The steps of the strategic planning process in under 15 minutes

Summary

Anthony Taylor from Strategy I presents a concise guide to strategic planning, aiming to maximize the utility of planning tools. He outlines a four-step process: assessing current status, defining goals, identifying obstacles, and devising action plans. Taylor emphasizes the importance of aligning leadership, vision, and organization-wide strategies. He advises creating a vivid vision, establishing a clear mission, and aligning values to drive performance. He also discusses risk identification and mitigation, strategic choices, and the necessity of clear communication and goal cascading for successful strategy implementation.

Takeaways

• 📈 **Strategic Planning Process**: Anthony Taylor outlines a strategic planning process with four components: current position, desired future, obstacles, and required actions.
• 🔗 **Alignment**: Three types of alignment are crucial: with leadership, vision and strategy, and across the entire organization.
• 🌍 **External Analysis**: Conducting an external analysis like SWOT or PESTAL is essential to understand the external environment.
• 🏢 **Internal Analysis**: Engaging stakeholders and management team inputs is vital for internal analysis.
• 🚀 **Vision Creation**: Creating a vivid vision that motivates and inspires, considering where the organization will be in the future.
• 🎯 **Mission and Purpose**: Defining a clear mission that moves the organization towards the vision, understanding why it exists and who its main customers are.
• 🏛 **Values and Culture**: Recognizing the DNA of the organization through its values and culture, which drive performance.
• 🛑 **Risks and Obstacles**: Identifying potential risks such as leadership, communication, resources, and buy-in that could hinder strategy implementation.
• 📊 **Strategy and Tactics**: Developing strategies and tactics to accomplish goals, with a focus on making choices that align with the vision and mission.
• 📋 **Performance Measurement**: Establishing KPIs to measure strategic priorities and determine success.
• 🔄 **Cascading Goals**: Ensuring goals at all levels (organizational, team, functional, individual) align and contribute to the overall strategy.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the strategic planning process described in the script?

The purpose of the strategic planning process is to guide organizations in defining their current position, desired future state, obstacles they may face, and the actions needed to achieve their goals, ultimately adding value to the organization.

How long does Anthony Taylor aim to run through the strategic planning process?

Anthony Taylor aims to run through the strategic planning process in under 15 minutes.

What are the four components of the strategic planning process mentioned in the script?

The four components are: where are we now, where are we going, what's going to get in our way, and what do we need to do to get to where we want to go.

What are the three types of alignment Anthony Taylor discusses in the strategic planning process?

The three types of alignment are: alignment with the leadership team, alignment with the vision and the strategy, and alignment within the whole organization.

What is the first part of the strategic planning process according to the script?

The first part of the strategic planning process is getting inputs, which includes doing an external analysis like a SWOT or PESTAL analysis and an internal analysis such as a stakeholder engagement survey or management team inputs.

What is the role of vision in the strategic planning process?

The vision is a critical part of the strategic planning process as it defines where the organization is going and serves as a motivational tool to inspire people to contribute towards achieving that vision.

How does Anthony Taylor suggest creating a compelling vision?

Anthony Taylor suggests creating a vision by being as descriptive as possible, visualizing what success looks like, and ensuring it is vivid enough to motivate and inspire the team.

What are the potential risks or obstacles that can hinder the strategic planning process?

Potential risks or obstacles include lack of leadership alignment, poor communication, insufficient resources, and lack of buy-in from the team.

How does the script suggest dealing with risks identified in the strategic planning process?

The script suggests identifying risks, creating impact studies, and developing mitigation plans to proactively address uncertainties and minimize the downside of these risks.

What is the importance of aligning strategy with the organization's vision and purpose?

Aligning strategy with the organization's vision and purpose ensures that all efforts are directed towards achieving the mission and brings the organization closer to realizing its vision.

What does Anthony Taylor recommend for setting strategic priorities?

Anthony Taylor recommends focusing on a handful of objectives, making significant progress on strategic priorities, and ensuring they align with the mission and vision of the organization.

How does the script define the role of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the strategic planning process?

KPIs are defined as performance measures and targets that help measure the success of strategic priorities and provide a scoreboard for the team to know if they are on track to achieve the organization's goals.