Building For Mission’s Post

📌5 Keys for Successful Strategic Planning ✅Change Change is an important part of business. Your competitive edge can be threatened by competitors, technological advancements, market shifts, and unexpected events like global crises. Leaders need to stay alert in monitoring these influences and be ready to adapt. Sticking to the status quo is not an option,flexibility and responsiveness are crucial. ✅Complexity Complexity can delay progress if it’s not effectively managed. A successful strategy depends on simplicity and clarity. As Clayton Christensen noted, “Strategy is not a one time event,it’s an evolving plan.” Think of your strategic plan as a hypothesis that requires ongoing assessment and modification to ensure it aligns with your organizational goals. ✅Resources Resources are fundamental to executing any strategy. This encompasses not only financial assets but also tangible and intangible elements such as workforce capabilities, organizational culture, intellectual property, market presence, and supply chain . Leaders must evaluate whether they possess the necessary resources and processes to implement their strategy effectively and be ready to fill any gaps that may arise. ✅Financial Financial considerations are critical to any strategic framework. Merely having a budget is not equivalent for having a strategy,however, without solid financial backing, even the most promising plans can fail. Leaders should ensure their strategic initiatives are financially sound and include specific budget allocations for their execution. While reviewing historical financial performance is beneficial, developing forward a looking strategies supported by financial insights is essential for driving growth. ✅Monitor Internal and External Factors Continuously evaluate both your internal processes and external market dynamics. Stay prepared to adapt when unforeseen changes occur that might affect your operations or strategic direction. 📌Final Thought: Pay close attention to the impacts of change, as it is often the most significant factor that can introduce disruptive elements, both from within and outside the organization. Being aware of and preparing for change will enable your organization to thrive in ever-evolving markets. Remember, achieving strategic success demands ongoing alternative across these 5 critical categories snd more . #sarah_shehata #strategyconsultant #strategicplanning #business_planning #strategic_management #business_consultant #growth

Making Time...Winning Your War Connect with me: Luis A. E. American Management Artificial Intelligence Worldwide Leadership #indoorwinning #smart #planning #followup In the business world, this statement by Stephen Covey underscores the critical importance of strategic planning and preparation. Here’s how it translates into business experiences: Strategic Vision Long-Term Goals: Successful businesses set clear, long-term goals. This involves understanding market trends, customer needs, and potential challenges. Just as generals plan their campaigns, business leaders must envision the future and prepare accordingly. Scenario Planning: Anticipating various scenarios and having contingency plans in place can make the difference between success and failure. This foresight allows businesses to navigate uncertainties with confidence. Resource Allocation Efficient Use of Resources: Just as a general allocates troops and supplies strategically, business leaders must allocate resources—time, money, and talent—effectively. This ensures that every effort is aligned with the overall strategy and maximizes impact. Prioritization: Identifying and focusing on high-impact activities is crucial. This means prioritizing projects that align with strategic goals and can drive significant business growth. Team Alignment Clear Communication: Ensuring that every team member understands the strategic plan and their role in it is vital. This alignment fosters a cohesive effort towards common goals, much like a well-coordinated military unit. Empowerment: Empowering employees to make decisions within the framework of the strategic plan encourages innovation and responsiveness, akin to how field commanders operate within the general’s strategy. Risk Management Identifying Risks: Proactively identifying potential risks and developing mitigation strategies is essential. This preparation helps businesses avoid or minimize the impact of unforeseen challenges. Adaptability: Being able to adapt plans based on real-time feedback and changing conditions is crucial. This flexibility ensures that businesses can pivot when necessary, maintaining momentum towards their goals. Execution Excellence Detailed Planning: Breaking down the strategic vision into actionable steps ensures that the plan is executable. This involves setting milestones, timelines, and accountability measures. Continuous Improvement: Regularly reviewing progress and making adjustments based on performance data helps businesses stay on track and continuously improve their strategies. In essence, just as wars are won through careful planning and strategic foresight, business success is achieved through meticulous preparation, resourceful execution, and the ability to adapt to changing circumstances. This approach not only drives growth but also builds resilience and long-term sustainability. Your next war is coming soon. Are you ready?

𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 - 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 I think it was Eisenhower who made this statement, with the underlying message that the act of planning builds resilience, problem-solving skills, and foresight. The plan, once completed, must remain fluid, dynamic and flexible, evolving alongside changing circumstances. Business strategies often fail. This is a well-known fact: According to studies, some 60–90% of strategic plans never fully launch, and usually, 𝐞𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 consistently bears the blame. I am sure many of us have spent hundreds of hours building comprehensive business strategy slide decks, followed by a string of presentations, review meetings, and progress updates. More often than not, teams produce cursory actions to satisfy leadership, especially financial forecasts stretching over 5 years or beyond painting the most convincing growth and profitability numbers because no one, especially investors or other stakeholders who have their skin in the game, want to see break-even after 4–5 years! Questions about the plan’s sustainability and viability linger in the shadows, and often in business strategy meetings no one points to the elephant lurking around. Simply having an experienced leadership team in place doesn’t guarantee an organization’s ability to create a strategic plan. Some CEOs have unwavering confidence in their organization’s ability to execute. Yet, when attempting to craft a strategy, leadership sometimes struggles for months on end. They apply a variety of best practices throughout dozens of meetings, only to produce a plan which wasn’t a strategy, but rather a wish list of lofty goals. The top guy must never assume that implementation talent is equated to strategic savvy. The aspirational strategy once approved, operationalizing and implementation of the plans begin. Within a few months, the strategy is quietly abandoned as ground realities start hitting head-on and fatal flaws and issues start coming to light during the implementation phase. Successful execution is a product of the detail and accuracy of the plan itself. Just because a strategy is formulated, doesn’t mean it’s ready for hand-off to the front-line for execution. Leadership must examine whether the strategy considers the context in which it must be executed, as this is where uncertainty proliferates, and addresses those potential pitfalls preemptively. This will ensure the team has the tools to deliver the desired results.

It’s the time of year for executive off-sites and all-day sessions to develop next year’s strategic plan. The time-consuming process can be grueling, frustrating, and even border-line painful. The worst part? Even good strategies can fail. Here are some ways to avoid common strategic planning pitfalls: Align around a clear growth vision Ensure your leadership team knows and agrees upon what success will look like in 2025, how it will be measured, and how it will be achieved (prioritized growth levers). Buy in at the top of the organization is absolutely critical. Know what you are solving for Dig into the root cause of business challenges even when it is really tempting to go with the most obvious explanation. For example, a company pointed to a competitor's increasingly aggressive marketing tactics as the reason for falling sales but further research revealed their outdated pricing model as the culprit. Find an expert to lead the team Creating an effective and executable strategy is a cultivated skill; not one that all experienced, proven leaders can do it. Make sure someone on your executive team has the required strategic saavy and ability to think long-term so you don't end up with an action plan. Consider bringing in an external resource if needed. Be realistic about available resources The employees and leaders that implement strategic plans are also the same folks that are responsible for the critical operational activities that keep the business running.  This leaves limited time (survey estimates that 75% of employees spend less than 3 hours per week) to focus on more strategic initiatives.   Consider the organizational culture A new strategy exists in the context of the perceived successes or failures of the plans that came before it.  Be cognizant of this as you package, communicate, and rollout the strategy to the organization more broadly. (Link to HBR article that inspired this post in the comments)

🎯 "A Directionless Strategy is like a ship without a compass—no matter how hard you row, you’ll never reach your destination." 🎯 If you notice a recurring pattern where your efforts Fail to deliver Results ↘, it’s a clear signal to reassess your strategic direction. ↗ Realigning your strategy could be the decisive move that turns effort into impact and drives real success. Discover how "You, Too, Can UnComplicate Complexity" to improve strategic direction. Learn more here: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gn_nJJqs #StrategicAlignment #BusinessStrategy #ResultsDriven #StrategicPlanning #Efficiency #FocusOnSuccess

After many years in Strategy, I could not agree more on some of the points highlighted in this article #Strategynow: 1) Embrace uncertainty to build resilience. So many companies (in both Retail and FMCG) avoid uncertainty and prefer to repeat the same old formula even if the "secret sauce" is not working any more. Being brave could become a matter of survival in some industries 2) Be quick and decisive. Trial & error, experiment, evolve. 3) Close the gap with execution. Strategy has never been more important but "Strategy is nothing without execution" (full pdf article in link)

3 Great Questions to Guide Executive Decisions. Excellent article by Scott Newton - a partner with Thinking Dimensions that every executive should be factoring in to their decision making. - How are you measuring and creating long term value for all the stakeholders? - What will the business look like in the future and why will this be a success? - Why will investors, employees, and customers choose to work with this organization?

Strategy Execution

When I first started working with organizations, I noticed a common trend—many leaders were constantly putting out fires, focused only on immediate issues. Long-term goals were discussed, but the strategies to achieve them often fell short. I realized the missing piece was clear, actionable strategic planning. I have also seen improvements over the years but there's still a shortfall in some areas. Did you know that 60% of businesses don’t have a long-term strategy? Without a roadmap, companies can struggle with misalignment, stagnation, and wasted resources. At one point, I led the strategic overhaul of a government organization's Operations process. The organization struggled with inefficient processes and a lack of documentation, which hindered its ability to scale effectively. Through a comprehensive strategic planning process, we identified key areas for improvement, implemented a modernized operation strategy, and realigned their operational goals. The results? A remarkable 60% improvement in process documentation, ensuring regulatory compliance and operational excellence. This transformation positioned the organization for sustainable growth and streamlined future operations. At Karlene Millwood International Inc., we help organizations develop forward-thinking strategies that align with their mission and drive measurable outcomes. If your organization is feeling sluggish or lacking clarity, I can help you create a solid plan that leads to sustainable growth. Let’s connect and discuss how strategic planning can propel your organization forward! #StrategicPlanning #LeadershipDevelopment #SustainableGrowth

Do you want to know a secret? Most executives cannot articulate the strategy of their business in a simple statement. It gets worse. Across the entire organisation, no-one else can either! This highlights a fundamental problem with most organisations today … people at all levels are busy without really knowing why. In 2008, the Harvard Business Review published a fantastic piece entitled Can You Say What Your Strategy Is? In the opening paragraph, the authors pose this question ... “Can you summarise your company’s strategy in 35 words or less?” I’ve asked this question of business teams dozens of times. The answer is seldom YES. Why is this a problem? What can be done about it? #clarity #strategy