How Did It Start?
History of Running Start Institute™
It all started in the eighties. Psychologist Michael Thorne Kelly, Ph.D., was working with families in New York City. Among his challenges was helping teenagers make sense of their lives. Drawing on his undergraduate studies in organizational effectiveness, he wondered if the processes used by corporations to develop strategic plans could be equally effective in helping individuals.
So Dr. Kelly designed a strategic planning process that combined simplicity with thoroughness. His research showed that much corporate strategic planning fell short. He completely revolutionized the laborious emphasis on analysis, history, problem-solving and threat analysis. Instead, he came up with a magically collaborative, accelerated, agile, computer-supported process for designing an innovative future. Importantly, he built bridges from the guiding vision to the all important action plan.
For individuals, the Running Start™ 7-step process with its software and related manuals are easy to use – from students wanting personal success, adults changing careers, families wanting to transform their lives, to executives on the fast track. People seeking change!
For organizations and communities, skilled facilitators use strategic catalyst software to guide groups through a collaborative and rigorous process that rapidly creates a future-based strategic plan – and builds support and guidance for implementation.