7 Questions To Keep Your Strategic Plan Aligned With Business Purpose
We’re into the third month of 2012 and it’s a good time to see how your strategic plan is unfolding. IBM’s Lou Gerstner once said that having a
strategy was better than having none at all. See, you can tweak a plan since real life often has some challenge that makes you stop and reassess. A strategic plan is a reflection of your thinking and choices about how you (and your team) shape actions that are taken over the year.
Your plan could reflect:
1. New offerings of products and/or services
2. Back to basics
With the economy remaining turbulent, there comes a point when you have to choose what is best for your business and yourself. Waiting for things to settle is certainly an option but you might be waiting a long time. So, it’s time to back up and remind yourself, why does your business exist? What is its purpose?
How do you make sure your strategic plan is aligned with the purpose of your business?
There is always a lot to do when you run your own business and usually not enough time. However, not having some kind of roadmap to guide you makes it far too easy to chase a shiny new idea or to being busy without your busy-ness producing anything.
Questions for your roadmap:
1. Why is this business still important?
2. What will be celebrated on December 31, 2012?
3. Are these overarching goals written down on paper or in an easy-to-find computer file?
4. What realistic steps or objectives need to be taken to accomplish the year-long goals?
5. Who will be responsible for each goal to make sure the objectives are met?
6. Have you (and your team) identified actual and potential obstacles?
7. How will progress be assessed between now and December 31, 2012?
Does your roadmap reflects how the strategic plan is aligned with the purpose of the business?
What would you add to make sure strategic planning is bringing the purpose into every day existence?
About the author: I’m Elli St.George Godfrey, a small business coach and trainer who guides established small business owners to be comfortable in their own skin. I have a deep appreciation for learning and understanding my client’s business style and culture. Whether you are expanding in your own backyard or into another country, my 3 keys coaching process helps clients move from being excited about a new business opportunity to having the tools to make it actually happen. Curious? Schedule your complimentary coaching session here.
4 Comments
Much more important to me is the success of my niche sites and authority website, because these are areas that I plan/expect to be my most significant sourcees of revenue in the future.
LuccyT05 recently posted..MMA weight training
LucyyT05,
Thank you for taking the time to write your comment. It sounds like you have identified a strategy (using your niche sites and authority website) and actions that will fulfill the purpose of your business.
Best wishes for your success!
~Elli
Since your project ieovlvns research in family businesses, you can proceed in the following manner.Once you have put the obvious question, there can be the following answersa) No plan as such, we went ahead as and went opportunity aroseb) Planned, but it was in our minds (not documented)c) Had sketched down some aspects, but not completed) Had a well documented business plan.Option a)Such plans have a high probability of failure, and if they worked, it was because of luck or instant cover ups. Highly risky and not recommended.Option b)These are dependent on the person who is the key factor for the business. In his absence, the system goes haywire.Option c)Lots of confusion, since the plan is sketchy, and clarifications are required at every stageOption d)The most recommended technique, easier to find investors, and things can work even though the planner is not available.
Chato,
Thank you for sharing your analysis.
~Elli