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Morning Column
The Do's and Don'ts of Strategic Planning
By Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, Ph.D.
Strategic Planning has made a comeback worldwide. Companies, governmental
agencies and nonprofits are all adopting it. Although Strategic Planning
has been around for years and the basic tools are well known, many
leadership teams still stumble in the planning and execution stages. The
basic eight pairs of "do's and don'ts" are based on the experiences of a
wide range of organizations. They will help you lock in your prospects for
success and avoid common pitfalls.
· DO follow the (modified) KISS principle: Keep it Simple and Sustained.
Less is more. Your goal is to create goals and objectives that focus
your work for the next year or two. Limit the goals and objectives to one
page so you can manage on the "top page."
· DON'T set too many Goals or Objectives or go into greater detail than
necessary. Too many details, goals or objectives lead to confusion,
conflicting goals, micromanagement and failure to execute. A successful
plan is not measured by the pound.
· DO follow all of the steps as described in proven planning methodology as
it was designed. You chose it because of its reputation. Learn from others'
success.
· DON'T skip steps or do them partially. If you bought an expensive
briefcase, you wouldn't immediately change the handle, put on a different
carrying strap or have it dyed another color. Avoid tinkering with the
process, since you have no data to justify your changes.
· DO stay focused on the Mission. The Mission, what the organization wants
to do or be, is central for planning and day-to-day execution. Before you
accept any goal, objective, strategy or tactic or take action ask, "How will
this help fulfill the Mission?"
· DON'T do things because "we've always done it," or "I think we should do
it even though it doesn't fit our Mission." Without the Mission driving
your decisions, you will miss innovative solutions, drift off course or
become reactionary.
· DO use the "brain dump" activity to alleviate the urge to begin the
Tactical Plan prematurely. You are an excellent tactician and, faced with a
problem, you quickly suggest solutions. This is a liability in strategic
planning where you and your team have to create high level goals and
specific objectives based on the Mission. List every idea the team has.
Set these ideas, the "brain dump," aside until you are ready to create the
tactical plan.
· DON'T begin laying out the Tasks before the Mission, Goals and Objectives
are clearly stated. The Mission sets the context for the Goals, which are
the context for Objectives, specific, measurable results. Choose tactics to
achieve these higher level results from your brain dump at the END of the
process.
· DO Measure, Measure, Measure! Select useful, significant measurements for
all goals, objectives and tactics. What information do you need to make
decisions? Revisit KISS: Keep It Simple and Significant.
· DON'T avoid measurement because it is hard to do. Measurement may be
difficult, especially when dealing with customer satisfaction, employee
morale or effectiveness. Define some way to measure these intangibles so
you can gauge progress during execution.
· DO measure quality of results, wherever possible. Quality measures how
customers judge your products or services. This provides the best
information for strategic decision making and keeps you focused on the
mission and customer.
· DON'T select productivity measures, just because they are easier to
define. Important as it is, productivity does not tell you if you are
creating a product or service that the customer wants. You can always make
junk faster. When you focus on quality, you are more productive, since you
reduce costly rework.
· DO provide support, resources, training, guidance, direction and coaching
to assure everyone's success. People cannot perform well unless they have
everything they need to do the job. The plan is only as good as its
execution, which depends on great people management.
· DON'T dump people into situations without providing what they need to get
the job done. Delegation means understanding what the person needs to get
the job done and providing it. You can only hold people accountable for
what they can actually control.
· DO Manage by Fact: We are judged by our results. Good planning sets the
stage for good performance. Review results regularly to make decisions and
manage. The basic dialogue: "Are we on target?" "Yes" "Keep up the good
work." "No" "What is your plan to get back on target?" Targets are just
targets. Look for root causes of undesired results. When you are not
getting the desired results, investigate the root causes and modify your
plans or targets appropriately.
· DON'T manage by intimidation, placing blame or gut feel. These approaches
don't work since people may comply but they won't be fully engaged. Don't
ignore off target data or make excuses. The opposite of the "blame game" is
denial. If a goal or objective is not reached, investigate, find the root
cause, devise a solution and re-plan. Unfounded hope is not a strategy for
success in the real world.
Strategic Planning works because it disciplines the organization to harness
the intellectual energy of all employees and guides the organization in a
clear direction. The Plan is the Boss. Following these "Do's and Don'ts"
will help you plan and execute successfully.
© Rebecca Staton-Reinstein, Ph.D., President of Advantage Leadership, Inc.,
works with leaders who want to grow their companies strategically, transform
results and engage employees. She is author of "Conventional Wisdom: How
Today's Leaders Plan, Perform," and "Progress Like the Founding Fathers and
Success Planning: A 'How-To' Guide For Strategic Planning." Learn more at
www.AdvantageLeadership.com.
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| © Copyright 2008/Exchange Morning Post/Exchange Business Communications Inc. |
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