A Strategic Planning Overview... A process where an organization envisions its future and develops strategies to achieve that vision. Who needs it? Who doesn’t?

10. Provides the glue that keeps the company together. Why Strategic Planning is Important 1. Defines purpose, establishes goals for the organization. 2. Communicates goals to the organization’s stakeholders. 3. Develops a sense of ownership of company’s direction. 4. Ensures efficient use company resources via key priorities. 5. Provides a benchmark to measure progress. 6. Builds consensus about where an organization is going. 7. Provides clearer focus and more productive effectiveness. 8. Bridges management and labor. 9. Builds strong teams that solves problems.

A Strategic Planning Process … A strategy is a fundamental change the organization is about to initiate... Strategies should be developed after market evaluations and substantial organizational legwork.

1.An Organizational Vision 2.Functional Mission Statement 3.SWOT Analysis 4.Driving Forces 5.Organizational Values 6.Strategic Profiles that Meets the Vision 7.Current Performance Levels 8.Measuring Gaps 9.Goals to Close Gaps 10.Annual Operating Plans

A Strategic Planning Process … VISION It all starts with the vision. If you can’t see it, you won’t reach it. Vision means future – think in terms of 3 to 5 years. And if there is anything certain about the future, it’ll mean change for the organization. What does the organization look like – 5 years from now? Write it down using the present tense.

A Strategic Planning Process … Mission Each part of the organization must participate in the planning process to ensure effective communication. The work of the organization by the various functions of the business.

A Strategic Planning Process … SWOT Does the organization currently possess the capacity, expertise, capabilities to achieve its long range vision? What are the internal, controllable factors of the organization? Strengths Weaknesses What are the external, unwieldy factors? Opportunities Threats

A Strategic Planning Process … Driving Force Customers * Community Members * Employees * Vendors Ownership * Government * Seasons Public Opinion * Lenders * Competition Transportation * Distribution * Geography ??? What one factor more than any other affects the organization’s mission? Without this factor the firm wouldn’t survive.

A Strategic Planning Process … Values What does the establishment hold dear? Values define the organization’s character.

A Strategic Planning Process … Operating Plans How will goals be distributed to each functional area of the organization? 1. The real benefit of the strategic planning process is the process, not the plan document. 2. There is no "perfect" plan. There's doing your best at strategic thinking and implementation, and learning from what you're doing to enhance what you're doing the next time around. 3. The strategic planning process is usually not an "aha!" experience. It's like the management process itself -- it's a series of small moves that together keep the organization doing things right as it heads in the right direction. 4. In planning, things usually aren't as bad as you fear nor as good as you'd like. 5. Start simple, but start!

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit. Harry S. Truman