Summary:

“Bill and Hillary are dead in a locked room, with a window wide open and broken glass on the floor.” This information is given to clients of a strategic consultant as an exercise designed to challenge our assumptions. For example, did you automatically think Bill and Hillary were people? Or did you that they were murdered? Understanding that we all make automatic assumptions helps set the stage for examining a business and how we and others perceive it. Bottom line: assume nothing!

A solid and executable strategic planning process challenges the assumptions of those involved because when you are so busy working in the business your assumptions keep you from working on the business. You become comfortable and believe your assumptions are actually facts.

Moving from that mindset and gathering all the information from market share to future market and product growth – with a removed assumption filter allows your mind to open to all the potential opportunities that before you couldn’t truly envision.

Article Quote:

“When you begin to gather all the information from market share to future market and product growth and you have removed the assumption filter, your mind is now open to all the potential opportunities that before you couldn’t truly envision.”

Link: http://strategicplanning.doodig.com/2010/02/11/strategic-planning-goes-beyond-who-does-what-by-when/

Participating in these kinds of mental exercises help us to self-evaluate and open our minds to possibilities we never knew existed. Strategic planning should be approached with an open mind so that several different scenarios can be evaluated and our automatic assumptions stay out of the creative process as much as possible.

For more on strategic planning, see http://www.performancesolutionstech.com/category/strategicplanning/

Summary:

This author writes that research, contemplation, setting course, and communication are key elements when putting together your strategic plan. He suggests that one person or a small team should take the lead on collecting relevant market research, getting employee inputs on important issues, reviewing the 2009 annual plan and producing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.

Next, sharing the market research with executives and allowing a few weeks time for the information to resonate before decisions are made will set the stage for open communication and collaboration in getting the strategic plan formulated.

Article Quote:

“A good annual operating plan can really bring an entire company together and get everyone pulling in the same direction for at least the first 6 months of the year.”

Link: http://www.seattle20.com/blog/Strategic-Planning-for-2010-is-a-must-start-now.aspx

Coming up with a strategic plan, and equally important – implementing it – can be a daunting task. Strategic planning technology assists with the process by providing greater collaboration tools. Additionally, using scenarios when making the plan will aid anticipation and response to the future. Having a plan in place when a scenario becomes reality lessens anxiety and will make it easier to deal with the threat or opportunity.

For more on strategic planning technology, see http://www.performancesolutionstech.com/category/strategicplanning/