Strategic Planning & Implementation
Control your own destiny or someone else will
Why Strategic Planning?
At CM we believe only well-thought-out strategic and implementation plans can ensure successful change management. The planning process helps an organization develop a shared vision of its future, a vision that provides focus for human and financial resources.
Our approach to planning is to use it to harness creativity rather than just for forecasting. We see planning as a fluid, continuous process. You can’t blueprint exactly where you’ll be in five years. Circumstances change, so a plan must adapt.
Why plan if it’s just going to change? Planning lets you re-examine activities and why you’re doing them. It organizes and focuses your efforts. It may even help avoid the need for crisis management.
Each organization is unique, so CM’s approach to strategic planning adapts to the needs of the organization.
Our philosophy is always the same, though:
The planning process itself is more important than any written plan.
Participants in a planning session come to a common understanding that reaffirms ideals and renews energy, creating alignment on the direction the company is taking.
Current and future leaders’ involvement in planning ensures their support in implementation.
Our Planning Process
We recommend that all departments in an organization get involved in planning, with each group responding to the same set of questions. These questions might cover:
- Assumptions about your organization
- Identification of SWOT’s (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats), both internal and external
- A mission statement
- Goals
- Strategies
- Action planning
To keep plans flexible and open, we recommend organizations evaluate the situation and results each year. Then they can adjust the plan as needed.
Benefits of Planning
Organizations that invest in planning reap benefits like:
- Buy-in by diverse parts of the organization into a shared vision and goals
- Identification of the most critical issues that must be addressed
- Energized workforce and leadership