1. Putting Planning Into Action
Strategic Planning
Putting Planning Into Action
Jim Hessler
Path Forward Leadership Development
January-February 2017

2. Strategic Planning WHAT HOW WHY According to Simon Sinek—
This applies both to the company’s purpose and mission overall, AND to the process of Strategic Planning.
So- like me, you’ve probably seen a number of different what and how processes for strategic planning- I’ve probably seen a couple of dozen versions.
And today we’ll talk about some of the how and the what, but I’m not going to hand you an instruction sheet for how to do a strategic plan – instead I want to talk about the thinking that goes into the strategic planning- and I thought Mr. Sinek would be a good place to start.
What is the why of Strategic planning- what is our intention? What does it mean from a leadership perspective?
SO- WHY DO WE DO STRATEGIC PLANNING? WHAT ARE THE POSITIVE OUTCOMES WE WANT TO SEE?
EXERCISE!!

3. But planning is indispensable.
Plans are useless,
But planning is indispensable.
Dwight Eisenhower-
The minute we put our plan on paper, it starts to become less and less useful.
So many people choose to “not plan” rather than enter into the discipline of constantly changing plans.
Business has a lot in common with war- the enemy is always changing tactics, we don’t always know what they’re going to do, and we don’t know if a big rainstorm is going to rise up in the middle of an invasion.

4. Strategic Planning Positive outcomes of Strategic Planning:
The intellectual and emotional engagement of employees and partners.
An iterative and flexible approach that “flexes” as things change.
Accountability and performance.
Thought leadership.
Resource planning and prioritization.

5. Strategic Planning Potential negatives from Strategic Planning
Too much guessing and “predicting.”
Loss of trust in the organization’s management to execute.
Sunk costs.
Black box- only a few people know the plan.
Plan sits on the shelf and becomes a joke.
Becomes too much a reflection of what YOU want.

6. Performing to plan! Is it OK to change your plan?
If so, how do we build this INTO the process of planning?
What do you do with the plan once it’s written?
How can the plan become the “executive” presence to which all employees are accountable– most notably, YOU.

7. 3 “Windows” to Look Through
5 Years
1 Year
90 days
Now you may choose to establish different time horizons for these 3 views- and this could depend on your business model.
For example- my business is a cash business that requires no capital equipment, no financing, and no facility planning per se.
So I don’t need a heck of a lot of clarity on my 5 year window. You may need more than me.
I think you also need to decide how specific your goals or projections need to be at each level. I find almost no value in setting a 5-year revenue goal, for example.

8. 3 “Windows” to Look Through
5 Years
1 Year
90 days

9. The (rolling) 5 year window
What are the assumptions I’m re-viewing when I look through my 5 year window?
Business model?
Product/service potential?
Market conditions?
Personal role. Leadership transition?
Threats to Values/ Culture?
Ownership issues?
Staff growth/development?
Others????
Porthole-??
NOTICE that in the 5 year window everything is in the form of a question.
We have to ask ourselves what really needs to be predicted here versus what has to be re-examined.
For example: Are you going to be in charge 5 years from now? Is it important to predict that? (Ask)
An honest look at the assumptions I’m making, and holding these assumptions up to the harsh light of reality.
Purpose:
Acknowledge that at all times you are operating your business with a set of assumptions or beliefs, or expectations.
Acknowledge that setting specific goals for 5 years out MIGHT not make sense- unless you’re building power plants or opening new factories—YOU MAY NEED TO ACT ON ASSUMPTIONS MADE WHILE LOOKING THROUGH THIS WINDOW,
Acknowledge that assumptions are just that- they are educated guesses at this point.
STOP AND REFLECT ON THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE GUIDING YOUR “VIEW” – Have them write/reflect if there’s time.

10. The (rolling) 1 year window
What are the broad initiatives I need to execute on during the next 12 months?
Plan expansion into another market?
Add staff/office space?
Introduce new product/service?
Reorganize structure?
Process redesign/IT initiative?
Others????
NOW- we’re still operating on a lot of unknowns here- and that’s why it’s so important to iterate and RE-VIEW the plan.
In the 1 year window we’re looking at anything that REQUIRES THE ORGANIZATION TO CHANGE IN SOME NOTABLE WAY--
Anything that costs new money-
Anything that requires change to occur- THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE WINDOW—
(Talk about management versus leadership here- keep simple efficiency improvements out of this plan? i.e.- increase deliveries per hour from 2.5 to 3. IF this requires new equipment, training, dispatching software, etc. – then it’s probably significant enough to include on this view. DISCUSS WITH GROUP-- )
RINSE LATHER REPEAT– Unless you’re Nostradamus this will need some revisions at least quarterly.
COMMUNICATION! How well does your organization understand this plan?

11. AKA CHUNKING DOWN THE BIG STUFF
The (rolling) 90 day window
AKA CHUNKING DOWN THE BIG STUFF
Study rents and market potential in secondary market.
Engage realtor to find options for new office space.
Present new product idea to test-marketing groups.
New org chart proposal to Board/Exec group.
Written project plans, assigned by name and date, and reviewable MONTHLY. Time and resources prioiritized.
This is my high-accountability window-
This is a cultural window- do we do what we say we’re going to do? Do I as a leader SUPPORT AND CHALLENGE my team (including me)to perform. Am I establishing a culture of accountability?
Re-Viewing all three windows on a quarterly basis enables us to
Change and abandon what’s not working
Reassign resources based on changing realities
Get all levels of the organization involved in thinking about this.
Get out of the prediction business.
Stop wasting time on over-complicated plans. (Write a big one if you have to but just revise it rather than rewrite it.)