How to Make a Strategic Plan ? – { Part 5 }
This is the fifth and last part of the strategy planning series and it covers several aspects of a strategy plan. The last three questions discuss changes in the strategy plan, implementation, and the people that are part of the process.
How Will You Acquire Members’ Buy-In Of The Organization?
A support can go a long way, especially if we have to ask them from the higher-ups. The pattern in some organizations goes like this: Come up with a strategy plan, implement it, checking the process, support from the CEO, everything’s good. But it’s not a happy ending after all. The support doesn’t last long.
The member’s effort, commitment, and devotion are significant aspects of an organization as well as the strategy plan. Here are some following guides:
- Show constant support from the CEO and Board executives and they should be responsible when it comes to disseminating information with the process
- Review the past failures and hurdles and assess why those incidents happened. This will help aid you to prevent yourself from doing it all over again.
- Provide an explanation regarding the strategy plan and its advantages in the organization.
- Involve everyone who will help implement the strategy plan
- Ensure that your members have their minds in the right place when they implement the strategy plan. Office politics should not get in the way in fulfilling their tasks and if one of them is greatly bothered by such, he or she will have a hard time keeping his or head in the game.
- Distribute the strategy plan’s implementation to specific employees.
- Provide a view of a logical and realistic strategy plan
How Will You Make Sure The Strategy Plan Is Implemented?
Strategy planning is easy but at times it doesn’t reach the implementation stage. Some believe that plans are not followed anyway so there’s no need to pursue it. But if you want your organization to survive another year in the industry, you need to religiously follow the strategy plan and ensure that you are able to implement it. Prevent implementation issues from happening by considering the following:
- Gather the people who will be responsible for implementing the strategy plan. Next, determine what force will drive them to devote and commit to the task.
- When you are determining your objectives, always ask if they are realistic. Then justify it regardless if your answer is a yes or a no.
- Include a course or set of action in the whole strategy plan. This will help you determine specific tasks and schedule to be fulfilled.
- Have someone monitor the plan’s implementation process
- Always keep an open mind when a strategy plan is changed. You can’t expect to produce a flawless plan on the first day.
How Will You Turnaround A Strategy Plan When It Calls For Necessary Changes?
Strategy plans are not exempted when it comes to change. This happens usually in the earlier stages of planning but often it also occurs when you are in the implementation stage.
- When documenting the strategy plan, label it as a draft. Once is approved, remove the label and if you want it, label it with something that indicates it’s official and ready to be implemented.
- Always put the date whenever you need to revise the plan. This will help you keep track how many changes occur in a week or month.
- If you feel that there needs to be changes in the strategy plan, bring it up to the high-level executives. You need to prepare your justification and change proposal so they can assess if your plan is in dire need of changes.
There are many ways to start with strategy planning—these are the basic ones that will serve you as stepping stones as you make your way in making your organization relevant in the market. This is the last article for the strategic planning series. Take notes of the following guidelines and don’t be afraid to make mistakes once in a while. Good luck!
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