Strategy for Teams and Small Organisations

Strategy at the coalface.

A useful strategy should do more than articulate an organisation’s ambitions. It should guide decisions, establish priorities and shape the work people undertake every day.

The Global Strategic Initiatives Group helps small organisations and teams within larger institutions develop clear, practical strategies.

Our approach is designed for NGOs, international organisations, think tanks and other mission-driven institutions working across international affairs.

Our approach: Strategic Navigation

Our Strategic Navigation Framework is a structured approach to developing strategies that are clear, focused and practical.

It begins with a horizon scan, allowing teams to reflect on the forces shaping their operating environment and the implications for their work.

From there, the framework guides them through five interconnected elements:

The Strategic Navigation Framework

Horizon Scan

What world are we operating in?

North Star

What change do we want to see in that world?

Strategic Posture

What role will we play in achieving that change?

Areas of Focus

Where should we concentrate our effort?

Objectives

What obstacles must we remove?

Strategic Interventions

What interventions will move us forward?

Together, these elements create a coherent strategy that connects the organisation’s broader ambitions with the choices and actions needed to pursue them.

How the process works

We begin with a team assessment, combining a questionnaire with interviews to understand different perspectives and tailor the process to the organisation’s circumstances.

The centrepiece is a series of structured, collaborative workshops. These guide participants through the framework, creating opportunities for individual reflection, collective discussion and deliberate strategic choices.

We then work with the team to finalise and adopt the strategy, providing practical implementation guidance and tools to support everyday decision-making.

Follow-up coaching helps teams review progress, address difficulties and put their strategies into practice.

The result is not simply a strategy document, but a practical framework that the team can use to guide its work.

“Quite literally, it is the most opened document on my computer: a constant point of reference that brings focus, alignment, and direction to everything we do.”

— Institute for Global Negotiation

Develop your team’s strategy

Whether you’re developing a strategy for the first time, renewing an existing one or reconsidering your team’s direction, we’d welcome a conversation.

Get in touch