Critical Sucess Factors for Business and Industry in 2005 per Survey

87% Retention of Key Workers
49% New Products/Services
42% Flexible Business Strategies
34% Getting More from IT

Source: http://www.barometersurveys.com/

Just goes to show how important our "People" resources are!

Strategic Planning Templates D) Outline

For a PDF of this document, click HERE.

What is Strategic Planning?
A Management Tool
A Way to Focus our Energy
Working towards same Vision
Who we are
What we do
Why we do it
A Way to Focus on the Future


Long Range Planning vs. Strategic Planning
Long Range
A plan for accomplishing a set of goals with the assumption that current knowledge of the future is reliable.

Strategic
Responsive to a dynamic, changing environment. May not always flow smoothly. A Creative Process. Will move forward and back many times before arriving at the final set of decisions.


STEP ONE: MISSION
Mission Analysis
Clarify why the organization exists, who we serve, what is required by those we serve and how those needs are met.

STEP TWO: VALUES
Value Analysis
Take a serious look at the real values that drive our ambitions and desires for the organization. How are these values communicated both internally and externally?

SAMPLE MISSION and VALUES STATEMENT:

Mission Statement
FriendshipIndustries, Inc.
develops and maintains employment and training opportunities for persons with disabilities in integrated work environments.

Values Statement
FriendshipIndustries, Inc.
believes in and values…
Accountability–
to our clients, to our customers, to our community and the global market, to ourselves and to our organization. Everyone takes responsibility for their position and their personal growth at Friendship and beyond. Everyone takes responsibility for the quality products and support services we provide.
Empowerment–
from within each individual and for the organization as a whole. We value self-sufficiency and educating ourselves as well as educating the community on contributions we make.
Innovation–
in our support services and allocation of resources, in our problem-solving capabilities, in our products and services and in future-thinking for our success.
Respect–
for everyone, especially recognizing and understanding individual abilities and challenges.
Shared Corporate Culture–
in all we do, we work cooperatively as a team to achieve excellence for our organizational purpose.

STEP THREE: VISION
Vision Analysis
In a perfect world, what does the organization look like five years from today? How would we best serve our stakeholders and customers?
What…..Not How!


STEP FOUR:
Key Customer Analysis
Major Customers or Customer Groups who are Direct Recipients of the organization’s Products and Services, and whose requirements must be satisfied to successfully accomplish The Mission.

Key Stakeholder Analysis
MajorIndividuals or Entities which have a significant, specific interest in the performance of the organization, and have the capacity to impact the direction of the organization. Stakeholders are usually NOT Direct Recipients of the Organization’s Products or Services.

STEP FIVE: SWOT Analysis or Environmental Scan
We step back and honestly take a look at ourselves, our internal environment and our organizational structure. What are our true Strengths and Weaknesses? How will these effect and influence Key Customers, Stakeholders and ultimately Key Result Areas.
Additionally, examine the external influences on our organization –Locally Regionally –Nationally –Globally. What are the Threats and Opportunities that present themselves and how do we address these as they relate to Key Customers, Stakeholders and Key Result Areas?

Helpful Hint:
When performing SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) or Environmental Scan it helps to look at:
General, Economic, Political and Technological aspects of our environment.

STEP SIX: Key Result Areas (KRAs)
A Major Category of Key Customers/Stakeholders Requirements
These categories must prove to be CRITICAL for us to address to be successful in our Mission. When reviewing KRA’s, review how they align with Mission, Vision and Values. How do our SWOT results influence the KRA’s?
After analyzing the Key Result Areas and finding clarity on each, move on to choose:

STEP SEVEN: CRITICAL STRATEGIC ISSUES
What are the CRITICAL few issues that ABSOLUTELYMUST HAPPEN to move us forward to our Vision?

STEP EIGHT: Strategic Initiatives
The initiatives that will move us from our “Current State” to our “Future State”

STEP NINE: Goals and Objectives
Measurable activities to achieve the Strategic Initiatives that address our Critical Strategic Issues.

What is Strategic Management?
Attention paid to the “Big Picture”.
Willingness to adapt.
Formulation of Future Vision.
Development of a competitive strategy.
Creation of an organizational structure that will deploy resources as needed.

Special Thanks to Tom Hook, Friendship VP-Commercial Operations and Strategic Facilitator Extraordinaire

Strategic Planning Templates A) The Contract

For a PDF of this document, click HERE.

Strategic Plan Contract

Team Member Expectations for a Successful Plan

1. For all to work better as a team.
2. Produce a flexible document that will guide our everyday decisions.
3. Create a plan that reflects our true mission, values and vision.
4. Treat each member of the team with attention and respect.
5. Honor all thoughts and ideas as contributions to the process.
6. Be prompt for all meetings and complete all assignments.
7. Make every effort to participate fully in each discussion.
8. Treat the planning process with the seriousness it deserves.
9. Understand that the President might make a decision that is not consistent with my own belief and accept that decision.

Expectations of the President for a Successful Plan

1. Ensure that he and the management team treat the planning process with the importance that it deserves. This includes being present at all meetings possible and supporting the process in both word and action.
2. Ensure that adequate resources are applied to the plan to give it a real chance for success.
3. Ensure that the planning assignments are accomplished. Be available to encourage team members to participate fully in the process and assignments.
4. Make a commitment, along with the management team, to use the final plan in the organization’s decision-making process.

Expectations of the Facilitator for a Successful Plan

1. Be a resource for all facets of the strategic planning process.
2. Ensure that everyone on the team contributes.
3. Is effective and efficient in the use of the team’s time.
4. Is helpful in telling any team member when words or actions are helpful or harmful and by providing assistance on how to interact with the team during the planning.
5. Ensures that the team stays focused on the task at hand.
6. Remains unbiased and without hidden agendas or desired outcomes.
7. Accepts constructive criticism and/or questions about planning process.

I agree to the content of this contract and pledge my support and participation.

DATE__________________
_______________________
John Doe, President
_______________________
Jane Smith, Facilitator
_______________________
Team Member