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Every organization is like a tree. The roots of the tree are its deep core values, its unshakable tenets, or “who we are.”

While “what we do” may change over time, and personnel changes can shift the face of an organization, the roots, or core identity, are steady and stable. In times of upheaval, a tree can be uprooted and planted anew, but this process can be as risky and as it is transformative; it’s best not to uproot often.

Healthy roots mean that if we ask any individual who participates in the organization, they will answer “yes” to the following:

• I know why we do what we do

• I know where we came from and where we are going

• I know our values

• I can differentiate this organization from its collaborators and competitors

• I can describe our culture; I am OK with what we permit.

Concentration is a muscle. You become more adept at flexing it when you have a chance to do so. But no one can concentrate with the siren-call stream of text messages, social media notifications, emails and calls that addictive smartphones and laptops produce.

Set aside one day a week that is No Meetings Day. I like Wednesdays. And give yourself uninterrupted blocks of time on that day. You don't have to create. You can do your taxes, enter expenses, respond to customer emails, whatever.

Over time, you will start mentally banking tasks to do on No Meetings Day. And your brain will become used to the schedule and the solitude.

This doesn't mean you slam down the phone if you get a call on a No Meeting Day. In fact, sometimes I like to use that time for a special connection or to help a person who has been struggling to reach me. "Call Wednesday! I'm wide open!" But in general, I keep those calls to the very beginning or end of the day, to give myself that wide open block of time dedicated to creativity and, of course, productivity.

The trunk of the tree is comprised of the projects we are working on “now” – this week, this month, this year. And the trunk is where many organizations struggle. We know who are are, at our core; we have planted our roots. And we have day-to-day activities – the leaves of the tree. (You know, the stuff that keeps you from sitting down and thinking about strategic planning very often.) But the trunk, that critical piece that delivers nutrients pulled from the roots to the more visible leaves, is often left untended.

Trunk activities are medium-term. The trunk is your three- or five-year strategic plan that maps out what you want your leaves to look like in an ideal future. Most importantly, the trunk defines your path, or how you’ll get there. It has a very specific function.

Why do so many organizations neglect the trunk? Because once we establish our roots, we feel grounded. And putting down roots takes time and effort. It can even be exhausting! Once our core values and mission have been established, it’s common to feel that it’s time to get down to the day-to-day activities – our leaves. That’s why we worked so hard on the roots, right?

But in building a strong trunk, that courier of your vision and mission, you ensure a steady stream of nutrients to your leaves. That means that you grow and expand your core activities, you engage an ever-widening audience or consumer base, and you maximize the time and money invested in the organization.

Most importantly, all of your actions and decisions become interconnected. Your day-to-day processes become more efficient. Meetings are streamlined. Interpersonal connection is easier. There is no haphazard decision-making. An option either leads us toward a strategic goal, or it doesn’t. We begin to walk a path.

Even simpler: Strategic planning is about growing a healthy tree.

The ultimate sign of firmly established roots, and a trunk that delivers these "nutrients" (or core values) through, is a buzzing, active organization that flows smoothly day-to-day.

In a healthy organization, people know how to suggest a change or process improvement. They feel that their voice is heard and understood. Activities are regularly scheduled, products are predictably available, services are completed within a pre-established time frame. Each person who contributes to the organization, or who is served by it, understands what their role is, and what success in that role looks like.