Has your Strategic Planning Meeting Come to a Stalemate?

Strategic planning is a vital part of every successful organization.  Yet, at times strategic planning can seem daunting, time consuming and fraught with disagreements or even come to an impasse. Frequently our clients tell us they avoid strategic planning for the following reasons:

• A lack of clarity regarding the organization’s vision
• A lack of agreement about the organization’s target market
• A lack of clarity regarding the top strategic goals for the organization
• Disagreement among Board and Executive team members regarding budgets and project funding
• Board members who have a strong desire to discuss small operational details rather than focus on the bigger strategic issues that guide the direction of the organization

Are you procrastinating on your next strategic planning retreat? The following are suggestions to help you get started and ensure you have a highly successful strategic planning meeting.

1. Conduct one-on-one interviews with each member of the Board and Executive team to determine the organization’s strengths, opportunities and goals for the strategic planning retreat
2. Communicate the assessment results to both the Board and the Executive team
3. Facilitate strategic planning sessions with the Executive team to clarify the vision, target market, and the most important strategic goals that need to be accomplished to achieve the vision
4. Facilitate a strategic planning session with the Board to gain their input and ensure alignment with the vision, target markets and top strategic goals
5. Conduct an operational planning session with the Executive and Middle Management teams where each department head presents the highlights of what major tactical actions they will take to achieve the major strategic goals

Recently, we partnered with a financial institution with approximately $2 billion in assets to help them move from paralysis to alignment around a fully executable strategic plan.  We worked with the Executive team and their Board of Directors to update their vision, identify their target market, clarify strategic goals, and implement a tactical plan. As a result of the strategic planning effort, the Executive team and Board were in alignment on the vision, target customer, target market and major strategic goals; the strategic plan was given full approval by the Board; and the Executive Team was able to create an operational plan where budgets and actions were all in alignment with the strategic plan.

We have been helping organizations successfully plan for their futures for over 25 years.  We can help your team draft a new vision, identify target customers, create goals and strategies, and implement tactical actions.  Let us partner with you for your next strategic planning meeting or Board retreat.