Strategic Planning
The primary benefit of strategic planning isn’t just the plan itself. The lasting value is found in the process of working together as a diverse group of stakeholders.
We’ll lead you through an in-depth exploration of the reasons why your company exists, and take stock of your strengths and weaknesses, recording where your team is aligned, and where they’re not. This intense engagement provides every participant with the experience of contributing to the creation of a shared vision of the future, and then uniting to accomplish it.
Strategic planning also serves another purpose: that of building a solid foundation from which to tell your brand story.
Strategic planning doesn’t end with the delivery of the plan, which is why our work always includes monthly follow-ups, ensuring you’re never more than 30 days away from a course correction. In our experience, the most successful strategic plans are ones that are printed out, marked up, and dog-eared. In other words, they are used.
Strategic planning is customized for each company.
- Phase ONE: Initiation and Discovery
We’ll create a diverse Strategy Task Force, review performance data from previous years, and establish an interview schedule for current and past clients, employees, board members, and other key stakeholders. A timeline and deliverables map for the planning process is produced. - Phase TWO: Baseline Assessment
Interviews of key stakeholders is always an eye-opening experience. We’ll analyze and report trends, and also recommend where “low hanging fruit” can be quickly harvested, demonstrating to stakeholders that you listen and respond. Past performance data will be integrated into the assessment with the interview results. - Phase THREE: Vision and Strategic Goals
Vision, mission, and values will be reviewed or created, and we’ll brainstorm strategic goals to advance the mission. After refining the goals to no more than five, we’ll generate a document that summarizes the future direction of the company. - Phase FOUR: Create and Implement Plans and Launch
To operationalize the strategy, we’ll review the strategic goals, and work backwards to develop action steps for each one. We’ll determine what constitutes success for every goal, name the teams responsible to oversee the work, and identify team leads. A prioritized timeline and implementation plan completes this phase as we formally launch. - Phase FIVE: Evaluation and Course Correction
“After enlightenment comes the dishes” – or so the saying goes. Given that doing the dishes is not nearly as exciting as enlightenment, it’s our commitment to connect with you during the first six months to one year, making sure that you’re engaging the plan. We’ll provide objective guidance and help you stay inspired, or at very least, motivated, and assist with course corrections as necessary.