A strategic plan is the organization and
clarification of what the leadership of a group actually intends to do
over a designated period of time in order to secure and distinguish the
group's position in the marketplace and to stimulate appropriate
growth. To be successful the plan must be connected to a strong
implementation process designed to assure that the plan will actually be
used on a day to day basis, and that the planning effort will be
sustained year to year.
Developing and actively following a strategic plan is not a luxury. It often drives the key differentiation between competing
groups. A strategic plan, well developed and well administered, is the great accelerator of success for all organizations of every type.
These notes include:
UNIVERSAL RESULTS TO BE SOUGHT
FROM A FIRST-TIME PLANNING PROCESS
A plan should be:
- drafted by whomever is responsible for accomplishing a
measurable set of results,
- approved by whomever has authority for its enactment,
- an accurate reflection of both the capabilities and
willingness to perform of those who are asked to carry out the
strategies and actions that are intended to bring about success.
- Development of a permanent cyclical or "rolling" planning
process which provides for a continuous review of the group's
long-term strategic intentions. To succeed, the process requires that
no functional objective or strategic initiative will be named
unless:
a. There is a commitment to
actively pursue and accomplish the initiative within an agreed time
frame.
b. There is a clear measure of
success.
c. There is a clear acceptance of
"ownership" which combines commitment with accountability.
- Formalization of previous "ad hoc" practices into predictable
structured methods resulting in:
a. "Agenda driven"
management.
b. Cyclical review of
critical elements such as:
*
market case
*
client satisfaction
*
project, production or engagement results
c. Clearly defined
individual roles and duties measured on a cyclical basis.
d. A definition of quality
which can be measured for each aspect of the operation, as well as for
the
resulting products and services.
- The replacement of "soft" and "hard" solutions with "durable"
solutions.
Understanding what should be done is only a partial
solution. Groups often reach conclusion as to how to resolve a
problem, but time goes by without action. An initiative that
everyone agrees should be taken, but that the group as a whole does not
enact, is a SOFT SOLUTION.
* A typical soft solution is a general agreement that
it is a good idea to ask the clients if they are satisfied with the
service provided to them.
When a group adopts a mechanism that causes a set of immediate
actions to deal with problems on a one time basis, this is a HARD
SOLUTION. This approach will produce results without any
assurance that the underlying condition will not cause the problem to
reappear.
* A hard version of the solution is to have everyone
contact each of their recent clients and report back to the group at
a special meeting as to the results
of the conversations.
A DURABLE SOLUTION assures that a process is put in place that
both resolves the original circumstance and provides an ongoing measure,
review, and report.
* A durable solution might require that a set of
pre-established questions be asked of each client at the completion of
each engagement. To assure
compliance, the group includes a presentation of the results of the
interviews as a
standing item in the regularly
scheduled managers meeting.
> Top
COMMON ERRORS TO AVOID
During the planning process, it is important to avoid the
following common errors:
- Planning the detail before the direction is set.
- Plans without owners.
- Solutions without measurable results.
- Actions without a schedule.
- Leaving intended actions out of the plan.
- Including actions which the group does not intend to pursue.
- Allowing personality to obscure process.
- "Telling" when "Asking" is the way to assure commitment.
- "Asking" when the answer has already been decided.
- Assuming that what is unspoken is understood.
- Not writing down what has been agreed.
- Not reading what has been written.
> Top
TRANSITION MANAGEMENT
PROCESS
TRANSITION
- The activities which transform an organization from one state
of being to another.
- The period of time during which a transformation occurs.
THE SITUATION
A change is needed. That much is certain. Perhaps the
desired end state is well understood or perhaps there is only an
agreement that the current state is no longer acceptable. One
thing is clear: the transition from one state to another will not take
place efficiently and effectively without a well-planned and
well-managed effort.
THE PRINCIPAL TASK
Determine what changes are essential to the group's future
success by:
- Understanding the current status of both the marketplace and
the group;
- Determining the most likely status of the marketplace in the
future;
- Establishing a vision of the most plausible successful status
for the group in that future environment;
- Selecting the sequence of initiatives most certain to lead to
that vision.
Successful transition planning is a matter of thoroughly
answering a sequence of basic questions:
- What is the purpose of the transition?
- What is the business environment likely to be during the
transition and at the end of the post-transition period?
- What will differentiate the group at the end of the transition
from the way in which it appears now?
- In terms of the
marketplace?
- In terms of all essential
business functions?
- If the group is successful, how will it look at the end of
that time?
- What initiatives must be undertaken to achieve that success?
If any questions are left unanswered, the group is at risk of, at
best, missing key opportunities for success and, at worst, being driven
to unwanted changes by outside circumstances.
The primary role of the leadership is to assure that these
questions are answered effectively. The primary role of either a
team leader or a neutral facilitator is to assist the leadership in
promptly arriving at the answer which is appropriate to
them.
MEASURING THE RESULT
The value of change can be measured in a number of ways,
including revenue, client or constituent increase, cost reduction, or
general improvements in effectiveness, satisfaction, and
positioning. But none of these gauges of success can be looked at
alone. Simply increasing the volume of sales or the head-count of
customers is not enough. Are the sales significantly more
profitable? Are these the right clients?
To assure a successful outcome, a view must be developed not only
of the nature of the end result, but also of a quantified measure of
that result and a realistic time frame for completion.
> Top
THE TRANSITION TEAM
PURPOSE
- To cause, facilitate, and monitor a prompt,
- appropriate, effective transition.
- To advise the Executive Officer (EO) and Senior Management.
- To act as internal voice and stakeholder contact.
GUIDING PRINCIPLE
- Do not stop or slow down the ongoing business efforts of the
group while the transition decisions are being made.
OPERATING GUIDELINES
- Membership is established by the EO and the Team.
- Meetings will be established at an interval determined by the
group.
- No Actions without Owners and scheduled Reports.
- Never leave a meeting without a Date and Time for the next
meeting and the nature of Communication to the full group established.
(Note: The Transition Team and/or the Coordinator may
assign individual functions as necessary.)
TRANSITION TEAM COORDINATOR
To assure an active pursuit of the team, the coordinator
must:
- Schedule Meetings,
- Manage the Q&A Process,
- Develop the Agenda,
- Communicate the Agenda and Results,
- Chair Meetings.
TRANSITION TEAM COMMUNICATION
- Transition Team Coordinator should receive and send all
documents.
- All communication is discussed within the Transition Team in
advance of distribution.
- Use the default message.
- "Need-to-know" only, but done without mystery.
THE REALITY TEST
To be applied to principles or actions whenever decided.
Intention:
- Is this what we actually intend to do?
Practicality:
- Do we understand the effects/results of this principle or
action?
- Do we understand the resources required for this principle or
action?
Commitment:
- Is the appropriate level of authority committed?
Confirmation:
- Is this STILL what we actually intend to do?
THE COMPLETION TEST
To be applied to actions or strategies prior to initiation:
- Have we stated everything that we actually intend to do?
- Are there unstated parallel actions being undertaken?
For every action stated is there:
- an "owner"?
- a commitment to report results?
- a schedule of completion?
- a schedule for the review?
- an agreement as to who will review the report?
> Top
PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SEQUENCE
(Z-ASSOCIATION)
Please consider the following questions for strategic
planning. They are intended to help you better understand and
decide the nature of those activities which should take place in order
to develop a plan for the future of your association. The
questions frame the strategic planning sequence which we will be
following. When each of them is answered fully, the key goals,
objectives, and initiatives will be clear.
I. PURPOSE
A. Who are Z-Assoc.'s current members?
B. What services was Z-Assoc. initially formed to provide?
C. Who does Z-Assoc. wish to influence?
D. What functions/characteristics/qualities help define
Z-Assoc.?
II. DIFFERENTIATION
A. How is Z-Assoc. currently structured?
B. What actually differentiates Z-Assoc. from
any other similar association?
III. VISION OF MARKET
A. What conditions do you feel are likely to exist in your
members' business environment/market area (both territory and
industry)
in three years from now?
IV. VISION OF Z-Assoc.
A. What would be the ideal memberprofile and mix
in three years?
B. What would be the ideal mix of services in three
years?
C. What could and should differentiate Z-Assoc. at the end
of three years?
D. What changes must Z-Assoc. affect within the next three
years?
V. STEPS TO SUCCESS
A. What initiatives are of critical importance to achieve
Z-Assoc.'s future vision?
B. Which additional activities would enhance the likelihood
of Assoc.'s success?
C. Which activities currently undertaken should be
discontinued in order to improve efficiency and increase the likelihood
of success?
D. Who should "own" initiatives that have been
selected?
E. What ongoing processes are needed to assure that the
selected initiatives will in fact be carried out?
> Top
Click here to purchase.
