A profoundly positive way to plan your future
Strategic planning is a must — going about it in the same, stale way is not. We infuse the planning process with energy and positivity. Participants end sessions rejuvenated because they’ve imagined their work through a different lens, created a plan together, and tapped into newfound optimism and awareness. That’s the power of Appreciative Inquiry. We became certified in this powerful approach because we want our life’s work to free our valued clients to take their ideal path forward by redefining their strategic thinking and planning. From there, almost anything is possible. We bring clarity and possibility to every critical aspect of your organizational design, including fundraising, board engagement, staff recruitment, team building, and more.
SOAR — the energizing alternative to SWOT
We use a refreshing alternative to traditional strategic planning, replacing SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis with SOAR — Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results. This shift in dynamic creates energy rather than depleting it, builds engagement at all levels rather than top-down, and fosters innovation breakthroughs, not just incremental improvements.
We recognize that weaknesses and threats are real, but we can help you foster a culture of strategic thinking and planning by teaching you how to reframe them to discover underlying possibilities and opportunities. Positive psychology and neuroscience research provide evidence that focusing on weaknesses and threats amplifies deficits and the things that can’t be controlled, which drains energy and inhibits productive thinking. Focusing on possibilities and profoundly positive perspectives leads to innovation, creativity, engagement, and commitment. This is why we SOAR.
Flexible, adaptable, and easy to customize
We take great care in getting to know you and understanding your needs. From there, we begin weaving in our approach in the way that will be most effective for you. We customize every engagement, and we’re totally comfortable shifting gears to follow the energy of your group and focus it where it’s most needed.
The magic is in the kinds of questions you ask — and who you bring to the table
We engage and give a voice to all who are committed to your organization, creating an inclusive experience. Clients value the experience so much that they often advocate for additional sessions involving the rest of the organization.
“Next Ascent energized and engaged our entire organization in the strategic planning process. The dialogue, the way the questions were asked and the outcomes that we were getting has created a sustainable energy level for our entire organization. The possibilities keep coming. Now we don’t say ‘We can’t.’ We are always talking about how we can grow. Abundance thinking is incorporated in all that we do.”
Thomas Campbell, MS, LPC, NCC
President & CEO
Family Service of the Piedmont