"If you don't know where you're going,
any
road will take you there."
George Harrison
Many organizations spend most of their time "fighting fires" in the
workplace. Their time is spent realizing and reacting to problems. For these --
and probably for many of us -- it can be very difficult to stand back and take a
hard look at what we want to accomplish and how we want to accomplish it. We're
too busy doing what we think is making progress.
However,
one of the major differences between new and experienced managers is the skill
to see the broad perspective, to take the long view on what we want to do and
how we're going to do it. One of the best ways to develop this skill is through
ongoing experience in strategic planning.
The Fulcrum Group's goal in working with you on a Strategic Planning project
is to:
develop or clarify a clear and compelling vision
create a focused set of strategic goals and
a culture that achieves the company's aggressive aims by harnessing the
talents of its employees
There are several
different types of Strategic Planning models available:
Introductory Strategic Planning - meant for small and medium sized
organizations that have not had much strategic planning and are not looking
further ahead than one year. The plan is usually carried out by top level
management.
Goal Based Strategic Planning - Many organizations that have already
undergone some strategic planning (or completed introductory planning), often
look for a more comprehensive and effective planning process, as it relates to
overall organizational goals. This type of plan is multi-year, multi-phased, and
is monitored on an ongoing basis.
Strategic Alignment - This type of process is used by organizations
that need to 'fine-tune' their organizational strategy. Organizations will often
need to realign resources, and operations over time to ensure they continually
fit the mission statement and are head to the preset goal(s).
Scenario Planning - This strategy is often used along with another
strategy in 'checking all angles' to test other external forces and the impact
they might have on the organizational strategy. This might include new
regulations, new competitors, technologies, economies, etc. This planning
process would develop models and contingencies in case a future response to
change would be required.
Traditional Strategic Planning - Most organizations are familiar with
or use a traditional or 'self-organizing' planning process. This can include
investigating the external environment, conduct SWOT analysis, identifying
priorities and plans, and developing specific strategies to address these plans.
However,
one of the major differences between new and experienced managers is the skill
to see the broad perspective, to take the long view on what we want to do and
how we're going to do it. One of the best ways to develop this skill is through
ongoing experience in strategic planning. 