New MONTHLY Strategic Planning Schedule
Our new monthly schedule covers everything in the original 7 day Simplified Strategic Planning PLUS the implementation check-ups that will keep you on track!
-only 2-4 hours per month, less stressful for your team
-keeps your strategy fresh and responsive to changes in your markets
-homework assistance between meetings FREE
-prepay now to get it for HALF the cost of regular Simplified Strategic Planning
Strategic Planning – Faster! Simpler! Less expensive!
Check out the monthly agenda below!
These are exactly the same exercises we’ve used to increase client’s profits by over $50 BILLION in the last 5 years. You could pay $37,000 to do this in person – but now you can save by having your meetings remotely!
What is Simplfied Strategic Planning about?
The Three Key Questions
The Simplified Strategic Planning process is a step-by-step roadmap for answering the questions at the heart of the matter. The three key questions:
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SELL?
TO WHOM ARE YOU GOING TO SELL?
HOW CAN YOU BEAT OR AVOID THE COMPETITION?
The first two questions define the breadth, scope and focus of your business. You must decide what you will do or will not do, and then you must decide who you will serve in the marketplace. These questions help you determine an appropriate focus.
We have found that many companies do not want to be focused and seem to go out of their way to avoid narrowing things down. The leaders of such companies usually can’t stand the idea of not pursuing a sale. Often, when asked the question, What are you going to sell? such leaders answer “Everything we can.” That’s not focus. That’s a pursue-everything approach – that person will also answer “Everyone we can,” to the question, To whom are you going to sell? The problem with the two answers, of course, is that there is a third question that really defines what you are capable of doing.
It’s that third question that brings a sense of realism to your planning process. When you get into the third question and begin examining your competencies, strengths, capabilities and infrastructure, you will really understand the importance of focus. You need to focus on applying your strategic competency and specific capabilities to what to sell to targeted markets. This will allow you to use your resources to gain a sustainable competitive advantage instead of just using them up.
These questions are the heart of the Simplified Strategic Planning model because at each step along the way you will be working towards answering them. As you do you will learn and grow. And as you learn and grow, you will create a well-considered plan. In the end, you will have a strategy that works and gives specific answers those three questions.
SIMPLIFIED STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS
Preliminary to beginning the process is the appointment of the team and the scheduling of the sessions. The team should be the top management team, those reporting to the CEO who represent all areas of activity at the company
At the broadest level, the Simplified Strategic Planning process is a series of structured meetings in which you start by gathering some basic data and facts about your external and internal situation. Then, you try and build a consensus about some assumptions for the future, including opportunities, threats and scenarios. After you’ve researched the necessary facts and developed assumptions, you sit down and review them with your team and make sure everyone understands and agrees. This is one of the key parts of any strategic planning process because the information and assumptions shape all further discussion about strategy.
From there, you will go on to develop your strategy (course and direction). Then you define goals and objectives and get into the questions of:
- How do we get there?
- How much is it going to cost?
- When will we get there?
- Who is responsible?
- Who will be involved, and will they have the time required?
These questions – the EXECUTION part of your plan – are the most critical to actually making the changes you need to succeed. Most companies achieve about 30% of their objectives. Our clients average completion of 85% of their objectives.
How the Schedule works
The Simplified Strategic Planning process covers nine items in three meetings. In our original process, the first meeting is two days, the second is three days and the third meeting is two days. In the monthly process, we spread this activity to 2-4 hour meetings once a month. In those meetings, you will do the following:
- Gather information
- Assess capabilities,
- Make assumptions,
- Make strategic assessments
- Develop core business strategy, competitive strategy, development strategy and financial strategy,
- Establish goals and objectives,
- Develop action plans to turn your objectives into results,
- Schedule action plans based on resource availability,
- Schedule reviews of developments, progress and performance.
The point of the Simplified Strategic Planning process is to make the plan manageable. If you want to create a beautifully-bound 700-page bookend that everyone has and no one uses, you’ll probably need a lot more meetings. But if you want to create a real, workable plan that you will USE, – the Simplified Strategic Planning process is for you.
It starts with situation analysis – understanding your current situation and what your assumptions might be going forward. Then there is strategy formulation – making decisions based on those inputs.
Finally, there is implementation planning – taking your decisions and driving them home in the organization to get results.
Remember the whole reason to do this is to get results. Because implementation must be specific and scheduled, it will inevitably fail if you don’t do this. Because of this, the Simplified Strategic Planning process leads to specific implementation of a strategy.
In total, the Simplified Strategic Planning process works out to about 40-50 hours of meetings, spread out over the year so that it won’t interfere with your day-to-day business. There is also work to be done by the team between sessions – and you will get one-on-one online help sessions for that homework for FREE as part of the process.
Center for Simplified Strategic Planning – Simplifying the process since 1981
Since 1981 the Center for Simplified Strategic Planning has provided client organizations the tools and leadership required to obtain superior strategic results. We are strategists with a strict focus on competitive strategy and strategy implementation for the mid-sized company. We wrote the book on strategic planning for the small to mid-sized company – Simplified Strategic Planning: A No-Nonsense Guide For Busy People Who Want Results Fast!
Here are five points that differentiate us in the marketplace:
- Our thousands of clients worldwide achieve real results with clear plans, accountability, resource allocation and control. They have collectively added over 50 billion dollars to their earnings.
- Our process has been refined over our 38 years of experience.
- Our professionals not only have many years of strategy consulting experience but also hands on experience as CEOs
- We only do strategy work, and we are very good at it.
- We focus on competitive strategy – beating or (better yet) avoiding competition and strategy implementation.
- Focus – You will sharply focus your efforts on what is most important to your future success.
- Results – You will improve tomorrow’s results through efficient and effective strategic management.
- Control – You will take control of your destiny by establishing a lean, effective strategy process that fits your business.
- Growth – You will reach and stretch for higher levels of attainment.
- Flexibility – You will deal with rapidly changing developments that will confront your business in the coming years.
- Vision – You will translate the company vision into personal involvement and alignment for your employees.
- Engagement – You will generate motivation, enthusiasm and commitment.
- Realization – You will achieve your highest potential.
- Operational effectivenesss – You will accomplish all of this without interfering with the conduct of your business.
Why should you choose the Center for Simplified Strategic Planning for your strategy consulting firm?
Here is the monthly agenda:
Apr SITUATION ANALYSIS
Review Acton Plan progress
Review and Revise Market Segments Served
Review and Revise Competitors
Make Assignments (Review and Update selected assignments)
Agenda for next session
ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
MARKET SEGMENT ANALYSIS (1.1-1 through 1.1.n)
COMPETITIVE EVALUATIONS (1.2-1 through 1.2.n)
ASSUMPTIONS FOR MARKET SEGMENTS (4.1-1 through 4.1.n)
COMPETITION ASSUMPTIONS (4.2-1 through 4.2.n)
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT (1.3)
SUPPLIER MARKET ASSESSMENT (1.4)
CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION (1.5)
SIGNIFICANT REGULATIONS (1.6)
OTHER IMPORTANT ASSUMPTIONS (4.3)
BALANCE SHEET (2.1)
FIVE YEAR OPERATING STATEMENT (2.2)
MEASURES of SUCCESS (2.3)
PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS (2.4)
Bring list of STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES for discussion
May CAPABILITIES ASSESSMENT
Review Action Plan Progress
Review assignments
Reassess Capabilities (3.1)
Agenda for next session
ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
Bring list of PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES (P4.4) for discussion
Jun STRATEGIC COMPETENCY and PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES
Review Action Plan Progress
STRATEGIC COMPETENCY (3.2)
Identify and evaluate PERCEIVED OPPORTUNITIES (P4.4)
Agenda for next session
ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
Assign OPPORTUNITY SCREENING WORKSHEETS (4.5-x)
Jul ASSESSMENTS
Review Action Plan Progress
Review OPPORTUNITY SCREENING WORKSHEETS (4.5-x)
Review and Revise PERCEIVED THREATS (4.6)
Update STRATEGIC ASSESSMENTS (5.1)
Review and Revise INDUSTRY SCENARIO (4.7)
Agenda for next session
Aug WINNER’S PROFILE and STRATEGIC ISSUES
Review Action Plan Progress
Review Industry Scenario (4.7)
Review and Revise WINNER’S PROFILE (4.8)
Agenda for next session
ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
Bring List of new potential STRATEGIC ISSUES (5.2) for discussion
Sep STRATEGIC ISSUES
Review Action Plan Progress
Review and Update STRATEGIC ISSUES (5.2)
Agenda for next session
Oct STRATEGIES
Review Action Plan Progress
Identify and discuss HOW MANY WAYS CAN WE SHOOT OURSELVES
IN THE FOOT (5.3)
Review and Revise STRATEGIES (5.4)
Agenda for next session
Nov MISSION STATEMENT, GOALS and OBJECTIVES
Review Action Plan Progress
Review STRATEGIES (5.4)
Review and Revise MISSION STATEMENT (6.1)
Review and Revise GOALS (6.2)
Review Existing Objectives (6.3)
Develop New OBJECTIVES (6.3)
Review ACTION PLAN WRITING PROCESS (7.n)
Agenda for next session
ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
Write ACTION PLAN drafts (7.1 through 7.n)
Dec IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING
Review Action Plan Progress
Review and revise ACTION PLAN drafts (7.1 through 7.n)
Review TIME PLANNING PROCESS (9.1 and 9.2)
Agenda for next session
Dec ASSIGNMENTS FOR NEXT SESSION
Develop preliminary OPERATING BUDGET (8,1)
Develop preliminary INVESTMENT BUDGET (8.2)
Develop preliminary CASH FLOW BUDGET (8.3)
Develop FIVE YEAR OPERATING BUDGET (8.4)
Assign PERSONAL ANNUAL SCHEDULES (9.1 AND 9.2)
Jan IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING (continued)
Review Action Plan Progress
Review OPERATING BUDGET (8.1)
Review INVESTMENT BUDGET (8.2)
Review CASH FLOW BUDGET (8.3)
Review FIVE YEAR OPERATING BUDGET (8.4)
Individual meetings with team members to review PERSONAL ANNUAL
SCHEDULES (9.1 and 9.2)
Agenda for next session
Feb IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING (continued)
Review Action Plan Progress
Update OBJECTIVES, BUDGETS and SCHEDULES
Schedule ACTION PLANS (7.1-7.n) – start and completion dates
Develop MONITORING SCHEDULE (9.4) for monitoring ACTION PLANS progress
Develop COMMUNICATION PLAN
Agenda for next session
Mar COMMUNICATIONS
Review Action Plan Progress
Modify ongoing Action Plans
Identify key communications to employees about strategy
Agenda for next session