Strategic panning is critical for any business that wants a laser like focus on successfully achieving their goals and objectives. New opportunities and risks are continually emerging in the market place and your business needs to be able to respond effectively if it is to thrive.
However, the most immaculate plan can be shot down in a blaze of waste paper very quickly at the implementation stage, if the right foundations have not been built. Here are the Top 7 things that can go wrong with your strategic planning process – and what to do about it.
1. Incomplete buy-in from the team
We know that generally speaking, we are creatures of habit, and we do get comfortable with our daily rhythm at work. So when changes are imposed upon us, we often naturally resist the change at some level. In a different set of circumstances, we might feel overdue for change, and looking forward to things improving. But we will all have our own opinions and perspectives on how that change should look.
When a team leader is ready to initiate change, it is vital to get complete buy-in from the team they will be relying on to implement the plan. The outcomes of incomplete buy-in can range from reduced productivity and confusion, to indifference, all the way to outright mischief and sabotage.
Make sure that the first time your team hears about the plan isn’t when it’s finished, and it’s important they understand the implications of not changing. Either involve your entire team in a strategic planning workshop, or seek other ways to start gathering feedback and inviting contributions. Communication tools like surveys, meetings and face-to-face discussions will help you gather feedback from your whole organisation. Ensure all voices are heard.
2. Insufficient Resources to Implement the Plan
Creating a successful plan requires a large dose of realism. So often we see organisations getting caught up in the excitement of the new, and they forget to allow time to manage their existing business activities.
There are two key elements that will make the difference. The first one is to very clearly define the objectives of the program to maintain a focus on what is most important. The second is to create the plan with implementation in mind. At the end of the process, create a detailed Action Plan with a realistic timeline and clear accountabilities that align with the Strategic Plan, and also takes into account the resources available for implementation. Each team member should create their own individual Action Plan and schedule each action in their diary.
At the same time, consider what additional resources could be found by redeploying underutilised resources already existing in the business, or enlisting external partners with the expertise and capacity you need.
3. Unclear Objectives
When objectives are unclear, it is difficult for your team to make good decisions during the implementation phase and confusion becomes a powerful negative element working against the success of your plan.
To address this, objectives need to be expressed in a way that allows the team to know when the objective has been achieved. Avoid using broad sweeping statements such as ‘strive to’, ‘commit to’ or ‘endeavour to’ when expressing your objectives.
Express each strategic initiative with at least one action, a metric where possible (so you know when you have achieved it), a date for completion, and a person’s name who will be accountable for the action.
4. Things Change
When you create a strategic plan, you are simply not going to get it 100% perfect at the first attempt. A strategic plan is about charting a bright new future for your organisation and it will always involve a level of assumption. Having said that, it is vital that you bring all the information you do have into the planning process, to ensure you are making informed decisions about where to put your focus.
Be willing to iterate, and then iterate again. Smart leaders will have their ear to the ground, listening to emerging threats and opportunities and then responding as required. If you and your team have done your homework, changes to the top-level strategy would be rare. However, you would be empowering your team members to report back to your regular strategy sessions with feedback about appropriate adjustments required, or already made at a more detailed level.
5. Loss of Momentum
It is very common to see a great deal of enthusiasm at the start of the strategic planning process, followed by a decline in the time and focus being applied to the plan, as the realities of the old routine draw us back.
To address this in advance, have your people allocate specific blocks of time (a day, or a half day per week or fortnight) where everyone agrees to attend to delivering their actions from the strategic plan. Commit to regular strategy review meetings and ensure each team member has scheduled those meetings in their diaries.
Another often overlooked, and immensely powerful thing you can do is to celebrate milestones. This will keep your bright new future in your sights and help your team keep their energy level up. Consider celebrating the achievement of each strategic objective and have the whole team share in the spoils. You could arrange a team lunch, invite an early finish on a Friday afternoon, or provide a one-off, unexpected monetary bonus.
Summary
Building the right foundations in the planning process will set you and your team up for success. Clear goals, strong two-way communication and realistic scheduling of actions will all make a huge difference in the planning phase. Then engaging your team regularly during implementation and empowering them to make appropriate adjustments as things change and more information comes to light will go a long way to delivering the outcomes you want to see.
