Strategic Planning:Strategic Planning:Strategic Planning: Strategic Planning: What Is It? Key Pieces To What Is It? Key Pieces To

The “Planning” Puzzle? The “Planning” Puzzle?

Written & Prepared By: Written & Prepared By:

ggWhy Engage? Why Engage?

Philip C. Philip C. HickmonHickmonCEO and President of Synergy CEO and President of Synergy

Allied LLCAllied LLC

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9/19/2007

What Is What Is StrategicStrategicStrategic Strategic Planning?Planning?

It is a road map road map of sorts…This is where organizations large and small, definedefine critical business strategies.Helps to provide directiondirection and focusfocus for all partiesall parties.

“The best way to predict the future is The best way to predict the future is to create it.“to create it.“

~ Peter F. Drucker~ Peter F. Drucker Peter F. Drucker Peter F. Drucker

9/19/2007

Why Do Why Do Organi ationsOrgani ationsOrganizations Organizations “Strategically Plan?”“Strategically Plan?”

Organizations that Organizations that perform at the perform at the hi h t l lhi h t l l hhhighest levels highest levels have have some sort of some sort of formalizedformalized strategicstrategicformalizedformalized strategic strategic planplan in place

Implementation is Implementation is criticalcritical if you don’tif you don’tcriticalcritical——if you don t if you don t allocate resources to allocate resources to vital functions you will vital functions you will flounder in attemptsflounder in attemptsflounder in attempts flounder in attempts to be successful and to be successful and competitivecompetitive

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Mission (Purpose)Mission (Purpose)The “mission statementmission statement,” is a concise statement of “whatconcise statement of what business we’re in.”

Usually has both an internal Usually has both an internal di i ( d i ti fdi i ( d i ti fdimension (a description of dimension (a description of functional functional activitiesactivities, , products and products and servicesservices) and ) and an external dimension (anan external dimension (anan external dimension (an an external dimension (an answer to the question, answer to the question, “Who buys it, and why?”). “Who buys it, and why?”).

D fi i ti ’Defines organization’s “playing field” and sets the stage for the strategies g gwhich follow

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VisionVision determines the determines the DIRECTIONDIRECTION of the of the organizationorganization

Vi i t fl tVi i t fl t l dl dVision must reflect Vision must reflect values and values and cultureculture. This is “who we really . This is “who we really want to be, which includes our want to be, which includes our dreams and aspirations ”dreams and aspirations ”dreams and aspirations.” dreams and aspirations.”

A wellA well--articulated vision should articulated vision should always balance the risks of always balance the risks of choosing an alternativechoosing an alternativechoosing an alternative choosing an alternative strategy.strategy.

In other words: There In other words: There mustmust always be room foralways be room formustmust always be room for always be room for opportunitopportunity y which leaves which leaves open the possibility of open the possibility of new strategies (emerging)new strategies (emerging)new strategies (emerging) new strategies (emerging)

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ValuesValuesTraits or qualities that are Traits or qualities that are considered worthwhile; considered worthwhile; ;;they represent an they represent an individual’s highest individual’s highest priorities and deeply held priorities and deeply held p p yp p ydriving forcesdriving forces

Core valuesCore values----Governing Governing ValuesValuesValues Values

In other words: How we want people to behave with each otherbehave with each other in the organization, how the organization will treat customerstreat customers, providers, suppliers and the community

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Not “Strategically Planning” IS CostlyCostly

Leading cause ofLeading cause ofLeading cause of Leading cause of failure in failure in organizations organizations is is ggnot havingnot having a a strategic plan strategic plan (M Ki R t)(M Ki R t)(McKinsey Report) (McKinsey Report)

Logic:Logic: Wander Wander aimlessly with aimlessly with priorities changingpriorities changingpriorities changing priorities changing constantlyconstantly and and employees confused employees confused about the purpose ofabout the purpose ofabout the purpose of about the purpose of their jobstheir jobs

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Why is Wayne Gretzky Why is Wayne Gretzky one of pro hockey's allone of pro hockey's all--one of pro hockey s allone of pro hockey s all--time greats?time greats?

H k t d t h th kH k t d t h th kHe skated to where the puck was He skated to where the puck was going to be, not where it wasgoing to be, not where it was

He literally anticipated his ' dteammates' moves and

competitors' reactions, he dynamically positioned himself to t k th h tt k th h ttake the shottake the shotThis strategy has been tested (not just theory)--- a systemsystem can make it t th t i i ilit to the top using a similar approach

THE POINT:THE POINT: Failing to look around or ahead is like skating blindfolded. We will never know how close we are to the goal

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Analysis w/o Paralysis Analysis w/o Paralysis IsIs CRITICALCRITICALIs Is CRITICALCRITICAL

Center on developing plans for the future to develop a soberthe future to develop a sober assessment of your sstrengths, wweaknesses, oopportunities and tthreats as an organizationtthreats as an organization

Those areas where you do well will help you to determine what you will attempt to capitalize on.

Those areas where you do not do ywell may be important areas for improvement strategies

The key is to obtain both external key is to obtain both external and internal inputand internal inputand internal input. and internal input.

9/19/2007

What Do You Have With t “S d”Without “Sound” Planning

Have to rely upon the short-sightedness of our competition. E t tiExpectations are developed in a voidvoid.

Don’t Don’t simply gather simply gather hard data to draw hard data to draw

l i ftl i ftconclusions, soft conclusions, soft data counts too.data counts too.

9/19/2007

Implications Of B ildi ABuilding A Framework

Solidifies AlignmentSolidifies AlignmentCommunication with key Communication with key business systems and business systems and processesprocessesprocessesprocesses

Gives Organization an Gives Organization an AdvantageAdvantageAdvantage Advantage

Strategic planning is a Strategic planning is a way to make a little of way to make a little of yyyour your own luck $$$own luck $$$

9/19/2007

Why Get “Involved” In A Strategic PlanningStrategic Planning Process? “You cannot understand “You cannot understand

the parts of a system the parts of a system if if you do not investigate you do not investigate the component parts the component parts of a whole and theirof a whole and theirof a whole and their of a whole and their relationsrelations in making up in making up the whole.”the whole.”the whole. the whole.

~ Unknown~ Unknown

9/19/2007

How Do You Partner

Partner and Commit:Partner and Commit: See it

With Stakeholders?Partner and Commit: Partner and Commit: See it through with them Pay CarePay Care to the fundamentals fundamentals of Strategic planningof Strategic planningof Strategic planningof Strategic planning

Mission: Your purposeMission: Your purposeVision: Desired futureVision: Desired future

Food For Thought: Food For Thought: Learn before You leap: Don’t Learn before You leap: Don’t assumeassumeFocus Q: Is what we want to Focus Q: Is what we want to do fiscally responsible? do fiscally responsible? What is the worth and value? What is the worth and value? Keep the communication Keep the communication drivers real and simple drivers real and simple

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Measure Measure EVERYTHIINGEVERYTHIING

To track the implementation schedule budget and progressschedule, budget and progress, use a measurement system from productivity to rate calculations.

C i t fi i lCompare against financial summary

Anything that costs $$ is relevant

Consider using a system thatConsider using a system that also measures the intangibles--management effectiveness, innovation and potential forinnovation and potential for further progress

This is actually moving from This is actually moving from strategic planning to strategicstrategic planning to strategicstrategic planning to strategic strategic planning to strategic managementmanagement

9/19/2007

Let’s Put TheLet’s Put TheLet s Put The Let s Put The Puzzle Together…Puzzle Together…

Why do we exist as an Why do we exist as an organization? organization? Our Mission Our Mission Statement. Statement. Where should we start? Where should we start? SWOT SWOT Analysis. Analysis.

Focus on internal and external Focus on internal and external stakeholdersstakeholders----core processescore processes

Where Are We Going? Where Are We Going? Vision Vision StatementStatementWhat would tell us if we arrived? What would tell us if we arrived? MetricsMetrics (measure performance on (measure performance on EVERYTHINGEVERYTHING——satisfies the satisfies the business case)business case)

9/19/2007

The EndThe End

Some Parting Some Parting WisdomWisdom…………

In my experience, I have In my experience, I have realized that strategic realized that strategic planning planning is a toolis a tool, , not anot asubstitute for the substitute for the exercise of judgment by exercise of judgment by j g yj g yleadership.leadership.

9/19/2007