Selling the Benefits of the Strategic Planning Process
So you and your colleagues are attempting to selling your company on a strategic planning exercise. You’ve come to recognize that a guiding vision is absent and you dream of the day that management and staff all are singing from the same hymnal. A time when resources are allocated and decisions are made with a focus on achieving a shared mission. There is only one problem…there are those in your company that view Strategic Planning as a waste of time.
So how do you build momentum for the initiative ?
Start With The End In Mind
Let’s start making the case for strategic planning by framing the issues and opportunities in a manner that kindles productive discussion and hope. Examples might include:
- Where do we want to be and what will it take to get there?
- What are our hopes, dreams and fears about the path we are on?
- What would it be like if rather than moving an inch in many directions, we could move a mile in one direction?
- What are the opportunities out there that we should be capitalizing on?
These sorts of conversations help flesh out the outcomes the organization is seeking while at the same time raising awareness to the fact that we require a plan to effect a change in our approach.
Obtain Sponsorship
We will have to obtain sponsorship from the leadership team. If we have access to the President/CEO that is ideal but not mandatory (at this stage). We do need to recruit someone who “has the juice” directly or indirectly to back our play and assist us in getting the initiative sanctioned. We will need access in order to plant seeds and then create an opening for us to present the benefits of a strategic planning initiative and convince the leadership team it can’t effectively happen without them.
A strategic planning process requires resources and commitment. We will be asking for participation from a from a group of busy (and expensive people) across a variety of departments. They will be asked to commit time and mind-share in the form of Strategic Planning Workshops as well as homework they will need to take back to their teams.
In the end, support from the owner/CEO is mandatory. He or she is the captain of the ship and the strategic plan will chart the course for where our ship is headed. Additionally, the plan will require the ability to marshal resources (mostly people and money) to execute.
Concrete Deliverables = Value
Selling your company on the premise the strategic planning process has value can be made or broken right here. This is where we set expectations and clearly communicate the work product. The promise of a well executed strategic planning process is to deliver:
- A Vision
- Long-Term Objectives
- Short-Term Objectives
- Measurable Goals
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Secret tip – just the promise of that elusive alignment between the departments or key managers can seal the deal for you in terms of getting leadership on board.
Make It Happen
Strategic planning is not just for big corporations. Imagine the key players in your company coming together to commit to a mutual vision of success and then standing up to take ownership of the goals necessary to achieve it. Well then you have something very powerful…a well defined and measurable plan of action. Who doesn’t want that?
