Steps for Better Strategic Planning
Introduction ď‚Ą
Strategic planning is an organizational management activity that is used to set priorities, focus energy and resources, strengthen operations, ensure that employees and other stakeholders are working toward common goals, assess and adjust the organization's direction in response to a changing environment.
Steps of Strategic Planning
Invest Time in Planning Get Commitment from the CEO and Senior Management Appoint a Project Planning Team Determine Whether to Use an Internal or External Facilitator Conduct the Strategic Planning Activities Understanding of the Key Elements of the Process Implement the Action Plan Review, Re-evaluate and Revise
Invest Time in Planning
Get Commitment from the CEO and Senior Management Appoint a Project Planning Team Determine Whether to Use an Internal or External Facilitator
Get Commitment from the CEO and Senior Management ď‚Ą
This means clearing their schedules to ensure attendance in all face-to-face strategic thinking sessions. Be sure they understand that the commitment of resources extends beyond face-to-face strategic thinking sessions. Resources, must be committed to the implementation and measurement stages in order for the strategic plan to be successful.
Appoint a Project Planning Team ď‚Ą
This team will usually consist of two to four people who are responsible for making decisions about the structure of the project and communicating with the others who will be involved.
Determine Whether to Use an Internal or External Facilitator ď‚Ą
An external trainer enables all those involved to actively participate in the strategic thinking activities. An external facilitator can manage the group's participation without concern of the hierarchy, political consequences or personal repercussions.
Conduct the Strategic Planning Activities ď‚Ą
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Work with the facilitator to determine the logistics of any pre-session activities. Determine how those activities will be conducted by phone, email, fax or mail? Work with the facilitator to develop an agenda for any face-to face strategic thinking sessions.
Understanding of the Key Elements of the Process ď‚Ą
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Understand the current environment that your organization operates within. It often includes market research in the form of surveys, focus groups or industries studies. Developing an Action Plan that includes goals, objectives, action steps, time lines and outcome measurement strategies.
Implement the Action Plan ď‚Ą ď‚Ą
Implement the strategic plan to guide day-to-day activity, budget development, research and development, etc. Measure your progress by utilizing the outcome measurement strategies that are part of the action plan.
Review, Re-evaluate and Revise ď‚Ą
Review the strategic plan at least annually. Better yet, record progress quarterly. Then review the progress on an annual basis. Re-evaluate the environment, core values, mission, vision and key strategic issues/directions. If these need to be revised, do so.
Who I Am? ď‚Ą
Ryan Mitchell Rex Putnam is a Salesforce Certified Administrator who provides the help to build a great strategic planning that is beneficial for your business.