Many organizations have had the experience: a strategic plan that’s painstaking to produce, but soon begins gathering dust. We certainly had. Then, with our current five-year plan, we did things differently—and something magical happened. Through an inclusive, grassroots-up process, we were able to create a strategic plan that people believed in—and still do. A year into its implementation, employees continue to reference the plan’s DEI guiding principles in day-to-day decisions, and tangible progress on objectives is being made. In this session, we will share lessons learned on how to develop a strategic plan that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound and authentic. With a focus on practical advice that participants can take back and apply at their institutions, we will discuss strategies for creating broad buy-in and safe spaces, overcoming skepticism, and thinking broadly about the many dimensions of diversity. We will also share how we created a long-term implementation strategy and diverse leadership team to support departments in following through on the ideas in the plan. As we continue to implement our five-year plan, we are continuing to learn. But if we have learned one thing so far from this experience, it is that, done right, strategic planning can be an opportunity to build connections and cultivate leadership throughout an organization. We look forward to sharing what we learned with you.