Protu - Understanding the business environment as a basis for strategy work

The collaboration between More Than Group and Protu started out of the need to renew strategy work in a changing environment. In particular, the aim of the collaboration was to identify the future drivers of change relevant to the strategy and their implications, and to articulate the strategic assumptions that underpinned the strategy.

Jyrki Jalassuo, Executive Director of Protu found that ”we could be a bit stuck in the old-fashioned approach. We believed that having an external partner would help us to work on issues such as identifying and interpreting changes in the policy environment and the financial landscape.”

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Prometheus Camp Support Association

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Support for strategic foresight

Protu, or Prometheus Camps Support Association, is a religiously and politically non-affiliated youth organisation that organises unique adult education activities that support the formation of a philosophy of life. The most typical form of activity is the Prometheus camps, which aim to support the growth of young people in critical thinking, ethical reflection and responsible citizenship. The activities are strongly based on voluntary work. Every year, Protu's activities reach thousands of young people all over Finland.

The collaboration between More Than Group and Protu started out of the need to renew strategy work in a changing environment. Jyrki Jalassuo, Executive Director of Protu found that ”we could be a bit stuck in the old-fashioned approach. We believed that having an external partner would help us to work on issues such as identifying and interpreting changes in the policy environment and the financial landscape.”

Objectives of cooperation

In particular, the aim of the collaboration was to identify the future drivers of change relevant to the strategy and their implications, and to articulate the strategic assumptions behind the strategy. The work proceeded in stages, combining participatory data collection and expert input. The More Than Group conducted a survey of Protu volunteers to identify key drivers of change, and these drivers and strategic assumptions were worked on together with the Protu Board. The end result was a picture of the key changes in the operating environment in the coming strategic period and a set of articulated strategic assumptions in relation to them. The workshop was led by More Than Group's foresight expert Sointu Kouki.

”I liked the fact that Sointu didn't come from the outside to define what was essential for us, but did a good job of highlighting perspectives on what we should consider. She was also equally fluent in rejecting our suggestions if we felt they didn't fit.”, thanks Jyrki.

Alma Alma, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Protu Koivisto thanks Sointu for the relaxed and constructive cooperation. ”Working with Soinnu was really nice. Our schedules were taken into account very well and the work was very straightforward. We proceeded naturally with our wishes, and followed up on issues relevant to our strategy. We were able to structure our overall approach outside of our own group. Sointu was really diplomatic, and knew how to think about things from different perspectives, and work systematically towards common goals.”

Outcomes of cooperation

The result was a concrete, adaptable and timeless vision for the future, which formed the basis for Protu's new strategy. Jyrki thanks both for the process and the end result: ”Our target was really well met. The result was not just a new to-do list, but a top-level strategy that guides the organisation's activities. Another tangible result is that our members felt heard during the process - it was made clear to them that they were welcome to be involved. This facilitates the implementation of the strategy, where the membership has a major role to play.”

For Alma, it was also important not only to achieve a successful outcome, but also to make the strategy process a success: ”It makes it much easier to monitor the strategy when we have openly articulated the starting point and context of the strategy, as well as our assumptions about future changes. It makes it easier to be creative in situations, and it is easier to justify the implementation of the strategy's objectives in different situations when those situations have been thought through and assessed in advance.”

Why would you recommend working with More Than Group?

”Working with you helped to cut down on strategy jargon. We have a solution-oriented, effective basis for strategy. This work will enable us to better prioritise our work, both in response to current and acute needs and with a long-term perspective. I would recommend you in particular to operators who need to react quickly at strategic level to major changes in the operating environment. Likewise for operators who want to reform their own way of doing strategy. ” - Jyrki Jalassuo, Executive Director of Protu.

”It was a great thing for us to be able to use More Than Group's expertise in this kind of work. Our collaboration facilitated the internal prioritisation of strategy and strategic choices. It also brought us new perspectives, helped us identify key areas for development, and did all this in a way that was strongly listened to by our membership base.” - Alma Koivisto, Vice Chair of the Board of Protu

Photos by Havu Kupila (top photo & cover photo) & Val Karanta (bottom photo)

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In addition to the references described above, we have carried out a number of different types of client projects, and we are happy to share the lessons learned with you.