10 STEPS TO SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIC PLANNING

Abstract

The following essay aims to demonstrate an understanding of the steps involved in the strategic planning process. The process has a ten-step cycle beginning with initiating and agreeing on a strategic planning process and ending with reassessing the strategies and the strategic planning process. Utilizing the process in the correct order, in a step-by-step fashion ensures organizations align their resources and actions toward achieving long-term success.

Initiate and agree on a strategic planning process: This step involves defining the steps, roles, and objectives necessary to align an organization’s vision with realistic and attainable goals. During this step, it is important that key stakeholders are in agreement with the plan. To create a plan, it is important to utilize the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis, to set specific and measurable goals. Agreement here ensures everyone is aligned with priorities and expectations, allowing effective collaboration (Bryson, 2018).

Identify organizational mandates: During this step it is important to recognize legal, regulatory, and/or ethical obligations that the organization may face. These mandates may be government regulations, industry standards, internal policy, and other forms out internal and external requirements. Understanding these mandates is important because they set boundaries for planning, ensuring the organization’s actions align with legal and ethical requirements. If the organization does not identify these mandates properly, they may face issues within the legal system and will threaten the reputation of the organization.

Clarify organizational mission and values: This step ensures strategic alignment and decision-making. The organization’s mission and vision statement should define the purpose of the organization by highlighting goals, consumer market, and organizational activities. Organization values represent the principles that guide behavior within the organization. When a strong and accurate mission and vision statement are written, together they will foster a culture of unity, provide clear expectations, and guide organizational personnel toward the achievement of long-term goals (Kotter, 1996).

Assess the external and internal environments to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats: The SWOT analysis is a critical tool in the strategic planning phase. If an organization properly follows these guidelines, they will have a great understanding of where the organization sits within the industry. This gives an opportunity to plan for new and different products, pricing change considerations, expansion or downsizing, and many other business and planning decisions.

Identify the strategic issues facing the organization: This step is somewhat a continuation of the previous SWOT analysis step. To identify strategic issues facing the organization (Threats) is critical because challenges or opportunities that may impact the organizations’ ability to achieve its goals should be identified as early as possible. Identifying these issues will help to change course where needed to hopefully avoid or mitigate damages (Mintzberg, 1994).

Formulate strategies to manage the issues: This step involves developing plans to address strategic challenges and opportunities. During this step, rather than looking for potential issues the organization may face like the previous step, the team will analyze causes and impacts of the issues and create and implement strategies that leverage the organization’s strengths and mitigate the weaknesses. This step is going to require brain storming approaches, predict (as accurately as possible) different possible outcomes, and choosing what is believed to be the most effective course of action. It is important that these strategies continue to be aligned with the organization’s mission values to ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization (Porter, 1996).

Review and adopt the strategies or strategic plan: At this point, it is important that all key stakeholders are in agreeance of the strategic plans overall. The SWOT analysis and other steps have been completed and everyone is ready to implement the plans that have been created. This is not the final step, and this is not the “end-all be-all”, but, it is the time to put the strategic plan in place and to the test. The future steps will give opportunities for changes to be made when and where required.

Establish an effective organizational vision: While the vision has been mentioned prior to this step, this is the time that an effective vision is recorded and published to the stakeholders. The strategic plan has been put in place, actions are being reviewed for possible shortfalls, and the organization is running based on the plans created and implemented. An effective organizational vision now ensures everyone is on the same page for the organization’s long-term goals and visions for the long-term success.

Develop and effective implementation process: It is important that not everything is slapped in place in a sloppy manner. Implement the process with a strategic approach, listen to stakeholders, consumers, and employees while simultaneously doing reviews as the plans are implemented. If too much is implemented at once it may cause confusion and resistance. This is a critical time for the organization and an emphasis should be placed on caution.

Reassess the strategies and the strategic planning process: This may be the single most important step in this process. Understanding that many things very well may need to be changed is critical. The strategic plan may be in place, but the world and the organization is an ever changing thing. Just because the plan is in play does not mean strategic planning has been completed. Set times to do reviews with all personnel involved with the organization, don’t be afraid to reassess and create new plans. Remembering that the goal is always about long-term success (or achieving certain short term goals) is critical to ensure changes are being made effectively and as needed.

In conclusion, the strategic planning process is a complete, recurring framework that ensures and organizations long-term success by aligning goals, values, and actions. Following these tens steps will allow an organization to adapt to changes, address challenges, and create opportunities effectively. Ultimately, strategic planning is a fluid effort that requires a plan to be in place, regular reviews and flexibility in order to create a foundation for and attain long-term success.

References:

Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic planning for public and nonprofit organizations: A guide to strengthening and sustaining organizational achievement. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Kotter, J. P. (2022, September 19). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1995/05/leadin...

Mintzberg, H. (2014, August 1). The fall and rise of Strategic Planning. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1994/01/the-fa...

Porter, M. E. (2023, April 4). What is strategy?. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/1996/11/what-i...