Strategy Development and Management
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Conclusion
Strategy development is often done as a once-a-year activity (if that often). However, it’s in the execution that the rubber hits the road. Strategy is not just about high-level discussions, it’s about day-to-day activities. If there is no alignment, there is little impetus for momentum towards the vision.

Techniques such as SWOT analysis, benchmarking and inviting “outsiders” into the development phase will help establish a rich set of priorities and strategies. These can be assigned an “owner” within the team to work individually or in small groups to undertake concrete steps.

From there, ongoing management of the strategies will keep them alive and let everyone see that there is a cohesive game plan to which they’re contributing. Structure regular monthly or quarterly meetings around the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard. Have someone tabulate the various measures on the scorecard or have each “strategy owner” calculate their own and present them informally at the meeting.

Strategic Action Register
To keep track of projects planned or underway, create a list (often captured in spreadsheet software) showing the title, who’s heading it up, when it’s expected to be finished and any expenses that it may be incurring. I call this the Strategic Action Register. As with all of these methodologies, its intent is merely to provide a consistent approach to strategy development and management in order for the organization to focus its precious time on the right issues at the right time.

If your group has constructed the right cause-and-effect relationships from the bottom to the top of the scorecard, and if the strategic thrusts have been executed as planned, and if the strategic hypotheses have been correct, the financial results will hit their targets! If not, despair not, use the numerical results to zero in on the areas that are deficient and brainstorm ways to either derive a new strategy or execute better to the original.

Planning and Management methodology

1. Decide whether your organization needs a strategic tune-up.

2. Get organized. Establish who will organize and manage the development and ongoing care-and-feeding of the strategic plan.

3. Target good people. Identify people from both within the organization as well as “customers” of the organization who are creative, constructive and collaborative. Invite them to participate in a strategy development or review session. Ask them to think about current issues and to write them down in one to ten points.

4. Hold a workshop following an agenda, such as:

• Introductions
• Objectives
• Review/refine consolidated strategic issues submitted by participants
• Cluster issues into categories (4 to 7)
• SWOT analysis
• Review/refine vision and mission
• Formulate strategies to meet the mission (“We will invest time and resources to…”)
• Name someone as “strategy owner” for each strategy
• Create a first-cut Balanced Scorecard
• For each strategy, brainstorm initial tactics (activities, projects) to be undertaken
• Pick date for next regular meeting
• Refreshments

5. Create clear minutes of workshop

6. Create/update the Balanced Scorecard

7. Create/update the Strategic Action Register

8. Structure regular meeting agendas around the Balanced Scorecard

9. Have fun.

This was seminar/workshop at Pacific Contact 2001.

© 2000 Darren Bond

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