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Too often,
crisis occurs before staff and leaders feel the need to reexamine
the mission and goals of the enterprise. Rather than waiting for
that crisis, leaders of enterprises must think strategically
continually analyzing emerging trends affecting
their organizations.
Revisit
the Mission
Enetrprise leaders -- both executive staff and governing board
members -- must periodically answer 'is the original mission of
the organization still relevant
to the needs and expectations of its customers, constituents,
or members?'
Strategic
Plan
There should be a well-defined strategic plan that the enterprise’s
staff, as well as its board or other governing body, uses to guide
program activities, allocate resources and assess the enterprise’s
achievements.
The
Process
This process should be part of “strategic management”
-- a proactive, rather than a reactive, tool. Strategic management
requires that the enterprise’s leaders
- identify
their collective mission for the enterprise first
- assess
internal strengths and weaknesses to that vision
- assess
external opportunities and threats to that vision
- mobilize
assets/resources to address those strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats
- execute
a successful implementation strategy
The
Planning
Strategic Planning is the essential first step. A good strategic
plan will provide staff and leaders with guidelines to:
- establish
the enterprise’s program of activities
- allocate
human and financial resources to accomplish those activities
- assess
whether objectives are being met
- measure
and evaluate effectiveness of programs, staff, and resources
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Strategic
planning
DOES NOT
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Strategic
planning
DOES
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-
summarize
the wish lists of all contributors; rather, based on
what is going on in the real world, taking into account
that changes take place both inside and outside the
organization in the timeframe of the plan (usually three
years).
-
provide
a detailed chronology of action; that is a function
of an “operational” or “business”
plan.
Strategic
planning, as opposed to “traditional” planning,
requires strategic thinking.
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-
broadly maps the activities the organization should
pursue to maintain its desired character and identity
-
act
as a tool to guide decision-making by the organization’s
leaders on issues that are fundamental to the organization
-
require
that we look outward to the external environment to
understand the forces and trends which will affect our
organization’s future and the accomplishment of
its mission (that we not only look inward at what we
might desire for our organization).
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A well-developed
strategic plan provides the framework for responding to a changing
environment. Among the questions the enterprise’s leaders
should ask during the planning period are:
Strategic
Planning questions
- What is
the essence of the enterprise?
- What makes
it unique?
- What are
the core values and beliefs
of its constituents?
- What is
its mission? Who is served and what do they get? Should the
mission be amended?
- What does
it do best, and how does
that relate to what the world needs?
- What are
its strengths? Its weaknesses?
- What are
the keys to success of the
enterprise?
- Of those
factors making a difference, what is
changing in the environment and what is the competition
doing?
- How can
the enterprise really make a difference
in the lives of its customers, constituents, members... and
in society?
- What activities
are worth undertaking and committing to over the next three
years? Five years?
- What must
be done to implement the
strategy?
A completed
strategic plan should not be a long onerous
document - it should be focused, containing:
- mission
statement
- vision
statement
- principles
- goals
- strategic
measurable objectives
Through
its strategic plan, an enterprise says to the world…
From
the strategic plan organizations can develop coherent, focused,
and realistic marketing
communications plans, business
plans,
technology plans, professional development plans, and operational
plans.
These
plans describe the specific actions that must be taken to accomplish
each objective identified in the strategic plan.
Allow
Executive Performance to partner
with your enterprise to facilitate an effective planning process
and a winning strategic plan.
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