Why, What and How? Strategic Planning White Paper

PEOPLE. PERFORMANCE. PROFITABILITY.

Why?, What? and How?
Three Critical Questions that Most Businesses Never Fully Answer. Is your business one of them?
By: Jerry Scher, Principal & Paula Collins, Founder

Contents
Introduction
Introduction . . . . . . . . . 1
Businesses today are confronting intensifying competition, a shortage of
well trained/motivated employees and highly effective sales professionals, Preparation . . . . . . . . . 1
disruptions to historical revenue streams and continuous challenges
Begin with the End in Mind . . 2
to their “business as usual” structures. Organizations capable of
planning effectively are positioned to respond to this dynamic business Current State of Affairs . . . . 2
environment as well as leveraging all of their business’ assets.
Facilitation. . . . . . . . . 2
Whether you are directing the activities of an entire organization or
only one component of the organizations’ program of work, the same It’s Not Just the Plan, It’s the
framework applies. The capability of the organization to optimize assets Planning. . . . . . . . . . 2
(i.e. capital, human, market opportunities) to achieve its’ ultimate vision Learning Theory. . . . . . . 4
and mission is contingent upon having a clear road map to success. This
roadmap must answer the fundamental questions of Why?, What? and Maximize Your Organizations’
How?. Performance via Disciplined
Planning. . . . . . . . . . 5
All too often, employees respond to both internal and external forces
without a clear view of the organization’s vision, mission, goals and Strategic Planning Definitions . 5
objectives. Without team buy-in and alignment, valuable resources are Strategic Planning Model. . . 7
wasted on efforts that ultimately fall short of the desired results. They
fail because the team was not focused on a carefully designed and About the Author . . . . . . 8
communicated strategic game plan.

Stop and think of a time when your team was disengaged. Perhaps they
were playing the “blame game” while you were asking yourself why they
didn’t understand what was expected from them. Or, maybe they were
wearing themselves out running around fighting fires. These conditions
are more often than not the result of insufficient or ineffective planning.

Preparation
A successful planning process requires careful preparation and, instead of
wasting time experimenting, should be conducted using a proven planning
process. Based on what you want to accomplish, you should carefully
consider the time that will be allotted for the process. Determine where
the meeting will be conducted and select a location that will permit
uninterrupted participation.

Depending upon the focus of the planning session, pre-meeting materials
should be circulated in advance so that each participant will have the
opportunity to study the background information that is available.
www.peakfocuscoach.com
Peak Focus LLC © 2008-2012 • All rights reserved.
Page 1 Unauthorized duplication in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


Consequences of
This will engage people in the research and discovery process that is Reactive Management
necessary and save a great deal of precious time when the meeting
begins. Surveying participants in advance about their positions will not ▲▲ Missed opportunities
only stimulate their thinking about key issues but will also assist you in ▲▲ Wasted resources
gaining insight into how people are thinking. You can summarize their pre- ▲▲ Internal conflicts
meeting input and have your and the blaming
facilitator share it as a part of an opening presentation. syndrome
▲▲ Inability to recruit
Begin With the End In Mind and hire talented
employees
Would you depart on a trip without determining your final destination?
▲▲ Excessive turnover
Probably not! The planning process begins with a basic question; if we
are highly successful by (set a time frame), what will it look and feel ▲▲ Lackluster profits
like? Completing this participatory exercise with your planning team will ▲▲ Dissatisfied
provide clarity, define expectations and create a shared vision. stakeholders
.
Most organizations are
Current State of Affairs more accomplished at
reactive management
With a clear, agreed upon description of your expectations for the future, than adhering to a well
it is critical that your team describe the current state of affairs from a developed Strategic Plan.
wide range of perspectives. This process should incorporate a variety If you are experiencing
of interactive communication exercises to encourage open and honest some (or worse, most) of
dialogue. All team participants need a chance to be heard. these symptoms, its time
you took a hard look at
During this process you must identify the organization’s strengths and your planning process,
weaknesses, and describe the internal and external conditions that will and embrace an effec-
inhibit and/or contribute to the organization’s success. tive, proven approach to
Prepare yourself for a diverse view of the status quo; participants should planning - a model that
describe what their reality is based on their personal perspective. This can be integrated into
process is necessary in order to gain organizational clarity, and is best your overall business
accomplished with an impartial facilitator. approach and/or utilized
for selected key projects.
Facilitation Either way, an effective,
proven planning process
Your facilitator can make all the difference to achieve an effective planning is an essential business
session. This person needs to have very effective communications building tool and you
skills, including the ability to ask good questions, listen actively and owe it to your business
engage everyone in dialogue. The ability to design and redesign group to have your senior
processes during the meeting, striking a balance between adhering to the management team, at
preplanned process and getting the necessary results, is vital. the very least, learn this
skill and participate fully
Time management and the ability to keep the group focused are also in this level of planning,
critical. Completion of the planning process must be accomplished in the starting immediately.
allotted time and while the energy level is high. Many times, individuals



within the group can be difficult to manage throughout the planning
process. Hidden agendas are often in play during the process. The
facilitator must be able identify those agendas and effectively deal with
them. For all these reasons, you should take great care in selecting your
facilitator to ensure a successful planning session.

It’s Not Just the Plan, It’s the Planning
There is great value
A well executed Strategic Planning process will result in a well defined in learning something
plan as well as a team that has learned to better work together. The new that can be applied
process of planning should be a creative, participatory activity daily in decision making
involving the clarification of a shared vision and an understandable situations, especially in a
statement of the current state of the organization. rapidly changing business
environment like we’re
As each stage of the process is accomplished, a written plan will emerge. experiencing today.
The following must be answered:
▲▲ Why?
▲▲ What?
▲▲ How?

Participants focus on the “Why?” as they research and examine the facts,
internally and externally, and make assumptions about the future.

As the “What?” is developed through identifying contributing and
inhibiting factors, and writing concise goals and objectives, you will be
creating the basic components of an accountability program. Realistic and
measurable outcomes will be identified so that team participants will be
clear about the organization’s expectations.

Finally, the “How?” is answered in the form of actionable, behavioral
strategies and tactics. The game plan will be designed and the
appropriate resources will be allocated. Each person involved must
understand their role in helping the organization accomplish the desired
results, and the ways progress will be measured and recorded.

There is great value in learning something new that can be applied daily
in decision making situations, especially in a rapidly changing business
environment like we’re experiencing today. Once this planning model
is embedded in your organization and your team has developed the
appropriate skill set, it can easily be used on an ongoing basis as new
opportunities and/or challenges occur.



Learning Theory You must answer these
questions for everyone in
As with all new systems or structures introduced into an organization, your company:
the effectiveness of the process will be determined by the team’s clear
understanding or knowledge of the principles, a positive mindset that is ▲▲ What’s in it for the
open to new ideas and approaches and a willingness to invest the time, company, and what’s
energy and cooperative effort to change their behavior. in it for me?
▲▲ Why are we changing
Knowledge, Attitude and Behavioral change are essential components to now? How does
the success of any new initiative. this relate to my job
specifically?
Studies have demonstrated that another significant key to success in ▲▲ What are my
embedding a Strategic Planning model into your organizations’ culture priorities? What do
is planned and spaced repetition. All too often people are introduced you expect from me?
to new information and skills and without a repetitive process of using
the skills, they are easily forgotten. It has been said that “Knowledge is ▲▲ How will things be
Power,” however more realistically, “Applied Knowledge is Power.” In measured?
addition, while it has been said that “Practice Makes Perfect.” In truth is ▲▲ What new tools will I
should be “Perfect Practice Makes Perfect.” have to get this done?
▲▲ What happens if I
Since behavioral change is required for success, the following three don’t get it done
steps should be integrated in teaching this new planning approach to – what are the
your organization: structure, support and accountability. To begin with, consequences?
you must provide structure. Systems are required to have predictable
outcomes. Provide an opportunity to not only learn the process but
practice it within the given parameters of the systems you put in place. Embedding a disciplined
Strategic Planning system in
Next there must be support provided as people try these new skills. your organization will require
Observe their behavior and provide positive coaching as they practice. a serious commitment on
And, make sure they have access to all the tools they need to accomplish everyone’s part but will
the tasks at hand. ultimately prove to be
extremely valuable. Changing
Finally, you must institute a program of accountability. To be successful, behavior is possible when
there must be clarity at the level of “what’s my role, and what am I being a systematic approach of
measured on?” Clearly define expectations and communicate them, along structure, support and
with the consequences of noncompliance. accountability is utilized
Provide multiple opportunities for give and take and make sure people – and virtually impossible
know if they are or are not satisfying those clearly defined expectations. otherwise.



Maximize Your Organizations’ Performance via
Disciplined Planning

Successful organizations have a defined and shared vision. These
organizations leverage the skills and competencies of their team members
and execute with a high degree of effectiveness. Their team members
are in alignment with the organization’s goals and objectives, and they
are exceptionally focused on what they want to accomplish through well
thought out business strategies. A team that performs “In the Zone”
is characteristically well informed and displays both an intellectual and
emotional “buy-in”; their energy is laser focused and they recognize
the value of the role they play in achieving organizational and personal
success.

Now is the time to get started. You can lead your team to the highest level
of success imaginable by developing and implementing a well defined and
fully documented Strategic Plan.

Strategic Planning Definitions

Vision – Long-term aspirations, preferred future. A description of what
your organization looks like in the years ahead if you are successful.

Mission – A brief statement describing the overall purpose of your
organization, focusing on your clients and how you serve them.

Discovery Process/Research – Process by which you gather information
about all internal and external forces that impact the organization,
including assessment of capabilities and competencies
of the organization, trends in your industry and your current and future
competitors.

Assumptive Process – Based on “what if” scenarios, the discovery and
discussion of what you believe will come to pass in the future. Explicit and
implicit assumptions can be vulnerabilities, a presumed
fact, a judgment, or even an event critical to the overall success of the
organization. Based on information gathered during discovery process
and assessment of your research, assumptions are recorded about future
opportunities as well as current and future needs of the organization.

Main Opportunity – The overarching “big idea(s)” the organization wants
to accomplish and about which the plan is being created.



Significant Factors – Conditions that inhibit or contribute to the
attainment of one or more of the organization’s goals and objectives.
What will work to your benefit, and what will get in the way of progress?
This list should include internal and external forces as well as the
organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

Goals – Logical components for achieving the Main Opportunity(ies),
expressed as general and continuing long-term aims.

Objectives – The specific, measurable, achievable steps toward
accomplishment of a goal over a specified period of time.

Strategies – Broad, general activities that are implemented to enable
the organization to achieve its objectives while taking advantage of or
overcoming significant factors.

Iterative Loop – Continuous improvement process; steps necessary to
execute strategies, including:

▲▲ Assessment - review of the information at hand
▲▲ Design - creation of action plans/tactics, with detailed specific
activities that are to be executed to accomplish or implement a
strategy
▲▲ Execution - carrying out the action plans/tactics including
budgeting of resources, assigning and training staff, scheduling
activities
▲▲ Adjustment - periodic review of progress to identify areas
of potential improvement of efficiency and effectiveness of
strategies/plans



Strategic Planning Model

Vision & Mission

Discovery Research

Assumptive Process

Main Opportunity
(the Big Idea)

Review of Significant Factors
Contributing & Inhibiting - Situational Analysis

Goal Goal Goal

Objective Objective Objective



Strategy Strategy Strategy Strategy Strategy

Assess
Investigate, determine if the
approach is supported by data

Adjust Design
Assessment: Design /
how can we redesign based
improve this? Iterative Loop on experience,
data,
observations

Execute
Assign resources,
schedule activities



About the Author

Jerry Scher - Founder and Principal at Peak Focus
.
Jerry is well known as a business builder, c-level executive, conference speaker,
trainer, facilitator, coach, entrepreneur, and mentor. Regardless of the title, the end
result is the same–Jerry makes the people around him significantly more successful
through his ability to simplify the complex, ask the right questions, and develop
appropriate solutions to keep businesses and individuals moving forward.

About Peak Focus


Peak Focus gives you the tools to grow, develop and strengthen your team. With a mix of resources that
we’ve created ourselves, as well as several powerful tools we’ve carefully assessed and believe in, we
combine our passion and experience to guide companies and individuals toward optimized performance.
Select your team members with confidence, help your key players develop their soft skills, and learn how
to coach your entire team more effectively by engaging the experts at Peak Focus.

For more information and access to free resources, please visit our website at www.peakfocuscoach.com.

Engage With Us
Free tools, resources & updates

LIKE us on Facebook
.

Check out our blog

Follow us on Twitter

Follow us on LinkedIn


Why, What and How? Strategic Planning White Paper

Recomendados

Recomendados

Más contenido relacionado

Destacado

Destacado (6)

Más de Peak Focus

Más de Peak Focus (19)

Último

Último (20)

Why, What and How? Strategic Planning White Paper