• Question 4: In making sure strategic planning remains alive and relevant and our efforts don’t falls flat, what kind of resources should I budget for in terms of finances, human resource, etc? Any other tips that we should consider?

Download PDF (slide deck)

You may also be interested in:

• Strategy Huddle: Open Line Q&A January 2012 Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle (January,...
• Keeping Your Team Improving (Part 3 of 3) This is part 3 of a 3 part series from...
• Keeping Your Team Engaged (Part 2 of 3) This is part 2 of a 3 part series from...

1. Question 1:
   • Part A: I was thrown into the fire as coordinator of our agency’s (800 employees) plan. I was lucky to find MyStrategicPlan online. Unfortunately I work with a CEO who thinks he wants a strategic plan but has no patience to build one. After our 3^rd session (where I was taking the groups through the why and how of a plan: vision statement, competitive advantage and beginning of our SWOT) he couldn’t stand it anymore and stated we just needed to take on projects and get moving. He has been very successful for 25 years working with this method — just jumping into the soup bowl and swimming (or sometimes not). I know this goes against the concept of a fully developed strategy plan but I think there are several of us who must try to adapt to shortcuts. Your insight is appreciated.
   • Part B: We have a couple people on our executive team who believe strategic planning is a waste of their time, what can I do to convince them otherwise.

Download PDF (slide deck)

You may also be interested in:

• Keeping Your Team Improving (Part 3 of 3) This is part 3 of a 3 part series from...
• Keeping Your Team Engaged (Part 2 of 3) This is part 2 of a 3 part series from...
• Strategy Huddle: Open Line Q&A January 2012 Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle (January,...

About Alice Heiman – visiting strategy leader:  Alice is the founder and President of Alice Heiman Inc. and is a sales strategist, author, speaker and trainer.  Business websites: www.aliceheiman.com or www.smartsalestips.com

You may also be interested in:

• How Length of Sales Cycle Affects Sales Strategy (Part 4 of 5) How does the length of the sales cycle affect the...
• Key Factors in Creating an Effective Sales Strategy (Part 3 of 5) What are the key factors to consider in creating an...
• Using a Strategic Plan to Build a Sales Strategy (Part 2 of 5) How should companies use a strategic plan to build a...

Elsa Ozuna-Richards, Account Executive, is our speaker for this segment of the Strategy Huddle. Elsa brings her expertise in strategy and health care to present examples of how to use Continuous Quality Improvement with strategic planning to motivate your team to keep improving.

You may also be interested in:

• Keeping Your Team Focused, Engaged, and Improving Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle (May...
• Keeping Your Team Engaged (Part 2 of 3) This is part 2 of a 3 part series from...
• Guest Speaker Tommy Smith: Keeping FOCUS (Part 1 of 3) This is part 1 of a 3 part series from...

Erica Olsen, COO and Co-Founder of M3 Planning, is our expert speaker for this topic. She explains why/how organizations want keep their teams engaged in the strategic management process.

You may also be interested in:

• Keeping Your Team Focused, Engaged, and Improving Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle (May...
• Keeping Your Team Improving (Part 3 of 3) This is part 3 of a 3 part series from...
• Guest Speaker Tommy Smith: Keeping FOCUS (Part 1 of 3) This is part 1 of a 3 part series from...

Tommy Smith is our guest speaker for this segment of the Strategy Huddle. He presents his method for developing a strong team by using FOCUS in creating your mission, vision, and values statements.

You may also be interested in:

• Keeping Your Team Improving (Part 3 of 3) This is part 3 of a 3 part series from...
• Keeping Your Team Engaged (Part 2 of 3) This is part 2 of a 3 part series from...
• Lessons from the Successes of Steve Jobs: Focus, Focus Focus Does the pressure of business get to you? Do you...

• How to look like a hero with The Dash
• How to get the most out of MSP Reports
• Our best kept secret coming to your inbox: A Virtual Strategy Guide
• How to tap into the wisdom of the crowd with the Strategy Community
• How to take control of the communication to your team

You may also be interested in:

• The New MyStrategicPlan – See the New Features In response to the great input from our clients, team...
• MSP New Features: Super User, Interface Enhancements, & Plan Setup Options (45 mins) Listen in to this recorded webinar where Erica Olsen presents...

Martin Glassberg, Senior Strategic Planning Analyst from Organizational Strategies, Inc, joins us today to add his knowledge and insights on having accountability in an organization, especially when it comes to the strategic plan.

You may also be interested in:

• How to drive accountability throughout the organization (15 mins) This is part of our Strategy Huddle series from May...
• Determining your Competitive Advantage & Driving Accountability (60 mins) Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle and...
• M3’s Take on the February 2010 Wall Street Journal Article: “Strategic Plans Lose Favor” (20 mins) This is part of our ongoing Strategy Huddle series from...

This month, one of our MyStrategicPlan clients asked us this question: How do I drive accountability throughout the organization?

You may also be interested in:

• Morton Glassberg on Accountability in the Organization and in your Strategic Plan (18 mins) This is part of our Strategy Huddle series from May...
• Determining your Competitive Advantage & Driving Accountability (60 mins) Watch a recorded video of the latest Strategy Huddle and...
• How to Determine the Importance of Customer Feedback in Setting Strategy (25 mins) This is part of our Strategy Huddle Series from February...

The need for change is often inherent in a strategic plan, and this can shift the power dynamics in any organization as it represents a re-prioritization of resources and activity.  With this acknowledged, it is a clear role of leadership, and leadership alone, that must embrace the process, implementation and execution of new strategic actions.  Leadership is tasked with viewing strategy execution as their job. Having a keen understanding of the process of change is vital.

Comprehensive communication about the effectiveness of the purpose of a strategic plan is often a big initial hurdle.  Often strategic goals are viewed as an extra expense that raises costs.  To gain acceptance of new directions based on strategic thinking, the actions of any given plan need to be viewed as solutions to challenges or problems that exist or are likely to exist in the near future.  Cost-benefit analysis and cause and effect comparisons to prod strategic action are also effective ways to bring people on board.

Once key leaders see that the strategic plan is not only additive but also vital to future viability, their position should shift if they have the organization’s best interest in mind.  At this point, building alignment for cross-functionality and even organizational structure shifts can be viewed as solid maneuvers that are based on necessity and not a whim.

At an everyday level, leaders must embrace the strategic change in their approach to work.  For example, if a strategic plan calls for less standardization to create an environment for the development of innovations, then leaders must abide by that playbook.  On the other end of the spectrum, if increased efficiencies are part of a strategic goal, then leaders would have to also abide by and enforce increased standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Overall, this process is not easy. Don’t assume robust, passionate discussions are a rejection of the developments you seek.  Instead, try to inject the values that your organization keeps into the process.  These values should help you anchor the discussions against the tides of tangents and emotions, while keeping the dialogue progressive with the organization’s success and longevity in mind.

Strategy Check:  Are your leaders onboard to fundamentally embrace the strategic plan?

You may also be interested in:

• Can You Say What Your Strategy Is? Everyone knows their strategy until you ask them what it...
• Occasionally Look at the Results of Business Plans “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the...
• Perfection is in the Process On January 25, the Wall Street Journal ran an article...