Once
your Vision is in place you will want to figure out how to achieve
it. The first step is an effective Strategy. A Strategic Plan
maps out the specific areas and directions you will follow, and
not follow. Which markets you will pursue, with which products
or services and how you will position your company to achieve
your Vision.
Why
have a Strategy?
Of course you don't have to have one.
Many companies do not. But then how do you decide which opportunities
to pursue and which to judiciously set aside, if only for the
time being? Every company has a finite set of resources; financial,
personnel, time. The successful corporation deploys those resources
efficiently and effectively and that requires clear criterion
for each decision.
What
does a Strategy look like?
An effective Strategy can be a simple
as an outline of bullet points that guide the team through their
day. Some corporations choose to make this a more formal and
longer document. What is critical is that the Strategy outlined
is clear and focused and gives everyone on your team a clear
direction and guidelines for the decisions they will be making.
How
do we design a Strategy?
A successful Strategy usually takes some
time with primary research to analyze the various markets, products
and processes to help determine which will be the best avenues
to pursue. The best Strategies usually involve the entire team
researching and deciding on the direction to take.
We
don't even know where to begin!
While this can be a complex project,
an experienced facilitator and project manager can guide you
through the process. A great facilitator will even show you how
much fun it can be and teach you the tools to develop the skills
so that you will be able to repeat the process yourselves.
|