Strategic Planning

Information Overload

Most business owners are faced with more options than they can possibly evaluate. The sheer volume of information and decisions they face can leave them overwhelmed.

Strategic Planning is a way for business owners to sort through and focus on items that will lead them to better things in the future if they take action today.

How Does Strategic Planning Help?

It forces you to examine where you are today, and pushes you and your team to consider where you can go based on analysis of your strengths, weaknesses/problems, opportunities and threats.

Here is the key: Strategic decisions that come out of a planning process ensure today’s decisions have the future in mind. You and your team will be pushed to focus on areas that move your organization the furthest, the fastest.

My 5-Step Planning Process

1. Describe the current business environment.
2. Make conclusions about the situation.
3. Commit to a three- to five-year strategic direction.
4. Create a 12 month action plan.
5. Begin implementation.

Does Your Organization Need A Strategic Plan?

YES—but only if you want things to be better than they are today. Every organization benefits from solidly thinking through where it would like to go and how to get there.

Does It Take A Lot Of Time?

NO—normally a series of three meetings to create the plan.

The first meeting focuses on the first step—Describe the current business environment. This is where “crossroad issues” are discussed, so everyone involved understands the issues facing your company.

The second meeting focuses on steps 2 and 3—Drawing conclusions about the current situation and committing to a future direction. In this meeting, I use a SPOT Analysis (Strengths, Problems, Opportunities, and Threats) to identify strategic priorities. From there, I help you develop your three- to five-year strategic priorities.

The third meeting is where the rubber meets the road—creating action plans. This is the part of the process most top executives and owners need most. It’s where you and your team turn priorities into tactical plans that can be shared.

The outcome is a 12-month plan that moves you closer to your three- to five-year mission. It’s detailed enough so anyone inside your company can have a clear understanding of the goals, who is responsible for them, what resources are required, and how progress will be measured. Everything fits into a detailed calendar of action items, with dates and responsibilities assigned.

Depending on the scope, this could take the form of a workshop or a series of individual meetings with the strategic team.

The Importance Of Implementation

Unless the plan becomes a reality, all the time and money spent on the other four steps is wasted.

That’s why I recommend structured quarterly reviews to assess progress. This is a great way to ensure accountability.

Is It A Lot Of Work?

No. I facilitate the process and create the document.

All you have to do is participate fully in the meetings. I will provide you with a written plan at the end.