survey, interviews, or other form of data gathering. Then, start the meeting with a review of themes from the data followed by a brief discussion and clarifying questions.
The Bridges Model for change helps clarify why it’s important to unpack the past before moving forward, offering a powerful lens—widely used in organization development—for supporting individuals and teams through transitions with clarity and care. Developed by William Bridges, the Bridges Model is a framework for effectively managing organizational and personal transitions. It consists of three key stages: Endings, Neutral Zone, and New Beginnings.
- Endings: Acknowledge and let go of old ways, roles, or structures that are no longer relevant or sustainable.
- Neutral Zone: Navigate the discomfort and ambiguity of the transition during a period of uncertainty and exploration.
- New Beginnings: Embrace and implement new practices, roles, or strategies.
The model highlights the importance of managing the emotional and mental aspects of change and helps navigate transitions with resilience and adaptability. It emphasizes the importance of working through the past and building understanding in facilitating successful transitions and growth.
Future Search and Beyond
You can see Future Search in other well-known models for meetings and organizational change. One that we love and use frequently is the Strategic Visioning Framework from The Grove Consultants International. Tools like Strategic Visioning are widely used in OD to support large group interventions, foster systems thinking, and build shared ownership of change initiatives. See more on the Strategic Visioning Framework here.
The video linked above explains the framework and allows you to see the connection between Strategic Visioning and Future Search. In short, we have to understand the past and agree on the present in order to create a vision and actions that stick.
Professor Lauren Green teaches a summer elective course called Design Thinking and Facilitation (ODKM 730) open to all graduate students. The course is designed for students to build skills in the art and practice of facilitation as well as planning and executing excellent meetings.
Green is a meeting facilitator, coach and trainer, as well as a visual notetaker. She is the owner and executive director of MeetingMakers, a close-knit team of experienced facilitators, trainers, and meeting coaches who partner with clients to facilitate meetings with tangible outcomes and lasting impact. She is an alum of ODKM, where she now teaches facilitation as an adjunct professor. Green is the host of the podcast This Meeting Sucks, on a mission to unsuck meetings and bring meeting skills to the masses, one episode at a time.
References
Bridges, W., & Bridges, S. (2016). Managing transitions: Making the most of change (4th ed.). Da Capo Lifelong Books.
McGoff, C. (2012). The primes: How any group can solve any problem. Wiley.
The Grove Consultants International. (n.d.). Strategic visioning model. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
Weisbord, M., & Janoff, S. (1995). Future search: An action guide to finding common ground in organizations and communities. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.